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

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

^{3 Ref} Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

^{4 Ref} We 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.

^{5 Ref} 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 Ref} That the generation to come might know `them', even the children that should be born; Who should arise and tell `them' to their children,

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

^{8 Ref} 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 Ref} The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.

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

^{11 Ref} And they forgat his doings, And his wondrous works that he had showed them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{18 Ref} And they tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.

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

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

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

^{22 Ref} Because they believed not in God, And trusted not in his salvation.

^{23 Ref} Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{33 Ref} Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, And their years in terror.

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

^{35 Ref} And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their redeemer.

^{36 Ref} But they flattered him with their mouth, And lied unto him with their tongue.

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

^{38 Ref} But he, being merciful, 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 Ref} And he remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

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

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

^{42 Ref} They remember not his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

^{43 Ref} How he set his signs in Egypt, And his wonders in the field of Zoan,

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

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

^{46 Ref} He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, And their labor unto the locust.

^{47 Ref} He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycomore-trees with frost.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{55 Ref} He 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.

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

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

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

^{59 Ref} When God heard `this', he was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;

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

^{61 Ref} And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the adversary's hand.

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

^{63 Ref} Fire devoured their young men; And their virgins had no marriage-song.

^{64 Ref} Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation.

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

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

^{67 Ref} Moreover he refused the tent of Joseph, And chose not the tribe of Ephraim,

^{68 Ref} But chose the tribe of Judah, The mount Zion which he loved.

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

^{70 Ref} He chose David also his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds:

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

^{72 Ref} So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. Psalm 79 A Psalm of Asaph.

^{1 Ref} > Hear my law, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.

^{2 Ref} I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,

^{3 Ref} Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

^{4 Ref} We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, His strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.

^{5 Ref} 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 Ref} That the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; Who should arise and tell their children,

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

^{8 Ref} And might not be as their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that didn't make their hearts loyal, Whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

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

^{10 Ref} They didn't keep God's covenant, And refused to walk in his law.

^{11 Ref} They forgot his doings, His wondrous works that he had shown them.

^{12 Ref} He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

^{13 Ref} He split the sea, and caused them to pass through; He made the waters stand as a heap.

^{14 Ref} In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, And all night with a light of fire.

^{15 Ref} He split rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

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

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

^{18 Ref} They tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.

^{19 Ref} Yes, they spoke against God. They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

^{20 Ref} Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, Streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?"

^{21 Ref} Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, Anger also went up against Israel,

^{22 Ref} Because they didn't believe in God, And didn't trust in his salvation.

^{23 Ref} Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven.

^{24 Ref} He rained down manna on them to eat, And gave them food from the sky.

^{25 Ref} Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.

^{26 Ref} He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.

^{27 Ref} He rained also flesh on them as the dust; Winged birds as the sand of the seas.

²⁸ He let them fall in the midst of their camp, Around their habitations.

^{29 Ref} So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.

^{30 Ref} They didn't turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,

^{31 Ref} When the anger of God went up against them, Killed some of the fattest of them, And struck down the young men of Israel.

^{32 Ref} For all this they still sinned, And didn't believe in his wondrous works.

^{33 Ref} Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in terror.

^{34 Ref} When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.

^{35 Ref} They remembered that God was their rock, The Most High God their redeemer.

^{36 Ref} But they flattered him with their mouth, And lied to him with their tongue.

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

^{38 Ref} But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn't destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, And didn't stir up all his wrath.

^{39 Ref} He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes away, and doesn't come again.

^{40 Ref} How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, And grieved him in the desert!

^{41 Ref} They turned again and tempted God, And provoked the Holy One of Israel.

^{42 Ref} They didn't remember his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

^{43 Ref} How he set his signs in Egypt, His wonders in the field of Zoan,

^{44 Ref} Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink.

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

^{46 Ref} He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

^{47 Ref} He destroyed their vines with hail, Their sycamore-fig trees with frost.

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

^{49 Ref} He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, And a band of angels of evil.

^{50 Ref} He made a path for his anger. He didn't spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,

^{51 Ref} And struck all the firstborn in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

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

^{53 Ref} He led them safely, so that they weren't afraid, But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

^{54 Ref} He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, To this mountain, which his right hand had taken.

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

^{56 Ref} Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And didn't keep his testimonies;

^{57 Ref} But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

^{58 Ref} For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.

^{59 Ref} When God heard this, he was angry, And greatly abhorred Israel;

^{60 Ref} So that he forsook the tent of Shiloh, The tent which he placed among men;

^{61 Ref} And delivered his strength into captivity, His glory into the adversary's hand.

^{62 Ref} He also gave his people over to the sword, And was angry with his inheritance.

^{63 Ref} Fire devoured their young men; Their virgins had no wedding song.

^{64 Ref} Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows couldn't weep.

^{65 Ref} Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.

^{66 Ref} He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.

^{67 Ref} Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, And didn't choose the tribe of Ephraim,

^{68 Ref} But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.

^{69 Ref} He built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he has established forever.

^{70 Ref} He also chose David his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

^{71 Ref} From following the ewes that have their young, He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, And Israel, his inheritance.

^{72 Ref} So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

^{1 Ref} <Maschil. Of Asaph.> Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.

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

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

^{4 Ref} We 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.

^{5 Ref} He 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;

^{6 Ref} So 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{18 Ref} Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.

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

^{20 Ref} See, 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 Ref} So 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 Ref} Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{29 Ref} So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;

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

^{31 Ref} The 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 Ref} For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.

^{33 Ref} So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.

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

^{35 Ref} In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.

^{36 Ref} But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;

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

^{38 Ref} But 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 Ref} So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{46 Ref} He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{58 Ref} They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

^{66 Ref} His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.

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

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

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

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

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

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