Psalms 78

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

1Give ear, O my people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old,

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

3Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.

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

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

4We 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.

4 We will not hide [them] from their sons, shewing forth to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his marvellous works which he hath done.

4We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, And his strength, and his wondrous works that he hath done.

5He 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;

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;

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 children;

6So 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;

6 That the generation to come might know [them], the children that should be born; that they might rise up and tell [them] to their children,

6That the generation to come might knowthem, even the children that should be born; Who should arise and tellthemto their children,

7So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;

7 And that they might set their hope inGod, and not forget the works ofGod, but observe his commandments;

7That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments,

8And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God.

8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that prepared not their heart, and whose spirit was not stedfast withGod.

8And 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.

9The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.

9 The sons of Ephraim, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle.

9The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.

10They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;

10 They kept not the covenant ofGod, and refused to walk in his law;

10They kept not the covenant of God, And refused to walk in his law;

11They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.

11 And forgot his doings, and his marvellous works which he had shewn them.

11And they forgat his doings, And his wondrous works that he had showed them.

12He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

12 In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan.

12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.

13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and made the waters to stand as a heap;

13He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; And he made the waters to stand as a heap.

14In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.

14 And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire.

14In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.

15The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.

15 He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as out of the depths, abundantly;

15He clave rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

16He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.

16 And he brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

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

17And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;

17 Yet they still went on sinning against him, provoking the Most High in the desert;

17Yet went they on still to sin against him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert.

18Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.

18 And they temptedGod in their heart, by asking meat for their lust;

18And they tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.

19They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?

19 And they spoke againstGod: they said, IsGod able to prepare a table in the wilderness?

19Yea, they spake against God; They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20See, 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?

20 Behold, he smote the rock, and waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; is he able to give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?

20Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, And streams overflowed; Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?

21So 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;

21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel:

21Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also went up against Israel;

22Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.

22 Because they believed not inGod, and confided not in his salvation;

22Because they believed not in God, And trusted not in his salvation.

23And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;

23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of the heavens,

23Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven;

24And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.

24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of the heavens.

24And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven.

25Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.

25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty; he sent them provision to the full.

25Man did eat the bread of the mighty: He sent them food to the full.

26He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.

26 He caused the east wind to rise in the heavens, and by his strength he brought the south wind;

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens; And by his power he guided the south wind.

27He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,

27 And he rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the seas,

27He rained flesh also upon them as the dust, And winged birds as the sand of the seas:

28And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.

28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations:

28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their habitations.

29So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;

29 And they did eat, and were well filled; for that they lusted after, he brought to them.

29So they did eat, and were well filled; And he gave them their own desire.

30But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,

30 They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths,

30They were not estranged from that which they desired, Their food was yet in their mouths,

31The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel.

31 When the anger ofGod went up against them; and he slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

31When the anger of God went up against them, And slew of the fattest of them, And smote down the young men of Israel.

32For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.

32 For all this, they sinned still, and believed not in his marvellous works;

32For all this they sinned still, And believed not in his wondrous works.

33So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.

33 And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.

33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, And their years in terror.

34When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;

34 When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early afterGod;

34When he slew them, then they inquired after him; And they returned and sought God earnestly.

35In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.

35 And they remembered thatGod was their rock, andGod, the Most High, their redeemer.

35And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their redeemer.

36But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;

36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue;

36But they flattered him with their mouth, And lied unto him with their tongue.

37And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.

37 For their heart was not firm toward him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

37For their heart was not right with him, Neither were they faithful in his covenant.

38But 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.

38 But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:

38But he, being merciful, forgave theiriniquity, and destroyedthemnot: Yea, many a time turned he his anger away, And did not stir up all his wrath.

39So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.

39 And he remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and cometh not again.

39And he remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!

40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

40How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, And grieve him in the desert!

41Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.

41 And they turned again and temptedGod, and grieved the Holy One of Israel.

41And they turned again and tempted God, And provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;

42 They remembered not his hand, the day when he delivered them from the oppressor,

42They remembered not his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

43How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;

43 How he set his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the field of Zoan;

43How he set his signs in Egypt, And his wonders in the field of Zoan,

44So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.

44 And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink;

44And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink.

45He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.

45 He sent dog-flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them;

45He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; And frogs, which destroyed them.

46He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.

46 And he gave their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust;

46He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, And their labor unto the locust.

47He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.

47 He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with hail-stones;

47He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycomore-trees with frost.

48Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks.

48 And he delivered up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts.

48He gave over their cattle also to the hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them.

49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and distress, — a mission of angels of woes.

49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A band of angels of evil.

50He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.

50 He made a way for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

50He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,

51He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;

51 And he smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first-fruits of their vigour in the tents of Ham.

51And smote all the first-born in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock.

52 And he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

52But he led forth his own people like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea.

53 And he led them safely, so that they were without fear; and the sea covered their enemies.

53And he led them safely, so that they feared not; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his;

54 And he brought them to his holy border, this mountain, which his right hand purchased;

54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, To this mountain, which his right hand had gotten.

55Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place.

55 And he drove out the nations before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

55He drove out the nations also before them, And allotted them for an inheritance by line, And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;

56 But they tempted and provokedGod, the Most High, and kept not his testimonies,

56Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And kept not his testimonies;

57Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.

57 And they drew back and dealt treacherously like their fathers: they turned like a deceitful bow.

57But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers: They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.

58 And they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;

59 God heard, and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

59When God heardthis, he was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;

60So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men;

60 And he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had dwelt among men,

60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent which he placed among men;

61And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater.

61 And gave his strength into captivity, and his glory into the hand of the oppressor;

61And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the adversary’s hand.

62He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.

62 And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance:

62He gave his people over also unto the sword, And was wroth with his inheritance.

63Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.

63 The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in [nuptial] song;

63Fire devoured their young men; And their virgins had no marriage-song.

64Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.

64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

64Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation.

65Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine.

65 Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth aloud by reason of wine;

65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, Like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.

66 And he smote his adversaries in the hinder part, and put them to everlasting reproach.

66And he smote his adversaries backward: He put them to a perpetual reproach.

67And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim;

67 And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,

67Moreover he refused the tent of Joseph, And chose not the tribe of Ephraim,

68But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure.

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved;

68But chose the tribe of Judah, The mount Zion which he loved.

69And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever.

69 And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.

69And he built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;

70 And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

70He chose David also his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds:

71From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage.

71 From following the suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

71From following the ewes that have their young he brought him, To be the shepherd of Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.

72 And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands.

72So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.