BBEV Psalms Chapter 78
Maschil. Psalm of Asaph. 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth. 78:2 Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times; 78:3 Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers. 78:4 We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done. 78:5 He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children; 78:6 So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children; 78:7 So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws; 78:8 And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God. 78:9 The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight. 78:10 They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law; 78:11 They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see. 78:12 He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 78:13 The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that. 78:14 In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire. 78:15 The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters. 78:16 He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers. 78:17 And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land; 78:18 Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire. 78:19 They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land? 78:20 See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people? 78:21 So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel; 78:22 Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation. 78:23 And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open; 78:24 And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven. 78:25 Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure. 78:26 He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power. 78:27 He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea, 78:28 And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents. 78:29 So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire; 78:30 But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths, 78:31 The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel. 78:32 For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders. 78:33 So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble. 78:34 When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care; 78:35 In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour. 78:36 But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him; 78:37 And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him. 78:38 But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry. 78:39 So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again. 78:40 How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places! 78:41 Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel. 78:42 They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters; 78:43 How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; 78:44 So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams. 78:45 He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction. 78:46 He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts. 78:47 He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold. 78:48 Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks. 78:49 He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them. 78:50 He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease. 78:51 He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham; 78:52 But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock. 78:53 He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea. 78:54 And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his; 78:55 Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place. 78:56 But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws; 78:57 Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow. 78:58 They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images. 78:59 When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely; 78:60 So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men; 78:61 And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater. 78:62 He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage. 78:63 Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song. 78:64 Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them. 78:65 Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine. 78:66 His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever. 78:67 And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim; 78:68 But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure. 78:69 And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever. 78:70 He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks; 78:71 From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage. 78:72 So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.