1“A Maskil of Assaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction: incline thy ear to the words of my mouth.
2I will open with a parable my mouth: I will utter riddles out of ancient times;
3Which we have heard and know, and which our fathers have related unto us.
4We will not conceal them from their children, relating to the latest generation the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful deeds which he hath done.
5Yea, he established a testimony in Jacob, and instituted a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6In order that the latest generation might know them, even the children that are to be born; that they may arise and relate them to their children;
7That they may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe his commandments;
8And that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that had not directed their heart firmly, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9The children of Ephraim, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,
10Kept not the covenant of God, and in his law they refused to walk;
11And they forgot his deeds, as also his wonders, which he had permitted them to see.
12In the presence of their fathers did he do wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.
13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters stand upright as a wall.
14And he led them with the cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the mighty deep.
16And he brought forth running streams out of the rock, and caused water to run down like rivers.
17But they repeated to sin yet more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18And they tempted God in their heart, by asking food for their desire.
19Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Will God be able to set in order a table in the wilderness?
20Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed: shall he also be able to give bread? or can he provide flesh for his people?
21Therefore, when the Lord heard this, he became wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also ascended against Israel,
22Because they had not believed in God, and had not trusted in his salvation.
23Then he ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven he opened;
24And he let rain down upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave he unto them.
25Angels' bread did man eat: he sent them provision to satisfaction.
26He caused an east wind to pass along the heavens; and he led forth by his strength the south wind.
27And he let rain upon them flesh [as plentiful] as the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea;
28And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29And they ate, and were greatly satisfied, and what they longed for he brought unto them.
30They were not estranged from their longing, yet was their food in their mouth:
31When the wrath of God ascended against them, and he slew some of the fattest of them, and the young men of Israel did he strike down.
32With all this they sinned again, and believed not in his wonders.
33Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.
34When he slew them, then did they seek him, and they returned and inquired earnestly after God.
35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the most high God their redeemer.
36Nevertheless they prayed insincerely to him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him.
37For their heart was not firm with him, and they were not faithful in his covenant.
38But he, being merciful, forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not awaken all his fury.
39And he remembered that they are but flesh, a spirit that passeth away, and returneth not again.
40How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, grieve him in the desert!
41Yea, they once more tempted God, and set limits to the Holy One of Israel.
42They remembered not his hand, the day when he ransomed them from the adversary;
43When he displayed in Egypt his signs, and his wonderful tokens in the fields of Zo'an.
44And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].
45He sent out among them various wild beasts, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46And he gave unto the cricket their products, and their labor unto the locust.
47He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.
48And he surrendered to the hail their cattle, and their herds to the lightning's flashes.
49He let loose against them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and distress, a host of angels of misfortune.
50He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;
51And he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52But he caused his own people to depart like flocks, and guided them like a drove in the wilderness.
53And he led them in safety, so that they felt no dread; but the sea covered over their enemies.
54And he brought them to his holy territory, even to this mount, which his right hand had acquired.
55And he drove out from before them nations, and divided them by the measuring-line as an inheritance, and he caused to dwell in their tents the tribes of Israel.
56Yet they tempted and rebelled against the most high God, and his testimonies they kept not;
57But swerved aside, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they turned about like a deceitful bow.
58And they provoked him to anger with their high-places, and with their graven images they moved him to jealousy.
59God heard this, and he became wroth, and felt greatly disgusted with Israel;
60And he cast off the dwelling at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had dwelt among men;
61And he gave up his strength unto captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.
62And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.
63His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.
64His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.
65Then awoke the Lord as one that sleepeth, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66And he smote his enemies backward: a perpetual disgrace on them.
67Yet was he disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and of the tribe of Ephraim he made not choice;
68But he chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69And he built like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
70And he made choice of David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:
71From following the ewes with young he brought him, to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and by the skilfulness of his hands did he lead them.