Psalms 78

1A psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.

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

2They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.

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

3They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.

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

4We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about 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.

5How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?

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;

6Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

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;

7Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.

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

8Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.

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.

9Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake:

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

10Lest they should say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? And let him be made known among the nations before our eyes, By the revenging the blood of thy servants, which hath been shed:

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

11Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee. According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to death.

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

12And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

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

13But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

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

14(not in this translation)

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

15(not in this translation)

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

16(not in this translation)

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

17(not in this translation)

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

18(not in this translation)

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

19(not in this translation)

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

20(not in this translation)

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?

21(not in this translation)

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;

22(not in this translation)

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

23(not in this translation)

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

24(not in this translation)

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

25(not in this translation)

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

26(not in this translation)

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

27(not in this translation)

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

28(not in this translation)

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

29(not in this translation)

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

30(not in this translation)

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

31(not in this translation)

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.

32(not in this translation)

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

33(not in this translation)

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

34(not in this translation)

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

35(not in this translation)

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

36(not in this translation)

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

37(not in this translation)

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

38(not in this translation)

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.

39(not in this translation)

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

40(not in this translation)

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

41(not in this translation)

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

42(not in this translation)

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

43(not in this translation)

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

44(not in this translation)

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

45(not in this translation)

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

46(not in this translation)

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

47(not in this translation)

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

48(not in this translation)

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

49(not in this translation)

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

50(not in this translation)

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

51(not in this translation)

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

52(not in this translation)

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

53(not in this translation)

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

54(not in this translation)

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

55(not in this translation)

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

56(not in this translation)

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

57(not in this translation)

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

58(not in this translation)

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

59(not in this translation)

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

60(not in this translation)

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

61(not in this translation)

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

62(not in this translation)

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

63(not in this translation)

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

64(not in this translation)

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

65(not in this translation)

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

66(not in this translation)

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

67(not in this translation)

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

68(not in this translation)

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

69(not in this translation)

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

70(not in this translation)

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

71(not in this translation)

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

72(not in this translation)

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