Psalms 78:1-39 ▼

1 A wise instruction of Asaph. Heare my lawe O my people: enclyne your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth.

2 I wyll open my mouth in a parable: I wyll declare harde sentences of the olde tyme past.

3 Which we haue hearde and knowen: and such as our fathers haue tolde vs.

4 We wyll not hyde them from their children: nay we wyll set foorth in wordes to the generation to come, the prayses of God, and his myght and wonderfull workes that he hath done.

5 For he reuiued a statute in Iacob, and gaue Israel a lawe: in the whiche he commaunded our forefathers to teache their children.

6 To the intent the posteritie shoulde knowe it, and children whiche shalbe borne: that they shoulde ryse vp and declare it to their children.

7 That they shoulde put their trust in God, and not forget the workes of God: but kepe his commaundementes.

8 And that they be not as their forefathers were a rebellious and a mutable generation: a generation that directed not their heart aright, and whose spirite cleaued not stedfastly vnto God.

9 Like as the children of Ephraim, which beyng harnessed & carying bowes: turned their backes in the day of battayle.

10 They kept not the couenaunt of God: and they woulde not walke in his law.

11 But they forgat his workes: and his wonders which he had shewed them.

12 Marueylous thinges dyd he in the sight of their fathers: in the land of Egypt, in the fielde of Zoan.

13 He deuided the sea and let them go thorowe: he made the waters to stande as on an heape.

14 In the day time also he led them with a cloude: and all the night through with a light of fire.

15 He cloued the harde rockes in the wildernes: & gaue them drinke therof, as it had ben out of the great deepe waters.

16 He brought running streames out of a stonie rocke: and caused waters to gushe downe, like as out of riuers.

17 Yet for all this they sinned still against hym: so that they prouoked the most hyghest in the wildernesse.

18 And they temped god in their heartes: in requiring meate for their lust.

19 They spake against God: they said, can God prepare a table in the wildernesse?

20 Beholde, he hath smytten the stonie rocke, and waters haue gushed out, and streames haue flowed out aboundantly: but can he likewise geue bread, can he prouide fleshe for his people?

21 Wherefore God hearde them, he was wroth, a fire was kindled in Iacob: and there arose vp heauy displeasure against Israel.

22 Because they beleued not in the Lord: nor did put their trust in his saluation.

23 And yet he commaunded the cloudes aboue: and opened the doores of heauen.

24 He raigned downe Manna also vpon them, that they shoulde eate: and gaue them corne from heauen.

25 So man dyd eate the bread of angels: he sent them meate inough.

26 He remoued the east winde from vnder the heauen: and through his power he brought in the south winde.

27 He rained fleshe vpon them as thycke as dust: and fethered foules like as the sande of the sea.

28 He let it fall among their tentes: euen rounde about their pauilions.

29 So they dyd eate and were wel filled, for he gaue them their owne desire: neuerthelesse they were not alienated from their lust.

30 But whyle the meate was yet in their mouthes, the heauy wrath of God came vpon them, and slue the welthyest of them: and made the chosen men of Israel to stoupe.

31 For all this they sinned still: and beleued not his wonderous workes.

32 Therfore their dayes dyd he consume in vanitie: & their yeres in a short troublous time.

33 When he slue them, they sought hym: they repented them, and made God their morninges worke.

34 And they remembred that the Lorde was their rocke: & that the Lorde most hyghest was their redeemer.

35 Neuerthelesse they dyd but flatter him with their mouth: and they made hym a lye with their tongue.

36 For their heart was not vpright with him: neither continued they faythfull in his couenaunt.

37 Yet for all that he beyng most merciful: cleane pardoned all their misdeedes, and destroyed them not.

38 Yea many a tyme he dyd much for to represse his anger: and neuer woulde suffer his whole rage to breake out.

39 For he considered that they were but fleshe, and that they were euen a winde that passeth away & cometh not againe.