Psalms 78

Brenton(i) 1 (77:1) A Psalm of instruction for Asaph. Give heed, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth. 2 (77:2) I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings which have been from the beginning. 3 (77:3) All which we have heard and known, and our fathers have declared to us. 4 (77:4) They were not hid from their children to a second generations; the fathers declaring the praises of the Lord, and his mighty acts, and his wonders which he wrought. 5 (77:5) And he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, to make it known to their children: 6 (77:6) that another generation might know, even the sons which should be born; and they should arise and declare them to their children. 7 (77:7) That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but diligently seek his commandments. 8 (77:8) That they should not be as their fathers, a perverse and provoking generation; a generation which set not its heart aright, and its spirit was not steadfast with God. 9 (77:9) The children of Ephraim, bending and shooting with the bow, turned back in the day of battle. 10 (77:10) They kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in his law. 11 (77:11) And they forgot his benefits, and his miracles which he had shewed them; 12 (77:12) the miracles which he wrought before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Tanes. 13 (77:13) He clave the sea, and led them through: he made the waters to stand as in a bottle. 14 (77:14) And he guided them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire. 15 (77:15) he clave a rock in the wilderness, and made them drink as in a great deep. 16 (77:16) And he brought water out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down as rivers. 17 (77:17) And they sinned yet more against him; they provoked the Most High in the wilderness. 18 (77:18) And they tempted God in their hearts, in asking meat for the desire of their souls. 19 (77:19) They spoke also against God, and said, Will God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 (77:20) Forasmuch as he smote the rock, and the waters flowed, and the torrents ran abundantly; will he be able also to give bread, or prepare a table for his people? 21 (77:21) Therefore the Lord heard, and was provoked: and fire was kindled in Jacob, and wrath went up against Israel. 22 (77:22) Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation. 23 (77:23) Yet he commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24 (77:24) and rained upon them manna to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven. 25 (77:25) Man ate angels' bread; he sent them provision to the full. 26 (77:26) He removed the south wind from heaven; and by his might he brought in the south-west wind. 27 (77:27) And he rained upon them flesh like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the seas. 28 (77:28) And they fell into the midst of their camp, round about their tents. 29 (77:29) So they ate, and were completely filled; and he gave them their desire. 30 (77:30) They were not disappointed of their desire: but when their food was yet in their mouth, 31 (77:31) then the indignation of God rose up against them, and slew the fattest of them, and overthrew the choice men of Israel. 32 (77:32) In the midst of all this they sinned yet more, and believed not his miracles. 33 (77:33) And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years with anxiety. 34 (77:34) When he slew them, they sought him: and they returned and called betimes upon God. 35 (77:35) And they remembered that God was their helper, and the most high God was their redeemer. 36 (77:36) Yet they loved him only with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. 37 (77:37) For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. 38 (77:38) But he is compassionate, and will forgive their sins, and will not destroy them: yea, he will frequently turn away his wrath, and will not kindle all his anger. 39 (77:39) And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind that passes away, and returns not. 40 (77:40) How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, and anger him in a dry land! 41 (77:41) Yea, they turned back, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 42 (77:42) They remembered not his hand, the day in which he delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. 43 (77:43) How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanes: 44 (77:44) and had changed their rivers into blood; and their streams, that they should not drink. 45 (77:45) He sent against them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it spoiled them. 46 (77:46) And he gave their fruit to the canker worm, and their labours to the locust. 47 (77:47) He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost. 48 (77:48) And he gave up their cattle to hail, and their substance to the fire. 49 (77:49) He sent out against them the fury of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and affliction, a message by evil angels. 50 (77:50) He made a way for his wrath; he spared not their souls from death, but consigned their cattle to death; 51 (77:51) and smote every first-born in the land of Egypt; the first-fruits of their labours in the tents of Cham. 52 (77:52) And he removed his people like sheep; he led them as a flock in the wilderness. 53 (77:53) And he guided them with hope, and they feared not: but the sea covered their enemies. 54 (77:54) And he brought them in to the mountain of his sanctuary, this mountain which his right hand had purchased. 55 (77:55) And he cast out the nations from before them, and made them to inherit by a line of inheritance, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. 56 (77:56) Ye they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies. 57 (77:57) And they turned back, and broke covenant, even as also their fathers: they became like a crooked bow. 58 (77:58) And they provoked him with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 59 (77:59) God heard and lightly regarded them, and greatly despised Israel. 60 (77:60) And he rejected the tabernacle of Selom, his tent where he dwelt among men. 61 (77:61) And he gave their strength into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hand. 62 (77:62) And he gave his people to the sword; and disdained his inheritance. 63 (77:63) Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins mourned not. 64 (77:64) Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows shall not be wept for. 65 (77:65) So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and as a mighty man who has been heated with wine. 66 (77:66) And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he brought on them a perpetual reproach. 67 (77:67) And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim; 68 (77:68) but chose the tribe of Juda, the mount Sion which he loved. 69 (77:69) And he built his sanctuary as the place of unicorns; he founded it for ever on the earth. 70 (77:70) He chose David also his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep. 71 (77:71) He took him from following the ewes great with young, to be the shepherd of Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance. 72 (77:72) So he tended them in the innocency of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.