“1 <<Maschil of Asaph.>> Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline
your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable:
I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and
our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide [them] from their children,
shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his
strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 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: 6 That the generation to come might know [them, even] the
children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them]
to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not
forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And 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.”
“9 The children of Ephraim, [being] armed, [and] carrying bows, turned
back in the day of battle. 10 They kept not the covenant of God, and
refused to walk in his law; 11 And forgat his works, and his wonders
that he had shewed them. 12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of
their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan. 13 He
divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters
to stand as an heap. 14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a light of fire. 15 He clave the rocks in the
wilderness, and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths. 16 He
brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like
rivers. 17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most
High in the wilderness. 18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking
meat for their lust. 19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God
furnish a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, 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? 21 Therefore the LORD heard
[this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger
also came up against Israel; 22 Because they believed not in God, and
trusted not in his salvation: 23 Though he had commanded the clouds from
above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24 And had rained down manna upon
them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25 Man did eat
angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full. 26 He caused an east wind
to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. 27
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the
sand of the sea: 28 And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp,
round about their habitations. 29 So they did eat, and were well filled:
for he gave them their own desire; 30 They were not estranged from their
lust. But while their meat [was] yet in their mouths, 31 The wrath of
God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the
chosen [men] of Israel. 32 For all this they sinned still, and believed
not for his wondrous works. 33 Therefore their days did he consume in
vanity, and their years in trouble. 34 When he slew them, then they
sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. 35 And they
remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied
unto him with their tongues. 37 For their heart was not right with him,
neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 38 But he, [being] full of
compassion, forgave [their] iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea,
many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind that passeth
away, and cometh not again.”
“40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him
in the desert! 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the
Holy One of Israel. 42 They remembered not his hand, [nor] the day when
he delivered them from the enemy. 43 How he had wrought his signs in
Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: 44 And had turned their
rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. 45 He
sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs,
which destroyed them. 46 He gave also their increase unto the
caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. 47 He destroyed their
vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. 48 He gave up
their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. 49
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation,
and trouble, by sending evil angels [among them]. 50 He made a way to
his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over
to the pestilence; 51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of
[their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52 But made his own people
to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea
overwhelmed their enemies. 54 And he brought them to the border of his
sanctuary, [even to] this mountain, [which] his right hand had
purchased. 55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them
an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their
tents. 56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not
his testimonies: 57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their
fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. 58 For they
provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy
with their graven images. 59 When God heard [this], he was wroth, and
greatly abhorred Israel: 60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent [which] he placed among men; 61 And delivered his strength into
captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand. 62 He gave his people
over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. 63 The
fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to
marriage. 64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no
lamentation. 65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] like a
mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. 66 And he smote his enemies
in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach. 67 Moreover he
refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: 68
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. 69 And he
built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath
established for ever. 70 He chose David also his servant, and took him
from the sheepfolds: 71 From following the ewes great with young he
brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72 So
he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by
the skilfulness of his hands.” (Psalm 78:1-72 AV)
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