[1] A Maskil of Asaph. [2] Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline
your ears to the words of my mouth! [3] I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old, [4] things that we have heard and
known, that our fathers have told us. [5] We will not hide them from their
children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD,
and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought. [6] He established a
testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our
fathers to teach to their children; [7] that the next generation might know
them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
[8] so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of
God, but keep his commandments; [9] and that they should not be like their
fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was
not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. [10] The E'phraimites,
armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. [11] They did not
keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. [12] They
forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them. [13] In
the sight of their fathers he wrought marvels in the land of Egypt, in the
fields of Zo'an. [14] He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and
made the waters stand like a heap. [15] In the daytime he led them with a
cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. [16] He cleft rocks in the
wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. [17] He made
streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
[18] Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most
High in the desert. [19] They tested God in their heart by demanding the
food they craved. [20] They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a
table in the wilderness? [21] He smote the rock so that water gushed out
and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread, or provide meat for his
people?" [22] Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire
was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel; [23] because
they had no faith in God, and did not trust his saving power. [24] Yet he
commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; [25] and he
rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. [26]
Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance. [27] He
caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out
the south wind; [28] he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like
the sand of the seas; [29] he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all
around their habitations. [30] And they ate and were well filled, for he
gave them what they craved. [31] But before they had sated their craving,
while the food was still in their mouths, [32] the anger of God rose
against them and he slew the strongest of them, and laid low the picked men
of Israel. [33] In spite of all this they still sinned; despite his wonders
they did not believe. [34] So he made their days vanish like a breath, and
their years in terror. [35] When he slew them, they sought for him; they
repented and sought God earnestly. [36] They remembered that God was their
rock, the Most High God their redeemer. [37] But they flattered him with
their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. [38] Their heart was not
steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant. [39] Yet he,
being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he
restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath. [40] He
remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not
again. [41] How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and
grieved him in the desert! [42] They tested him again and again, and
provoked the Holy One of Israel. [43] They did not keep in mind his power,
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe; [44] when he wrought his
signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the fields of Zo'an. [45] He turned
their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams. [46]
He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which
destroyed them. [47] He gave their crops to the caterpillar, and the fruit
of their labor to the locust. [48] He destroyed their vines with hail, and
their sycamores with frost. [49] He gave over their cattle to the hail, and
their flocks to thunderbolts. [50] He let loose on them his fierce anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels. [51] He
made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their
lives over to the plague. [52] He smote all the first-born in Egypt, the
first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham. [53] Then he led forth
his people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. [54]
He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid; but the sea
overwhelmed their enemies. [55] And he brought them to his holy land, to
the mountain which his right hand had won. [56] He drove out nations before
them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel
in their tents. [57] Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High
God, and did not observe his testimonies, [58] but turned away and acted
treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. [59]
For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to
jealousy with their graven images. [60] When God heard, he was full of
wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. [61] He forsook his dwelling at
Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among men, [62] and delivered his power to
captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. [63] He gave his people over
to the sword, and vented his wrath on his heritage. [64] Fire devoured
their young men, and their maidens had no marriage song. [65] Their priests
fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation. [66] Then the Lord
awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine. [67] And
he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame. [68] He
rejected the tent of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of E'phraim; [69]
but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves. [70] He built
his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded
for ever. [71] He chose David his servant, and took him from the
sheepfolds; [72] from tending the ewes that had young he brought him to be
the shepherd of Jacob his people, of Israel his inheritance. [ (Psalms
78:73) With upright heart he tended them, and guided them with skilful
hand. ]
