New King James Version

English Standard Version

1A Contemplation of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

1Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

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

2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

3Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

3things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

4We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

4We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

5For 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;

5He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

6That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,

6that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

7That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;

7so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

8And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

8and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

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

9The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.

10They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law,

10They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.

11And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.

11They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.

12Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

12In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

13He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

13He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.

14In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.

14In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light.

15He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.

15He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

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

16He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.

17Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.

18They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

19Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

19They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?”

20He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”

21Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,

21Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,

22Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.

22because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

23Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,

23Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven,

24Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

24and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.

25Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.

25Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

26He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;

27He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;

27he rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings.

28he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.

29So they ate and were well filled, For He gave them their own desire.

29And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.

30They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths,

30But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,

31The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel.

31the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.

32In spite of this they still sinned, And did not believe in His wondrous works.

32In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

33Therefore their days He consumed in futility, And their years in fear.

33So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.

34When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God.

34When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

35Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.

35They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.

36Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;

36But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.

37For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

37Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

38But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath;

38Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.

39For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.

39He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.

40How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert!

40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!

41Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.

41They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,

42They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,

43When He worked His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan;

43when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan.

44Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink.

44He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.

45He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.

45He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.

46He also gave their crops to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

46He gave their crops to the destroying locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycamore trees with frost.

47He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost.

48He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning.

48He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts.

49He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.

49He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels.

50He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague,

50He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.

51And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.

51He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52But He made His own people go forth like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

52Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

53He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54And He brought them to His holy border, This mountain which His right hand had acquired.

54And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.

55He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them an inheritance by survey, And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.

55He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, And did not keep His testimonies,

56Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies,

57But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

57but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.

58For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.

59When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel,

59When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.

60So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

60He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind,

61And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy’s hand.

61and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.

62He also gave His people over to the sword, And was furious with His inheritance.

62He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage.

63The fire consumed their young men, And their maidens were not given in marriage.

63Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song.

64Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows made no lamentation.

64Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.

65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine.

66And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.

66And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.

67Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

67He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.

68but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves.

69And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever.

69He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever.

70He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

70He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;

71From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

71from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.

72So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

72With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.