Psalms 78

1<> Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter enigmas of old, 3which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4We will not hide [them] from their sons, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD and his strength and his wonderful works that he has done. 5For 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 sons: 6That the generation to come might know [them], [even] the sons [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their sons 7that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments 8and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation [that] did not set their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. 9The sons of Ephraim, [being] armed [and] carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. 10They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in his law 11and forgot his works and his wonders that he had showed them. 12He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan. 13He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and he made the waters to stand as a heap. 14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud and all the night with a light of fire. 15He clave the rocks in the wilderness and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths. 16He brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. 17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18And they tempted God in their heart [by] asking for food according to the desires of their soul. 19And they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 20Behold, 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? 21Therefore the LORD heard [this] and was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel 22because they had not believed God, nor had they trusted in his saving health; 23and he commanded the clouds of above and opened the doors of the heavens 24and caused manna to rain upon them to eat and gave them wheat of the heavens. 25Man did eat the food of the strong; he sent them food to the full. 26He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind. 27He rained flesh also upon them as dust and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: 28And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. 29So they did eat and were well filled; for he gave them their own desire; 30they were not estranged from their lust. But while their food [was] yet in their mouths, 31the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them and smote down the chosen of Israel. 32For all this they sinned still and did not give him credit for his wondrous works. 33Therefore he consumed their days in vanity and their years in tribulation. 34When he slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God. 35And they remembered that God [was] their rock and the high God their redeemer. 36Nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. 38But he, [being] full of compassion, forgave [their] iniquity and did not destroy [them]; many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath. 39For he remembered that they [were but] flesh: a wind that passes away and does not come again. 40How often did they provoke him in the wilderness [and] grieve him in the desert! 41And they turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42They did not remember his hand, [nor] the day when he ransomed them from anguish. 43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan 44and had turned their rivers into blood and their floods, that they could not drink. 45He sent swarms [of flies] among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. 46He gave also their fruits unto the caterpillar and their works unto the locust. 47He destroyed their vines with hail and their [wild] fig trees with stones. 48He gave up their cattle also to the hail and their flocks to [thunderbolts of] fire. 49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble by sending evil angels [among them]. 50He made a way to his anger; he did not spare their soul from death but gave their life over to the pestilence 51and smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of [their] strength in the tents of Ham: 52But made his own people to go forth like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54And he brought them into the borders of his holiness, into this mountain, [which] his right hand had purchased. 55He cast out the Gentiles also before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their habitations. 56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God and did not keep his testimonies: 57But turned back and rebelled like their fathers; they became like a deceitful bow. 58For they provoked him to anger with their high places and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 59God heard [this] and was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel: 60For this reason he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [in which] he dwelt among men 61and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemy's hand. 62He gave his people over also unto the sword and was wroth with his inheritance. 63The fire consumed their young men; and their virgins were not honored [in marriage] songs. 64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation. 65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep [and] like a mighty man that shouts [by reason] of wine. 66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach. 67Moreover he refused the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim: 68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. 69And he built his sanctuary in preeminence like the earth which he has established for ever. 70He chose David also his servant and took him from the sheepfolds, 71from following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance. 72So he fed them out of the integrity of his heart and guided them by the intelligence of his hands.: