Psalm 78
78
Tell the Coming Generation
A Maskil#78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term of #Ps. 50, title Asaph.
1 # [Isa. 51:4]; See Ps. 49:1; 50:7 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 # Cited Matt. 13:35; See Ps. 49:4 I will open my mouth #[Num. 21:27]in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3things that we have heard and known,
that our #See Ps. 44:1fathers have told us.
4We will not #Job 15:18 hide them from their children,
but #[Ex. 12:26, 27; 13:8, 14; Deut. 11:19; Josh. 4:6, 7; Joel 1:3] tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and #ver. 11, 32the wonders that he has done.
5He established #Ps. 19:7; [Ps. 81:5] a testimony in #Ps. 147:19Jacob
and appointed a law in #Ps. 147:19Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6that #ver. 4; Ps. 102:18the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget #Ps. 77:12 the works of God,
but #Ps. 105:45keep his commandments;
8and that they should not be #2 Kgs. 17:14; 2 Chr. 30:7; Ezek. 20:18 like their fathers,
#
Ex. 32:9; 33:3; Deut. 9:7, 24; 31:27; Jer. 5:23 a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation #ver. 37; Job 11:13whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9The Ephraimites, armed with#78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting the bow,
# ver. 57 turned back on the day of battle.
10They #[2 Kgs. 17:15]did not keep God’s covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
11They #See Ps. 106:13 forgot his works
and #ver. 4the wonders that he had shown them.
12In the sight of their fathers #ver. 43; See Ex. 7-12; Ps. 72:18 he performed wonders
in the land of Egypt, in #ver. 43; Num. 13:22; Isa. 19:11, 13; Ezek. 30:14the fields of Zoan.
13He #Ps. 136:13; Ex. 14:21 divided the sea and let them pass through it,
and made the waters #Ex. 15:8stand like a heap.
14 # See Ps. 105:39 In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a fiery light.
15He #ver. 20; Ps. 105:41; 114:8; Ex. 17:6; Isa. 48:21split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16He made streams come out of #Num. 20:8, 10, 11the rock
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
17Yet they sinned still more against him,
# ver. 40, 56; Deut. 9:22; Isa. 63:10 rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18They #ver. 41, 56; Ps. 95:9; 106:14; Deut. 6:16; 1 Cor. 10:9tested God in their heart
by demanding the food they craved.
19They spoke against God, saying,
# [Ex. 16:3; Num. 11:4; 20:3; 21:5] “Can God #See Ps. 23:5spread a table in the wilderness?
20 # ver. 15, 16 He struck the rock so that water gushed out
and streams overflowed.
Can he also give bread
or provide meat for his people?”
21Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
#
Num. 11:1
a fire was kindled against Jacob;
his anger rose against Israel,
22because they #ver. 8, 32, 37did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
23Yet he commanded the skies above
and #Gen. 7:11; [Mal. 3:10]opened the doors of heaven,
24and he #Ex. 16:4 rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them #Ps. 105:40; [John 6:31]the grain of heaven.
25Man ate of the bread of #Ps. 103:20 the angels;
he sent them food #[ver. 29]in abundance.
26He #Num. 11:31caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
27he rained meat on them like #[Gen. 13:16] dust,
winged birds like #[Gen. 22:17]the sand of the seas;
28he #Ex. 16:13; Num. 11:31let them fall in the midst of their camp,
all around their dwellings.
29And they #Num. 11:19, 20 ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they #Num. 11:4, 34craved.
30But before they had satisfied their craving,
#
Num. 11:33; [Job 20:23] while the food was still in their mouths,
31the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed #Isa. 10:16 the strongest of them
and laid low #ver. 63the young men of Israel.
32In spite of all this, they #See Num. 14; 16; 17 still sinned;
# ver. 22; Num. 14:11 despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33So he made #Num. 14:29, 35; 26:64, 65 their days #Ps. 39:5vanish like#78:33 Hebrew in a breath,#78:33 Or vapor
and their years in terror.
34When he killed them, they #Hos. 5:15sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
35They remembered that God was their #Deut. 32:4, 15, 31 rock,
the Most High God their #Ex. 15:13; See Ps. 74:2redeemer.
36But they #Isa. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31 flattered him with their mouths;
they #Isa. 57:11lied to him with their tongues.
37Their #ver. 8 heart was not #Ps. 51:10steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38Yet he, being #Ex. 34:6 compassionate,
#
Num. 14:20
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39He #[Ps. 103:14; Job 10:9] remembered that they were but #Gen. 6:3 flesh,
#
Job 7:7
a wind that passes and comes not again.
40How often they #ver. 17, 56; Ps. 107:11 rebelled against him in the wilderness
and #[Eph. 4:30] grieved him in #Ps. 106:14the desert!
41They #See ver. 18 tested God again and again
and provoked #See Ps. 71:22the Holy One of Israel.
42They #Judg. 8:34did not remember his power#78:42 Hebrew hand
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 # For ver. 43-51, see Ps. 105:27-36 when he performed his #Ex. 7:3; [Ps. 106:22]; Acts 7:36 signs in Egypt
and his #Ex. 4:21; 11:9, 10 marvels in #See ver. 12the fields of Zoan.
44He #See Ex. 7:17-24turned their rivers to blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.
45He sent among them swarms of #See Ex. 8:21-24 flies, which devoured them,
and #See Ex. 8:2-14frogs, which destroyed them.
46He gave their crops to #See Ex. 10:12-15the destroying locust
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47He destroyed their vines with #See Ex. 9:23-25hail
and their sycamores with frost.
48He gave over their #See Ex. 9:19-21cattle to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49He let loose on them his burning anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
a company of #Ex. 12:13, 23; [2 Sam. 24:16]destroying angels.
50He made a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death,
but gave their lives over to the plague.
51He struck down every #Ex. 12:29; [Ps. 105:36; 135:8; 136:10] firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of #Ps. 105:23, 27; 106:22Ham.
52Then he led out his people #See Ps. 77:20like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 # [Ex. 14:19, 20] He led them in safety, so that they #[Ex. 14:13] were not afraid,
but #Ex. 14:27, 28; 15:10the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54And he brought them to his #Ex. 15:17 holy land,
#
Isa. 11:9; 57:13; [Ps. 68:16] to the mountain which his right hand had #Ps. 74:2won.
55He #See Ps. 44:2 drove out nations before them;
he #Josh. 23:4; [Ps. 135:12; 136:21, 22; Acts 13:19]apportioned them for a possession
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56Yet they #ver. 18; Judg. 2:11, 12 tested and #ver. 40rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies,
57but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
they twisted like #Hos. 7:16; [ver. 9]a deceitful bow.
58For they #Deut. 31:29 provoked him to anger with their #Lev. 26:30; Deut. 12:2; 1 Kgs. 11:7; 12:31; Ezek. 20:28 high places;
they #Num. 25:11; Deut. 32:16, 21; Judg. 2:12 moved him to jealousy with their #Deut. 7:5, 25; 12:3idols.
59When God heard, he was full of #ver. 62; Ps. 106:40; Deut. 3:26wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
60He #1 Sam. 4:11; Jer. 7:12, 14; 26:6 forsook his dwelling at #Josh. 18:1Shiloh,
the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61and delivered his #Ps. 132:8; [Ps. 63:2; 96:6] power to captivity,
his #[1 Sam. 4:21]glory to the hand of the foe.
62He #[1 Sam. 4:10] gave his people over to the sword
and #ver. 59vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 # [Ps. 79:5; 89:46] Fire devoured their young men,
and their young women had no #[Jer. 7:34]marriage song.
64Their #1 Sam. 4:11 priests fell by the sword,
and their #Job 27:15widows made no lamentation.
65Then the Lord #Ps. 73:20; See Ps. 35:23awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66And he #[Ps. 40:14]put his adversaries to rout;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67He rejected the tent of #Ps. 80:1; 81:5Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he #Ps. 87:2loves.
69He #See 1 Kgs. 6built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70He #1 Sam. 16:12, 13chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71from #2 Sam. 7:8 following the nursing ewes he brought him
to #2 Sam. 5:2; [Ps. 28:9] shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his #1 Sam. 10:1inheritance.
72With #Ps. 101:2; 1 Kgs. 9:4 upright heart he shepherded them
and #[Ps. 77:20]guided them with his skillful hand.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Psalms 78
78
An Instruction of Asaph.
1Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.
2I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,
3That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us.
4We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done.
5And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons.
6So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,
7And place in God their confidence, And forget not the doings of God, But keep His commands.
8And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostate and rebellious, A generation! it hath not prepared its heart, Nor stedfast with God [is] its spirit.
9Sons of Ephraim — armed bearers of bow, Have turned in a day of conflict.
10They have not kept the covenant of God, And in His law they have refused to walk,
11And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He shewed them.
12Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt — the field of Zoan.
13He cleft a sea, and causeth them to pass over, Yea, He causeth waters to stand as a heap.
14And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.
15He cleaveth rocks in a wilderness, And giveth drink — as the great deep.
16And bringeth out streams from a rock, And causeth waters to come down as rivers.
17And they add still to sin against Him, To provoke the Most High in the dry place.
18And they try God in their heart, To ask food for their lust.
19And they speak against God — they said: ‘Is God able to array a table in a wilderness?’
20Lo, He hath smitten a rock, And waters flow, yea, streams overflow. ‘Also — bread [is] He able to give? Doth He prepare flesh for His people?’
21Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath gone up against Israel,
22For they have not believed in God, Nor have they trusted in His salvation.
23And He commandeth clouds from above, Yea, doors of the heavens He hath opened.
24And He raineth on them manna to eat, Yea, corn of heaven He hath given to them.
25Food of the mighty hath each eaten, Venison He sent to them to satiety.
26He causeth an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leadeth by His strength a south wind,
27And He raineth on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas — winged fowl,
28And causeth [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.
29And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And their desire He bringeth to them.
30They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet [is] their food in their mouth,
31And the anger of God hath gone up against them, And He slayeth among their fat ones, And youths of Israel He caused to bend.
32With all this they have sinned again, And have not believed in His wonders.
33And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.
34If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,
35And they remember that God [is] their rock, And God Most High their redeemer.
36And — they deceive Him with their mouth, And with their tongue do lie to Him,
37And their heart hath not been right with Him, And they have not been stedfast in His covenant.
38And He — the Merciful One, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.
39And He remembereth that they [are] flesh, A wind going on — and it returneth not.
40How often do they provoke Him in the wilderness, Grieve Him in the desolate place?
41Yea, they turn back, and try God, And the Holy One of Israel have limited.
42They have not remembered His hand The day He ransomed them from the adversary.
43When He set His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan,
44And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.
45He sendeth among them the beetle, and it consumeth them, And the frog, and it destroyeth them,
46And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust.
47He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,
48And delivereth up to the hail their beasts, And their cattle to the burning flames.
49He sendeth on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress — A discharge of evil messengers.
50He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.
51And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.
52And causeth His people to journey as a flock, And guideth them as a drove in a wilderness,
53And He leadeth them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And their enemies hath the sea covered.
54And He bringeth them in unto the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had got,
55And casteth out nations from before them, And causeth them to fall in the line of inheritance, And causeth the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents,
56And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And His testimonies have not kept.
57And they turn back, And deal treacherously like their fathers, They have been turned like a deceitful bow,
58And make Him angry with their high places, And with their graven images make Him zealous,
59God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.
60And He leaveth the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,
61And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,
62And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.
63His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.
64His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.
65And the Lord waketh as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.
66And He smiteth His adversaries backward, A reproach age-during He hath put on them,
67And He kicketh against the tent of Joseph, And on the tribe of Ephraim hath not fixed.
68And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,
69And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.
70And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,
71From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.
72And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!
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