Psalm 78:1-72 RSV

[1] Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! [2] I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, [3] things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. [4] We 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 which he has wrought. [5] He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children; [6] that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, [7] so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; [8] and 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. [9] The E′phraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. [10] They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. [11] They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them. [12] In the sight of their fathers he wrought marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo′an. [13] He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. [14] In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. [15] He cleft rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. [16] He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers. [17] Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. [18] They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. [19] They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness? [20] He smote the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread, or provide meat for his people?" [21] Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel; [22] because they had no faith in God, and did not trust his saving power. [23] Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; [24] and he rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. [25] Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance. [26] He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind; [27] he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas; [28] he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their habitations. [29] And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved. [30] But before they had sated their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, [31] the anger of God rose against them and he slew the strongest of them, and laid low the picked men of Israel. [32] In spite of all this they still sinned; despite his wonders they did not believe. [33] So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. [34] When he slew them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly. [35] They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. [36] But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. [37] Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant. [38] Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath. [39] He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. [40] How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! [41] They tested him again and again, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. [42] They did not keep in mind his power, or the day when he redeemed them from the foe; [43] when he wrought his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the fields of Zo′an. [44] He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams. [45] He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. [46] He gave their crops to the caterpillar, and the fruit of their labor to the locust. [47] He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost. [48] He gave over their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts. [49] He let loose on them his fierce anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels. [50] He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague. [51] He smote all the first-born in Egypt, the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham. [52] Then he led forth his people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. [53] He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. [54] And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won. [55] He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. [56] Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not observe his testimonies, [57] but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. [58] For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their graven images. [59] When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. [60] He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among men, [61] and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. [62] He gave his people over to the sword, and vented his wrath on his heritage. [63] Fire devoured their young men, and their maidens had no marriage song. [64] Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation. [65] Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine. [66] And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame. [67] He rejected the tent of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of E′phraim; [68] but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves. [69] He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded for ever. [70] He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; [71] from tending the ewes that had young he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob his people, of Israel his inheritance. [72] With upright heart he tended them, and guided them with skilful hand.