Psalm 78:1-72 NCV

[1] My people, listen to my teaching; listen to what I say. [2] I will speak using stories; I will tell secret things from long ago. [3] We have heard them and known them by what our ancestors have told us. [4] We will not keep them from our children; we will tell those who come later about the praises of the LORD. We will tell about his power and the miracles he has done. [5] The LORD made an agreement with Jacob and gave the teachings to Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children. [6] Then their children would know them, even their children not yet born. And they would tell their children. [7] So they would all trust God and would not forget what he had done but would obey his commands. [8] They would not be like their ancestors who were stubborn and disobedient. Their hearts were not loyal to God, and they were not true to him. [9] The men of Ephraim had bows for weapons, but they ran away on the day of battle. [10] They didn't keep their agreement with God and refused to live by his teachings. [11] They forgot what he had done and the miracles he had shown them. [12] He did miracles while their ancestors watched, in the fields of Zoan in Egypt. [13] He divided the Red Sea and led them through. He made the water stand up like a wall. [14] He led them with a cloud by day and by the light of a fire by night. [15] He split the rocks in the desert and gave them more than enough water, as if from the deep ocean. [16] He brought streams out of the rock and caused water to flow down like rivers. [17] But the people continued to sin against him; in the desert they turned against God Most High. [18] They decided to test God by asking for the food they wanted. [19] Then they spoke against God, saying, "Can God prepare food in the desert? [20] When he hit the rock, water poured out and rivers flowed down. But can he give us bread also? Will he provide his people with meat?" [21] When the LORD heard them, he was very angry. His anger was like fire to the people of Jacob; his anger grew against the people of Israel. [22] They had not believed God and had not trusted him to save them. [23] But he gave a command to the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. [24] He rained manna down on them to eat; he gave them grain from heaven. [25] So they ate the bread of angels. He sent them all the food they could eat. [26] He sent the east wind from heaven and led the south wind by his power. [27] He rained meat on them like dust. The birds were as many as the sand of the sea. [28] He made the birds fall inside the camp, all around the tents. [29] So the people ate and became very full. God had given them what they wanted. [30] While they were still eating, and while the food was still in their mouths, [31] God became angry with them. He killed some of the healthiest of them; he struck down the best young men of Israel. [32] But they kept on sinning; they did not believe even with the miracles. [33] So he ended their days without meaning and their years in terror. [34] Anytime he killed them, they would look to him for help; they would come back to God and follow him. [35] They would remember that God was their Rock, that God Most High had saved them. [36] But their words were false, and their tongues lied to him. [37] Their hearts were not really loyal to God; they did not keep his agreement. [38] Still God was merciful. He forgave their sins and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and did not stir up all his anger. [39] He remembered that they were only human, like a wind that blows and does not come back. [40] They turned against God so often in the desert and grieved him there. [41] Again and again they tested God and brought pain to the Holy One of Israel. [42] They did not remember his power or the time he saved them from the enemy. [43] They forgot the signs he did in Egypt and his wonders in the fields of Zoan. [44] He turned their rivers to blood so no one could drink the water. [45] He sent flies that bit the people. He sent frogs that destroyed them. [46] He gave their crops to grasshoppers and what they worked for to locusts. [47] He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with sleet. [48] He killed their animals with hail and their cattle with lightning. [49] He showed them his hot anger. He sent his strong anger against them, his destroying angels. [50] He found a way to show his anger. He did not keep them from dying but let them die by a terrible disease. [51] God killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt, the oldest son of each family of Ham. [52] But God led his people out like sheep and he guided them like a flock through the desert. [53] He led them to safety so they had nothing to fear, but their enemies drowned in the sea. [54] So God brought them to his holy land, to the mountain country he took with his own power. [55] He forced out the other nations, and he had his people inherit the land. He let the tribes of Israel settle there in tents. [56] But they tested God and turned against God Most High; they did not keep his rules. [57] They turned away and were disloyal just like their ancestors. They were like a crooked bow that does not shoot straight. [58] They made God angry by building places to worship gods; they made him jealous with their idols. [59] When God heard them, he became very angry and rejected the people of Israel completely. [60] He left his dwelling at Shiloh, the Tent where he lived among the people. [61] He let the Ark, his power, be captured; he let the Ark, his glory, be taken by enemies. [62] He let his people be killed; he was very angry with his children. [63] The young men died by fire, and the young women had no one to marry. [64] Their priests fell by the sword, but their widows were not allowed to cry. [65] Then the Lord got up as if he had been asleep; he awoke like a man who had been drunk with wine. [66] He struck down his enemies and disgraced them forever. [67] But God rejected the family of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. [68] Instead, he chose the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, which he loves. [69] And he built his Temple high like the mountains. Like the earth, he built it to last forever. [70] He chose David to be his servant and took him from the sheep pens. [71] He brought him from tending the sheep so he could lead the flock, the people of Jacob, his own people, the people of Israel. [72] And David led them with an innocent heart and guided them with skillful hands.