THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.
Psalm 78 ©
The prophet, having exhorted to attention, instruction and preaching of God’s Word and works, relates at large the Fatherly love and long suffering of God by which He, having striven against the manifold unthankfulness of His people, at last forsook Shiloh and passing by the rest of the tribes, chose out Zion in Judah for the place of His worship and David, out of Judah, over the kingdom, the same being a type or figure of Christ’s everlasting Kingdom.
Maschil1 of 2Asaph.
GIVE ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Ia will open my mouth in a 3parable: I will utter 4dark sayings of old:
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the 5praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Forb 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:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
And might not be as their fathers, a stubbornc and rebellious generation; a generation that 6set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
7The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the 8field of Zoan.
Hed divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
In the daytime also hee led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
Hef clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the 9great depths.
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their 10lust.
Yea,g they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Behold,h 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?
Thereforei the LORD 11heard this, and was 12wroth: so a 13fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
Though he had 14commanded the clouds from above, and opened the 15doors of heaven,
Andj had rained down 16manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the 17corn of heaven.
Mank did eat 18angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.
Hel caused an east wind to blow in the 19heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
He rained flesh also upon them as 20dust, and feathered 21fowls like as the sand of the sea:
And he let it fall in the midst of 22their camp, round about their 23habitations.
So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own 24desire;
They were not 25estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
Them wrath of God came upon them, and slew the 26fattest of them, and smote down the 27chosen men of Israel.
For all this they sinned 28still, and believed not 29for his wondrous works.
Therefore their days did he consume in 30vanity, and their years in trouble.
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
Nevertheless they did 31flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
But he, being full of compassion, 32forgave their iniquity, and 33destroyed them not: yea, 34many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up 35all his wrath.
For he remembered that they were but 36flesh; a 37wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and 38grieve him in the desert!
Yea, they 39turned back and tempted God, and 40limited the 41Holy One of Israel.
They remembered not his 42hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the 43enemy.
How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of 44Zoan:
Andn had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
Heo sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; andp45frogs, which destroyed them.
Heq gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their 46labour unto the locust.
Her47destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with 48frost.
He 49gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to 50hot thunderbolts.
He cast upon them the 51fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending 52evil 53angels among them.
He 54made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave theirs55life over to the pestilence;
Andt smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the 56chief of their strength in the 57tabernacles of Ham:
But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: butu the 58sea overwhelmed their enemies.
And he brought them to the 59border of his sanctuary, even to this 60mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
He cast out the heathen also before them, and 61divided them anv62inheritance by 63line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
64Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his 65testimonies:
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their 66fathers: they were turned aside like a 67deceitful bow.
For they provoked him to 68anger with their 69high places, andw moved him to 70jealousy with their graven images.
When God 71heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
So that he forsook the tabernacle of 72Shiloh, the tent which he placed among 73men;
Andx delivered his 74strength into captivity, and his glory into the 75enemy’s hand.
He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
The 76fire consumed 77their young men; and their maidens were not given to 78marriage.
Theiry79priests fell by the sword; and their 80widows made no lamentation.
Then the Lord 81awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth 82by reason of wine.
Andz he smote his 83enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a 84perpetual reproach.
Moreover he refused the 85tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
And he built his 86sanctuary like 87high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
Heaa chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the 88ewes great with young he brought him toab89feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the 90skilfulness of his hands.