| Chapter 78 |
1 |
Maschil. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth. -
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2 |
Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times; -
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3 |
Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers. -
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4 |
We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done. -
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5 |
He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children; -
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6 |
So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children; -
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7 |
So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws; -
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8 |
And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God. -
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9 |
The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight. -
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10 |
They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law; -
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11 |
They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see. -
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12 |
He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. -
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13 |
The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that. -
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14 |
In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire. -
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15 |
The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters. -
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16 |
He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers. -
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17 |
And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land; -
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18 |
Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire. -
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19 |
They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land? -
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20 |
See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people? -
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21 |
So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel; -
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22 |
Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation. -
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23 |
And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open; -
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24 |
And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven. -
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25 |
Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure. -
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26 |
He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power. -
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27 |
He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea, -
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28 |
And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents. -
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29 |
So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire; -
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30 |
But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths, -
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31 |
The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel. -
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32 |
For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders. -
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33 |
So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble. -
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34 |
When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care; -
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35 |
In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour. -
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36 |
But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him; -
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37 |
And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him. -
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38 |
But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry. -
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39 |
So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again. -
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40 |
How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places! -
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41 |
Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel. -
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42 |
They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters; -
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43 |
How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; -
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44 |
So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams. -
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45 |
He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction. -
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46 |
He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts. -
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47 |
He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold. -
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48 |
Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks. -
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49 |
He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them. -
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50 |
He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease. -
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51 |
He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham; -
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52 |
But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock. -
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53 |
He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea. -
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54 |
And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his; -
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55 |
Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place. -
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56 |
But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws; -
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57 |
Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow. -
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58 |
They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images. -
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59 |
When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely; -
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60 |
So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men; -
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61 |
And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater. -
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62 |
He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage. -
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63 |
Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song. -
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64 |
Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them. -
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65 |
Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine. -
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66 |
His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever. -
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67 |
And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim; -
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68 |
But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure. -
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69 |
And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever. -
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70 |
He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks; -
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71 |
From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage. -
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72 |
So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands. -
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