[[Psalm 77|<< Psalm 77]] | [[Psalms|Psalms]] | [[Psalm 79|Psalm 79 >>]] ### Psalm 78 > Maschil of Asaph. 1 GIVE ear, O my people, _to_ my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ^1 2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: ^2 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ^3 4 We will not hide _them_ from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he has done. ^4 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: ^5 6 That the generation to come might know _them_, _even_ the children _which_ should be born; _who_ should arise and declare _them_ to their children: ^6 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: ^7 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation _that_ set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. ^8 9 The children of Ephraim, _being_ armed, _and_ carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. ^9 10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; ^10 11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them. ^11 12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, _in_ the field of Zoan. ^12 13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. ^13 14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. ^14 15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave _them_ drink as _out_ _of_ the great depths. ^15 16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. ^16 17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. ^17 18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. ^18 19 Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? ^19 20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? ^20 21 Therefore the LORD heard _this_, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; ^21 22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: ^22 23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, ^23 24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. ^24 25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. ^25 26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. ^26 27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: ^27 28 And he let _it_ fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. ^28 29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; ^29 30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat _was_ yet in their mouths, ^30 31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen _men_ of Israel. ^31 32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. ^32 33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. ^33 34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. ^34 35 And they remembered that God _was_ their rock, and the high God their redeemer. ^35 36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. ^36 37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. ^37 38 But he, _being_ full of compassion, forgave _their_ iniquity, and destroyed _them_ not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. ^38 39 For he remembered that they _were_ _but_ flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again. ^39 40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, _and_ grieve him in the desert! ^40 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. ^41 42 They remembered not his hand, _nor_ the day when he delivered them from the enemy. ^42 43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: ^43 44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. ^44 45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. ^45 46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labor unto the locust. ^46 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. ^47 48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. ^48 49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels _among_ _them_. ^49 50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; ^50 51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of _their_ strength in the tabernacles of Ham: ^51 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. ^52 53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. ^53 54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, _even_ _to_ this mountain, _which_ his right hand had purchased. ^54 55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. ^55 56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: ^56 57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. ^57 58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. ^58 59 When God heard _this_, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: ^59 60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent _which_ he placed among men; ^60 61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. ^61 62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. ^62 63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. ^63 64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation. ^64 65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, _and_ like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine. ^65 66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach. ^66 67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: ^67 68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. ^68 69 And he built his sanctuary like high _palaces_, like the earth which he has established for ever. ^69 70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: ^70 71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. ^71 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. ^72