Psa 78 | ABEn | STEP | A contemplation to Asaph. Take heed, O my people, to my law! Lean your ear to the words of my mouth!

Psalms 78

PSALM 78

Generations Shall Praise The LORD

A contemplation to Asaph.

1 Take heed, O my people, to my law! Lean your ear to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open [²in ³parables ¹my mouth]; I will utter riddles from the beginning; 3 as many as we heard and we know them, and our fathers described to us. 4 They were not hidden from their children for [²generation ¹another]; but are reporting the praises of the lord, and his dominations, and his wonders which he did. 5 For he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and [²a law ¹he put] in Israel, which he gave charge to our fathers, to make them known to their sons; 6 so that [³should know ²generation ¹another] -- the sons being birthed. And they shall rise up and report them to their sons, 7 that they should put [²upon ³God ¹their hope], and should not forget the works of God, but [²of his commandments ¹shall inquire]; 8 that they should not become as their fathers -- [⁴generation ¹a crooked ²and ³greatly embittered]; a generation which did not straightened out its own heart, and [²was not ³trustworthy ⁴with ⁵God ¹its spirit]. 9 The sons of Ephraim stretching tight and shooting with bows, turned back in the day of battle. 10 They did not guard the covenant of God, and [⁴by ⁵his law ¹they did not ²want ³to go]. 11 And they forgot his good works, and his wonders which he showed to them, 12 before their fathers; what [²he did ¹wonders] in the land of Egypt in the plain of Tanis. 13 How he tore up the sea, and led them through; and he stood the waters as a water bag. 14 And he guided them with a cloud by day, and the entire night with the illumination of fire. 15 He tore open the rock in the wilderness, and he gave them a drink as in [²deep ¹a vast]. 16 And he brought water from the rock, and he led it down as rivers of waters. 17 And they proceeded still to sin against him; they greatly embittered the highest in a waterless place. 18 And they put God to the test in their hearts, to ask foods for their lives. 19 And they spoke ill of God. And they said, Shall God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 For when he struck the rock, and there flowed waters, and rushing streams inundated, shall also [³bread ¹he be able ²to give] or prepare a table for his people? 21 On account of this the lord heard, and was raised in anger. And a fire was lit in Jacob, and anger ascended upon Israel. 22 For they did not trust in God, nor did they hope upon his deliverance. 23 And he gave charge to clouds far above, and the doors of heaven were opened, 24 and [²rained upon ³them ¹manna] to eat; and [³the bread ⁴of heaven ¹he gave ²to them]. 25 [³bread ⁴of angels ²ate ¹Man]; [³provisions ¹he sent ²to them] in fullness. 26 He departed the south wind from heaven, and he brought on by his power the southwest wind. 27 And he rained [²upon ³them ⁴as ⁵dust ¹flesh]; even [³as ⁴the sand ⁵of the seas ²winged creatures ¹feathered]. 28 And they fell in the midst of their camp round about their tents. 29 And they ate, and were filled up exceedingly. And [²their desire ¹he brought] to them. 30 They were not deprived of their desire; but food was in their mouth, 31 and the anger of God ascended upon them; and he killed in their plenty; and the chosen ones of Israel he impeded. 32 In all these things they sinned still, and did not trust in his wonders. 33 And [²ended ³in ⁴folly ¹their days], and their years with haste. 34 Whenever he killed them, then they sought him; and they turned and rose early to search for God. 35 And they remembered that God [²their helper ¹is], and God the Highest [²ransomer ¹is their]. 36 And they loved him by their mouth, but by their tongue they lied to him. 37 And their heart was not straight with him, nor did they trust in his covenant. 38 But he is one pitying, and he shall atone their sins, and he will not utterly destroy. And he will fill the turning of his rage, and shall not kindle all his anger. 39 And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind going forth and not returning. 40 How often they greatly embittered him in the wilderness; they provoked him to anger in [²land ¹a waterless]. 41 And they turned and tested God; even the holy one of Israel they provoked. 42 They did not remember his hand the day of which he ransomed them from out of the hand of one afflicting; 43 or how he made [²in ³Egypt ¹his signs], and his miracles in the plain of Tanis; 44 and he converted [²into ³blood ¹their rivers], and their showers so as to not drink. 45 He sent to them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it ruined them. 46 And he appointed the blight for their fruits; and [³for their miseries ¹the ²locust]. 47 He killed [²by ³hail ¹their grapevine], and their sycamine trees by the frost. 48 And he delivered up [²unto ³hail ¹their cattle], and their possessions to the fire. 49 He sent out to them the anger of his rage; rage and anger and affliction; a commission through [²angels ¹wicked]. 50 He opened the road of his anger; he did not spare [²from ³death ¹their souls]; and [²their cattle ³to ⁴death ¹he consigned]. 51 And he struck every first-born in the land of Egypt; first-fruit of all their toil in the tents of Ham. 52 And he departed [²as ³sheep ¹his people]; and he led them up as a flock in the wilderness. 53 And he guided them with hope; and they were not timid, and [³their enemies ²covered ¹the sea]. 54 And he brought them into [²mountain ¹his sanctified]; this mountain which [²acquired ¹his right hand]. 55 And he cast out [²before ³their face ¹nations], and he allotted them by a line of inheritance. And he encamped [⁴among ⁵their tents ¹the ²tribes ³of Israel]. 56 And they tested and greatly embittered God the highest; and his testimonies they did not keep. 57 And they turned and annulled, as also their fathers converted into [²bow ¹a crooked]. 58 And they provoked him to anger in their hills; and in their carvings they provoked him to jealousy. 59 God heard, and he overlooked; and he treated [²with contempt ³exceedingly ¹Israel]. 60 And he thrust away the tent of Shiloh, the tent in which he encamped among men. 61 And he delivered up [²into ³captivity ¹their strength], and their beauty into the hands of the enemies. 62 And he consigned [²by ³the broadsword ¹his people]; and his inheritance he overlooked. 63 Their young men were devoured by fire, and their virgins were not mourned for. 64 Their priests [²by ³the broadsword ¹fell], and their widows shall not be wept over. 65 And [²awakened ³as ⁴from sleep ¹the lord]; as a mighty one being dizzy from wine. 66 And he struck his enemies unto the rear; [⁴scorn ³for eternal ¹he appointed ²them]. 67 And he thrust away the tent of Joseph; and the tribe of Ephraim he did not choose. 68 He chose the tribe of Judah, mount Zion which he loved. 69 And he built [²as ³the unicorn ¹his sanctuary] in the earth; he laid its foundation into the eon. 70 And he chose David his servant; and he took him from out of the flocks of the sheep; 71 even from behind the ones giving birth he took him, to tend Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance. 72 And he tended them in the innocence of his heart; and in the skillfulness of his hands he guided them.