Psalm 78
8,6,8,6
^1Attend, my people, to my law;
thereto give thou an ear;
The words that from my mouth proceed
attentively do hear.
^2My mouth shall speak a parable,
and sayings dark of old;
^3The same which we have heard and known,
and us our fathers told.
^4We also will them not conceal
from their posterity;
Them to the generation
to come declare will we:
The praises of the Lord our God,
and his almighty strength,
The wondrous works that he hath done,
we will shew forth at length.
^5His testimony and his law
in Isr'el he did place,
And charg'd our fathers it to show
to their succeeding race;
^6That so the race which was to come
might well them learn and know;
And sons unborn, who should arise,
might to their sons them show:
^7That they might set their hope in God,
and suffer not to fall
His mighty works out of their mind,
but keep his precepts all:
^8And might not, like their fathers, be
a stiff rebellious race;
A race not right in heart; with God
whose sp'rit not stedfast was.
^9The sons of Ephraim, who nor bows
nor other arms did lack,
When as the day of battle was,
they faintly turned back.
^10They brake God's cov'nant, and refus'd
in his commands to go;
^11His works and wonders they forgot,
which he to them did show.
^12Things marvellous he brought to pass;
their fathers them beheld
Within the land of Egypt done,
yea, ev'n in Zoan's field.
^13By him divided was the sea,
he caus'd them through to pass;
And made the waters so to stand,
as like an heap it was.
^14With cloud by day, with light of fire
all night, he did them guide.
^15In desert rocks he clave, and drink,
as from great depths, supply'd.
^16He from the rock brought streams, like floods
made waters to run down.
^17Yet sinning more, in desert they
provok'd the Highest One.
^18For in their heart they tempted God,
and, speaking with mistrust,
They greedily did meat require
to satisfy their lust.
^19Against the Lord himself they spake,
and, murmuring, said thus,
A table in the wilderness
can God prepare for us?
^20Behold, he smote the rock, and thence
came streams and waters great;
But can he give his people bread?
and send them flesh to eat?
^21The Lord did hear, and waxed wroth;
so kindled was a flame
'Gainst Jacob, and gainst Israel
up indignation came.
^22For they believ'd not God, nor trust
in his salvation had;
^23Though clouds above he did command,
and heav'n's doors open made,
^24And manna rain'd on them, and gave
them corn of heav'n to eat.
^25Man angels' food did eat; to them
he to the full sent meat.
^26And in the heaven he did cause
an eastern wind to blow;
And by his power he let out
the southern wind to go.
^27Then flesh as thick as dust he made
to rain down them among;
And feather'd fowls, like as the sand
which li'th the shore along.
^28At his command amidst their camp
these show'rs of flesh down fell,
All round about the tabernacles
and tents where they did dwell.
^29So they did eat abundantly,
and had of meat their fill;
For he did give to them what was
their own desire and will.
^30They from their lust had not estrang'd
their heart and their desire;
But while the meat was in their mouths,
which they did so require,
^31God's wrath upon them came, and slew
the fattest of them all;
So that the choice of Israel,
o'erthrown by death, did fall.
^32Yet, notwithstanding of all this,
they sinned still the more;
And though he had great wonders wrought,
believ'd him not therefore:
^33Wherefore their days in vanity
he did consume and waste;
And by his wrath their wretched years
away in trouble past.
^34But when he slew them, then they did
to seek him shew desire;
Yea, they return'd, and after God
right early did enquire.
^35And that the Lord had been their Rock,
they did remember then;
Ev'n that the high almighty God
had their Redeemer been.
^36Yet with their mouth they flatter'd him,
and spake but feignedly;
And they unto the God of truth
with their false tongues did lie.
^37For though their words were good, their heart
with him was not sincere;
Unstedfast and perfidious
they in his cov'nant were.
^38But, full of pity, he forgave
their sin, them did not slay;
Nor stirr'd up all his wrath, but oft
his anger turn'd away.
^39For that they were but fading flesh
to mind he did recall;
A wind that passeth soon away,
and not returns at all.
^40How often did they him provoke
within the wilderness!
And in the desert did him grieve
with their rebelliousness!
^41Yea, turning back, they tempted God,
and limits set upon
Him, who in midst of Isr'el is
the only Holy One.
^42They did not call to mind his pow'r,
nor yet the day when he
Deliver'd them out of the hand
of their fierce enemy;
^43Nor how great signs in Egypt land
he openly had wrought;
What miracles in Zoan's field
his hand to pass had brought.
^44How lakes and rivers ev'ry where
he turned into blood;
So that nor man nor beast could drink
of standing lake or flood.
^45He brought among them swarms of flies,
which did them sore annoy;
And divers kinds of filthy frogs
he sent them to destroy.
^46He to the caterpillar gave
the fruits of all their soil;
Their labours he deliver'd up
unto the locusts' spoil.
^47Their vines with hail, their sycamores
he with the frost did blast:
^48Their beasts to hail he gave; their flocks
hot thunderbolts did waste.
^49Fierce burning wrath he on them cast,
and indignation strong,
And troubles sore, by sending forth
ill angels them among.
^50He to his wrath made way; their soul
from death he did not save;
But over to the pestilence
the lives of them he gave.
^51In Egypt land the first-born all
he smote down ev'ry where;
Among the tents of Ham, ev'n these
chief of their strength that were.
^52But his own people, like to sheep,
thence to go forth he made;
And he, amidst the wilderness,
them, as a flock, did lead.
^53And he them safely on did lead,
so that they did not fear;
Whereas their en'mies by the sea
quite overwhelmed were.
^54To borders of his sanctuary
the Lord his people led,
Ev'n to the mount which his right hand
for them had purchased.
^55The nations of Canaan,
by his almighty hand,
Before their face he did expel
out of their native land;
Which for inheritance to them
by line he did divide,
And made the tribes of Israel
within their tents abide.
^56Yet God most high they did provoke,
and tempted ever still;
And to observe his testimonies
did not incline their will:
^57But, like their fathers, turned back,
and dealt unfaithfully:
Aside they turned, like a bow
that shoots deceitfully.
^58For they to anger did provoke
him with their places high;
And with their graven images
mov'd him to jealousy.
^59When God heard this, he waxed wroth,
and much loath'd Isr'el then:
^60So Shiloh's tent he left, the tent
which he had plac'd with men.
^61And he his strength delivered
into captivity;
He left his glory in the hand
of his proud enemy.
^62His people also he gave o'er
unto the sword's fierce rage:
So sore his wrath inflamed was
against his heritage.
^63The fire consum'd their choice young men;
their maids no marriage had;
^64And when their priests fell by the sword,
their wives no mourning made.
^65But then the Lord arose, as one
that doth from sleep awake;
And like a giant that, by wine
refresh'd, a shout doth make:
^66Upon his en'mies' hinder parts
he made his stroke to fall;
And so upon them he did put
a shame perpetual.
^67Moreover, he the tabernacle
of Joseph did refuse;
The mighty tribe of Ephraim
he would in no wise chuse:
^68But he did chuse Jehudah's tribe
to be the rest above;
And of mount Sion he made choice,
which he so much did love.
^69And he his sanctuary built
like to a palace high,
Like to the earth which he did found
to perpetuity.
^70Of David, that his servant was,
he also choice did make,
And even from the folds of sheep
was pleased him to take:
^71From waiting on the ewes with young,
he brought him forth to feed
Israel, his inheritance,
his people, Jacob's seed.
^72So after the integrity
he of his heart them fed;
And by the good skill of his hands
them wisely governed.