78:1 {Maschil of Asaph.} Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
78:1 A Contemplation of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
78:3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

78:4 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 hath done.
78:4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

78:5 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:
78:5 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;

78:6 That the generation to come might know [them, even] the children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their children:
78:6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,

78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
78:7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;

78:8 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.
78:8 And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

78:9 The children of Ephraim, [being] armed, [and] carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
78:9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.

78:10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
78:10 They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law,

78:11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
78:11 And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.

78:12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan.
78:12 Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

78:13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
78:13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

78:14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
78:14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.

78:15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths.
78:15 He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.

78:16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
78:16 He also brought streams out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.

78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
78:17 But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.

78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
78:18 And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.

78:19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
78:19 Yes, they spoke against God: They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

78:20 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?
78:20 Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?"

78:21 Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
78:21 Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,

78:22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
78:22 Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.

78:23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
78:23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,

78:24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
78:24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

78:25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
78:25 Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.

78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind.

78:27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
78:27 He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;

78:28 And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
78:28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings.

78:29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
78:29 So they ate and were well filled, For He gave them their own desire.

78:30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat [was] yet in their mouths,
78:30 They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths,

78:31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen [men] of Israel.
78:31 The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel.

78:32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
78:32 In spite of this they still sinned, AND did not believe in His wondrous works.

78:33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
78:33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility, And their years in fear.

78:34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
78:34 When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God.

78:35 And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
78:35 Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.

78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
78:36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;

78:37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
78:37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

78:38 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.
78:38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath;

78:39 For he remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
78:39 For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.

78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert!
78:40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert!

78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
78:41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.

78:42 They remembered not his hand, [nor] the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
78:42 They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,

78:43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
78:43 When He worked His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan;

78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
78:44 Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink.

78:45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
78:45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.

78:46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
78:46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycamore trees with frost.

78:48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
78:48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning.

78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels [among them].
78:49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.

78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
78:50 He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague,

78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
78:51 And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.

78:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
78:52 But He made His own people go forth like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

78:53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
78:53 And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

78:54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, [even to] this mountain, [which] his right hand had purchased.
78:54 And He brought them to His holy border, This mountain which His right hand had acquired.

78:55 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.
78:55 He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them an inheritance by survey, And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.

78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
78:56 Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, And did not keep His testimonies,

78:57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
78:57 But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
78:58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

78:59 When God heard [this], he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
78:59 When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel,

78:60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [which] he placed among men;
78:60 So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

78:61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.
78:61 And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy's hand.

78:62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
78:62 He also gave His people over to the sword, And was furious with His inheritance.

78:63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
78:63 The fire consumed their young men, And their maidens were not given in marriage.

78:64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
78:64 Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows made no lamentation.

78:65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
78:65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.

78:66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
78:66 And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.

78:67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
78:67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

78:68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
78:68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.

78:69 And he built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath established for ever.
78:69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever.

78:70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
78:70 He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

78:71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
78:71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
78:72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.