Psalm 78 - English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Tell the Coming Generation

A Maskil[a] of (A)Asaph.

78 (B)Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 (C)I will open my mouth (D)in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our (E)fathers have told us.
4 We will not (F)hide them from their children,
but (G)tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and (H)the wonders that he has done.
5 He established (I)a testimony in (J)Jacob
and appointed a law in (K)Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6 that (L)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 (M)the works of God,
but (N)keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be (O)like their fathers,
(P)a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation (Q)whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 The Ephraimites, armed with[b] the bow,
(R)turned back on the day of battle.
10 They (S)did not keep God's covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They (T)forgot his works
and (U)the wonders that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their fathers (V)he performed wonders
in the land of Egypt, in (W)the fields of Zoan.
13 He (X)divided the sea and let them pass through it,
and made the waters (Y)stand like a heap.
14 (Z)In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a fiery light.
15 He (AA)split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16 He made streams come out of (AB)the rock
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
17 Yet they sinned still more against him,
(AC)rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They (AD)tested God in their heart
by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying,
(AE)“Can God (AF)spread a table in the wilderness?
20 (AG)He struck 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;
(AH)a fire was kindled against Jacob;
his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they (AI)did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above
and (AJ)opened the doors of heaven,
24 and he (AK)rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them (AL)the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate of the bread of (AM)the angels;
he sent them food (AN)in abundance.
26 He (AO)caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained meat on them like (AP)dust,
winged birds like (AQ)the sand of the seas;
28 he (AR)let them fall in the midst of their camp,
all round their dwellings.
29 And they (AS)ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they (AT)craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving,
(AU)while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed (AV)the strongest of them
and laid low (AW)the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they (AX)still sinned;
(AY)despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he made (AZ)their days (BA)vanish like[c] a breath,[d]
and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they (BB)sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their (BC)rock,
the Most High God their (BD)redeemer.
36 But they (BE)flattered him with their mouths;
they (BF)lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their (BG)heart was not (BH)steadfast towards him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being (BI)compassionate,
(BJ)atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He (BK)remembered that they were but (BL)flesh,
(BM)a wind that passes and comes not again.
40 How often they (BN)rebelled against him in the wilderness
and (BO)grieved him in (BP)the desert!
41 They (BQ)tested God again and again
and provoked (BR)the Holy One of Israel.
42 They (BS)did not remember his power[e]
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 (BT)when he performed his (BU)signs in Egypt
and his (BV)marvels in (BW)the fields of Zoan.
44 He (BX)turned their rivers to blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.
45 He sent among them swarms of (BY)flies, which devoured them,
and (BZ)frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave their crops to (CA)the destroying locust
and the fruit of their labour to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with (CB)hail
and their sycamores with frost.
48 He gave over their (CC)cattle to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 He let loose on them his burning anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
a company of (CD)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 struck down every (CE)firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of (CF)Ham.
52 Then he led out his people (CG)like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 (CH)He led them in safety, so that they (CI)were not afraid,
but (CJ)the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to his (CK)holy land,
(CL)to the mountain which his right hand had (CM)won.
55 He (CN)drove out nations before them;
he (CO)apportioned them for a possession
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 Yet they (CP)tested and (CQ)rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies,
57 but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
they twisted like (CR)a deceitful bow.
58 For they (CS)provoked him to anger with their (CT)high places;
they (CU)moved him to jealousy with their (CV)idols.
59 When God heard, he was full of (CW)wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He (CX)forsook his dwelling at (CY)Shiloh,
the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61 and delivered his (CZ)power to captivity,
his (DA)glory to the hand of the foe.
62 He (DB)gave his people over to the sword
and (DC)vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 (DD)Fire devoured their young men,
and their young women had no (DE)marriage song.
64 Their (DF)priests fell by the sword,
and their (DG)widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord (DH)awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66 And he (DI)put his adversaries to rout;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67 He rejected the tent of (DJ)Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he (DK)loves.
69 He (DL)built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded for ever.
70 He (DM)chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from (DN)following the nursing ewes he brought him
to (DO)shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his (DP)inheritance.
72 With (DQ)upright heart he shepherded them
and (DR)guided them with his skilful hand.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting
  3. Psalm 78:33 Hebrew in
  4. Psalm 78:33 Or vapour
  5. Psalm 78:42 Hebrew hand

Cross references

  1. Psalm 78:1 : Ps. 50, title
  2. Psalm 78:1 : [Isa. 51:4]; See Ps. 49:1; 50:7
  3. Psalm 78:2 : Cited Matt. 13:35; See Ps. 49:4
  4. Psalm 78:2 : [Num. 21:27]
  5. Psalm 78:3 : See Ps. 44:1
  6. Psalm 78:4 : Job 15:18
  7. Psalm 78:4 : [Ex. 12:26, 27; 13:8, 14; Deut. 11:19; Josh. 4:6, 7; Joel 1:3]
  8. Psalm 78:4 : ver. 11, 32
  9. Psalm 78:5 : Ps. 19:7; [Ps. 81:5]
  10. Psalm 78:5 : Ps. 147:19
  11. Psalm 78:5 : Ps. 147:19
  12. Psalm 78:6 : ver. 4; Ps. 102:18
  13. Psalm 78:7 : Ps. 77:12
  14. Psalm 78:7 : Ps. 105:45
  15. Psalm 78:8 : 2 Kgs. 17:14; 2 Chr. 30:7; Ezek. 20:18
  16. Psalm 78:8 : Ex. 32:9; 33:3; Deut. 9:7, 24; 31:27; Jer. 5:23
  17. Psalm 78:8 : ver. 37; Job 11:13
  18. Psalm 78:9 : ver. 57
  19. Psalm 78:10 : [2 Kgs. 17:15]
  20. Psalm 78:11 : See Ps. 106:13
  21. Psalm 78:11 : ver. 4
  22. Psalm 78:12 : ver. 43; See Ex. 7-12; Ps. 72:18
  23. Psalm 78:12 : ver. 43; Num. 13:22; Isa. 19:11, 13; Ezek. 30:14
  24. Psalm 78:13 : Ps. 136:13; Ex. 14:21
  25. Psalm 78:13 : Ex. 15:8
  26. Psalm 78:14 : See Ps. 105:39
  27. Psalm 78:15 : ver. 20; Ps. 105:41; 114:8; Ex. 17:6; Isa. 48:21
  28. Psalm 78:16 : Num. 20:8, 10, 11
  29. Psalm 78:17 : ver. 40, 56; Deut. 9:22; Isa. 63:10
  30. Psalm 78:18 : ver. 41, 56; Ps. 95:9; 106:14; Deut. 6:16; 1 Cor. 10:9
  31. Psalm 78:19 : [Ex. 16:3; Num. 11:4; 20:3; 21:5]
  32. Psalm 78:19 : See Ps. 23:5
  33. Psalm 78:20 : ver. 15, 16
  34. Psalm 78:21 : Num. 11:1
  35. Psalm 78:22 : ver. 8, 32, 37
  36. Psalm 78:23 : Gen. 7:11; [Mal. 3:10]
  37. Psalm 78:24 : Ex. 16:4
  38. Psalm 78:24 : Ps. 105:40; [John 6:31]
  39. Psalm 78:25 : Ps. 103:20
  40. Psalm 78:25 : [ver. 29]
  41. Psalm 78:26 : Num. 11:31
  42. Psalm 78:27 : [Gen. 13:16]
  43. Psalm 78:27 : [Gen. 22:17]
  44. Psalm 78:28 : Ex. 16:13; Num. 11:31
  45. Psalm 78:29 : Num. 11:19, 20
  46. Psalm 78:29 : Num. 11:4, 34
  47. Psalm 78:30 : Num. 11:33; [Job 20:23]
  48. Psalm 78:31 : Isa. 10:16
  49. Psalm 78:31 : ver. 63
  50. Psalm 78:32 : See Num. 14; 16; 17
  51. Psalm 78:32 : ver. 22; Num. 14:11
  52. Psalm 78:33 : Num. 14:29, 35; 26:64, 65
  53. Psalm 78:33 : Ps. 39:5
  54. Psalm 78:34 : Hos. 5:15
  55. Psalm 78:35 : Deut. 32:4, 15, 31
  56. Psalm 78:35 : Ex. 15:13; See Ps. 74:2
  57. Psalm 78:36 : Isa. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31
  58. Psalm 78:36 : Isa. 57:11
  59. Psalm 78:37 : ver. 8
  60. Psalm 78:37 : Ps. 51:10
  61. Psalm 78:38 : Ex. 34:6
  62. Psalm 78:38 : Num. 14:20
  63. Psalm 78:39 : [Ps. 103:14; Job 10:9]
  64. Psalm 78:39 : Gen. 6:3
  65. Psalm 78:39 : Job 7:7
  66. Psalm 78:40 : ver. 17, 56; Ps. 107:11
  67. Psalm 78:40 : [Eph. 4:30]
  68. Psalm 78:40 : Ps. 106:14
  69. Psalm 78:41 : See ver. 18
  70. Psalm 78:41 : See Ps. 71:22
  71. Psalm 78:42 : Judg. 8:34
  72. Psalm 78:43 : For ver. 43-51, see Ps. 105:27-36
  73. Psalm 78:43 : Ex. 7:3; [Ps. 106:22]; Acts 7:36
  74. Psalm 78:43 : Ex. 4:21; 11:9, 10
  75. Psalm 78:43 : See ver. 12
  76. Psalm 78:44 : See Ex. 7:17-24
  77. Psalm 78:45 : See Ex. 8:21-24
  78. Psalm 78:45 : See Ex. 8:2-14
  79. Psalm 78:46 : See Ex. 10:12-15
  80. Psalm 78:47 : See Ex. 9:23-25
  81. Psalm 78:48 : See Ex. 9:19-21
  82. Psalm 78:49 : Ex. 12:13, 23; [2 Sam. 24:16]
  83. Psalm 78:51 : Ex. 12:29; [Ps. 105:36; 135:8; 136:10]
  84. Psalm 78:51 : Ps. 105:23, 27; 106:22
  85. Psalm 78:52 : See Ps. 77:20
  86. Psalm 78:53 : [Ex. 14:19, 20]
  87. Psalm 78:53 : [Ex. 14:13]
  88. Psalm 78:53 : Ex. 14:27, 28; 15:10
  89. Psalm 78:54 : Ex. 15:17
  90. Psalm 78:54 : Isa. 11:9; 57:13; [Ps. 68:16]
  91. Psalm 78:54 : Ps. 74:2
  92. Psalm 78:55 : See Ps. 44:2
  93. Psalm 78:55 : Josh. 23:4; [Ps. 135:12; 136:21, 22; Acts 13:19]
  94. Psalm 78:56 : ver. 18; Judg. 2:11, 12
  95. Psalm 78:56 : ver. 40
  96. Psalm 78:57 : Hos. 7:16; [ver. 9]
  97. Psalm 78:58 : Deut. 31:29
  98. Psalm 78:58 : Lev. 26:30; Deut. 12:2; 1 Kgs. 11:7; 12:31; Ezek. 20:28
  99. Psalm 78:58 : Num. 25:11; Deut. 32:16, 21; Judg. 2:12
  100. Psalm 78:58 : Deut. 7:5, 25; 12:3
  101. Psalm 78:59 : ver. 62; Ps. 106:40; Deut. 3:26
  102. Psalm 78:60 : 1 Sam. 4:11; Jer. 7:12, 14; 26:6
  103. Psalm 78:60 : Josh. 18:1
  104. Psalm 78:61 : Ps. 132:8; [Ps. 63:2; 96:6]
  105. Psalm 78:61 : [1 Sam. 4:21]
  106. Psalm 78:62 : [1 Sam. 4:10]
  107. Psalm 78:62 : ver. 59
  108. Psalm 78:63 : [Ps. 79:5; 89:46]
  109. Psalm 78:63 : [Jer. 7:34]
  110. Psalm 78:64 : 1 Sam. 4:11
  111. Psalm 78:64 : Job 27:15
  112. Psalm 78:65 : Ps. 73:20; See Ps. 35:23
  113. Psalm 78:66 : [Ps. 40:14]
  114. Psalm 78:67 : Ps. 80:1; 81:5
  115. Psalm 78:68 : Ps. 87:2
  116. Psalm 78:69 : See 1 Kgs. 6
  117. Psalm 78:70 : 1 Sam. 16:12, 13
  118. Psalm 78:71 : 2 Sam. 7:8
  119. Psalm 78:71 : 2 Sam. 5:2; [Ps. 28:9]
  120. Psalm 78:71 : 1 Sam. 10:1
  121. Psalm 78:72 : Ps. 101:2; 1 Kgs. 9:4
  122. Psalm 78:72 : [Ps. 77:20]

You Might Also Like:

Psalm 78 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

78 An Instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth. 2 I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old, 3 That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us. 4 We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

78 The learning of Asaph. My people, perceive ye my law; bow your ear into the words of my mouth. (The teaching of Asaph. My people, listen ye to my teaching; bow down your ear to the words of my mouth.) 2 I shall open my mouth in parables; I shall speak perfect reasons from the beginning (I shall s...
Read More

Psalm 78 - World English Bible (WEB)

A contemplation by Asaph.78 Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.4 We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 78A contemplative song[a] of Asaph.1 O my people, listen to me! Hear my instruction; soak up every word of what I am about to tell you.2 I will open my mouth in parables; I will speak of ancient mysteries—3 Things that we have heard about, things that we have known, things which our ancestors ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Israel from Moses to DavidPsalm 781 A contemplative song of Asaph.Listen, my people, to my teaching.Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth with a parable.I will utter perplexing sayings from of old,3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.4 We will not hi...
Read More

Psalm 78 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

God’s Goodness and Israel’s IngratitudeA Maskil of Asaph.78 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 ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

God’s Goodness and Israel’s IngratitudeA Maskil of Asaph.78 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 ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Psalm 78God’s Goodness and Israel’s IngratitudeA Maskil of Asaph.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 ancestors have told us.4 We ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Psalm 78God’s Goodness and Israel’s IngratitudeA Maskil of Asaph.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 ancestors have told us.4 We ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Psalm 78God’s Goodness and Israel’s IngratitudeA Maskil of Asaph.1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.(A)2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,(B)3 things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 78A psalm[a] of Asaph.1 O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying,2 for I will speak to you in a parable.I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—3 stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.4 We will not hide these truths f...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New Life Version (NLV)

God Is Good to His People78 O my people, hear my teaching. Listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in picture-stories. I will tell things which have been kept secret from long ago, 3 which we have heard and known because our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s Kindness to Rebellious IsraelA (A)Contemplation[a] of Asaph.78 Give ear, O my people, to my law;Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth in a (B)parable;I will utter [b]dark sayings of old,3 Which we have heard and known,And our fathers have told us.4 (C)We will not hi...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Psalm 78A maskil[a] of Asaph.1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old –3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we wi...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 78A maskil[a] of Asaph.1 My people, hear my teaching;(A) listen to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth with a parable;(B) I will utter hidden things, things from of old—3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.(C)4 We will not hide them from their descendant...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Psalm 78A maskil of Asaph.1 My people, listen to my teaching. Pay attention to what I say.2 I will open my mouth and tell a story. I will speak about things that were hidden. They happened a long time ago.3 We have heard about them and we know them. Our people who lived before us have told us about ...
Read More

Psalm 78 - New English Translation (NET)

Psalm 78[a]A well-written song[b] by Asaph.78 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction.Listen to the words I speak.[c]2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;I will make insightful observations about the past.[d]3 What we have heard and learned[e]—that which our ancestors[f] have told us—4 we wi...
Read More