^{1 Ref} An Instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.

^{2 Ref} I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,

^{3 Ref} That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us.

^{4 Ref} We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done.

^{5 Ref} And 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.

^{6 Ref} So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,

^{7 Ref} And place in God their confidence, And forget not the doings of God, But keep His commands.

^{8 Ref} And 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.

^{9 Ref} Sons of Ephraim -- armed bearers of bow, Have turned in a day of conflict.

^{10 Ref} They have not kept the covenant of God, And in His law they have refused to walk,

^{11 Ref} And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He shewed them.

^{12 Ref} Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt -- the field of Zoan.

^{13 Ref} He cleft a sea, and causeth them to pass over, Yea, He causeth waters to stand as a heap.

^{14 Ref} And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.

^{15 Ref} He cleaveth rocks in a wilderness, And giveth drink -- as the great deep.

^{16 Ref} And bringeth out streams from a rock, And causeth waters to come down as rivers.

^{17 Ref} And they add still to sin against Him, To provoke the Most High in the dry place.

^{18 Ref} And they try God in their heart, To ask food for their lust.

^{19 Ref} And they speak against God -- they said: `Is God able to array a table in a wilderness?'

^{20 Ref} Lo, 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?'

^{21 Ref} Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath gone up against Israel,

^{22 Ref} For they have not believed in God, Nor have they trusted in His salvation.

^{23 Ref} And He commandeth clouds from above, Yea, doors of the heavens He hath opened.

^{24 Ref} And He raineth on them manna to eat, Yea, corn of heaven He hath given to them.

^{25 Ref} Food of the mighty hath each eaten, Venison He sent to them to satiety.

^{26 Ref} He causeth an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leadeth by His strength a south wind,

^{27 Ref} And He raineth on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas -- winged fowl,

²⁸ And causeth `it' to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.

^{29 Ref} And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And their desire He bringeth to them.

^{30 Ref} They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet `is' their food in their mouth,

^{31 Ref} And the anger of God hath gone up against them, And He slayeth among their fat ones, And youths of Israel He caused to bend.

^{32 Ref} With all this they have sinned again, And have not believed in His wonders.

^{33 Ref} And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.

^{34 Ref} If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,

^{35 Ref} And they remember that God `is' their rock, And God Most High their redeemer.

^{36 Ref} And -- they deceive Him with their mouth, And with their tongue do lie to Him,

^{37 Ref} And their heart hath not been right with Him, And they have not been stedfast in His covenant.

^{38 Ref} And He -- the Merciful One, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.

^{39 Ref} And He remembereth that they `are' flesh, A wind going on -- and it returneth not.

^{40 Ref} How often do they provoke Him in the wilderness, Grieve Him in the desolate place?

^{41 Ref} Yea, they turn back, and try God, And the Holy One of Israel have limited.

^{42 Ref} They have not remembered His hand The day He ransomed them from the adversary.

^{43 Ref} When He set His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan,

^{44 Ref} And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.

^{45 Ref} He sendeth among them the beetle, and it consumeth them, And the frog, and it destroyeth them,

^{46 Ref} And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust.

^{47 Ref} He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,

^{48 Ref} And delivereth up to the hail their beasts, And their cattle to the burning flames.

^{49 Ref} He sendeth on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress -- A discharge of evil messengers.

^{50 Ref} He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.

^{51 Ref} And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.

^{52 Ref} And causeth His people to journey as a flock, And guideth them as a drove in a wilderness,

^{53 Ref} And He leadeth them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And their enemies hath the sea covered.

^{54 Ref} And He bringeth them in unto the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had got,

^{55 Ref} And 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,

^{56 Ref} And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And His testimonies have not kept.

^{57 Ref} And they turn back, And deal treacherously like their fathers, They have been turned like a deceitful bow,

^{58 Ref} And make Him angry with their high places, And with their graven images make Him zealous,

^{59 Ref} God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.

^{60 Ref} And He leaveth the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

^{61 Ref} And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,

^{62 Ref} And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.

^{63 Ref} His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.

^{64 Ref} His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.

^{65 Ref} And the Lord waketh as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.

^{66 Ref} And He smiteth His adversaries backward, A reproach age-during He hath put on them,

^{67 Ref} And He kicketh against the tent of Joseph, And on the tribe of Ephraim hath not fixed.

^{68 Ref} And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,

^{69 Ref} And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.

^{70 Ref} And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,

^{71 Ref} From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.

^{72 Ref} And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!

^{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} 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, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful 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 which should be born; who should arise and declare 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 forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed 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 divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

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

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

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

^{17 Ref} And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

^{18 Ref} And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

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

^{20 Ref} 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 Ref} Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

^{22 Ref} Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

^{23 Ref} Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

^{24 Ref} And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

^{25 Ref} Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

^{26 Ref} He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

^{27 Ref} 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 Ref} So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

^{30 Ref} They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

^{31 Ref} The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

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

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

^{34 Ref} When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

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

^{36 Ref} Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

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

^{38 Ref} 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 Ref} For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

^{40 Ref} How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

^{41 Ref} Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

^{42 Ref} They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

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

^{44 Ref} And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

^{45 Ref} He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

^{46 Ref} He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

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

^{48 Ref} He gave up 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, by sending evil angels among them.

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

^{51 Ref} And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

^{52 Ref} But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

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

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

^{55 Ref} 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 Ref} Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

^{57 Ref} But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully 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 enemy's hand.

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

^{63 Ref} The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

^{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, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

^{66 Ref} And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

^{67 Ref} Moreover he refused the tabernacle 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 high palaces, 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 great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

^{72 Ref} So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.