1My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.[1]2I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old –3things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.4We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.5He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children,6so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.7Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.8They would not be like their ancestors – a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.9The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle;10they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law.11They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them.12He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.13He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall.14He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night.15He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas;16he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.17But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.18They wilfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved.19They spoke against God; they said, ‘Can God really spread a table in the wilderness?20True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?’21When the Lord heard them, he was furious; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel,22for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.23Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens;24he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.25Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat.26He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow.27He rained meat down on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore.28He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents.29They ate till they were gorged – he had given them what they craved.30But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths,31God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel.32In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.33So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror.34Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.35They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.36But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues;37their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.38Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.39He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland!41Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel.42They did not remember his power – the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,43the day he displayed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan.44He turned their river into blood; they could not drink from their streams.45He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.46He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust.47He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet.48He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning.49He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility – a band of destroying angels.50He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.51He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.52But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness.53He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies.54And so he brought them to the border of his holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken.55He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.56But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes.57Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow.58They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols.59When God heard them, he was furious; he rejected Israel completely.60He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans.61He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendour into the hands of the enemy.62He gave his people over to the sword; he was furious with his inheritance.63Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs;64their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep.65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.66He beat back his enemies; he put them to everlasting shame.67Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;68but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved.69He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established for ever.70He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;71from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.72And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skilful hands he led them.
Psalm 78
King James Version
1Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.5For 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:6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.9The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.19Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?20Behold, 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?21Therefore the LORD heard this , and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:23Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.25Man did eat angels'food: he sent them meat to the full.26He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.27He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.29So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;30They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.32For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.36Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.39For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:44And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.45He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.46He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.47He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.48He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them .50He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.59When God heard this , he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;61And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy' hand.62He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.63The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.67Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.69And he built his sanctuary like high palaces , like the earth which he hath established for ever.70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:71From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
1Ein Maskil[1]. Von Asaf. Höre, mein Volk, auf meine Weisung! Neigt euer Ohr zu den Worten meines Mundes! (Ps 50:1; Pr 22:17)2Ich will meinen Mund öffnen zu einem Spruch, will hervorbringen[2] Rätsel aus der Vorzeit. (Ps 49:5; Mt 13:35)3Was wir gehört und erfahren und unsere Väter uns erzählt haben, (1Jo 1:1)4wollen wir nicht verhehlen ihren Söhnen und der künftigen Generation erzählen die Ruhmestaten des HERRN und seine Macht und seine Wunder, die er getan hat. (Ex 13:14; De 4:9; Jos 4:6; Ps 71:18; Ps 145:4; Isa 38:19)5Denn er hat ein Zeugnis aufgerichtet in Jakob und ein Gesetz aufgestellt in Israel und gebot unseren Vätern, sie ihren Söhnen kundzutun, (De 6:7)6damit die künftige Generation sie kenne, die Söhne, die geboren werden sollten, und ⟨auch⟩ sie aufständen und sie ihren Söhnen erzählten. (Ex 10:2)7Damit sie auf Gott ihr Vertrauen setzten und die Taten Gottes nicht vergäßen und seine Gebote befolgten. (De 6:21; Ps 105:45)8Damit sie nicht würden wie ihre Väter, eine widersetzliche und widerspenstige Generation, eine Generation, deren Herz nicht fest war[3] und deren Geist nicht treu war gegen Gott, (De 31:27; Eze 20:8; Lu 9:41)9⟨wie⟩ die Söhne Ephraim, gerüstete Bogenschützen, sich wendeten am Tag des Kampfes.10Sie hielten nicht den Bund Gottes und weigerten sich, nach seinem Gesetz zu wandeln. (2Ki 17:15; Eze 20:21; Heb 8:9)11Sie vergaßen seine Taten und seine Wunder, die er sie hatte schauen lassen. (Ps 106:13)12Er tat Wunder vor ihren Vätern im Lande Ägypten, dem Gebiet Zoans[4]. (De 4:34; Jos 9:9; Ps 78:43; Ps 135:9)13Er spaltete das Meer und ließ sie hindurchgehen, er ließ das Wasser stehen wie einen Damm. (Ex 15:8; Jos 3:16; Ps 136:13; Isa 63:12)14Er leitete sie des Tages mit der Wolke und die ganze Nacht mit dem Licht eines Feuers. (Ex 13:21)15Er spaltete Felsen in der Wüste und tränkte sie reichlich, wie mit Fluten[5]. (Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11; 1Co 10:4)16Er ließ Bäche hervorkommen aus dem Felsen und Wasser herablaufen wie Flüsse. (Ps 105:41; Ps 107:35; Ps 114:7)17Doch sie fuhren weiter fort, gegen ihn zu sündigen, sich gegen den Höchsten widerspenstig zu zeigen in der Wüste. (De 31:27; Eze 20:8; Lu 9:41)18Sie stellten in ihrem Herzen Gott auf die Probe, indem sie Speise forderten für ihr Gelüste. (Ex 17:7; Nu 11:4; Ps 106:14)19Und sie redeten gegen Gott; sie sprachen: Sollte Gott imstande sein, ⟨uns⟩ in der Wüste einen Tisch zu bereiten? (Ex 16:3)20Siehe, den Felsen hat er ⟨zwar⟩ geschlagen, und Wasser floss ⟨heraus⟩, und Bäche strömten. Wird er ⟨aber⟩ auch Brot geben können, oder wird er seinem Volk Fleisch verschaffen? (Nu 11:4)21Darum, als der HERR es hörte, wurde er zornig, und Feuer entzündete sich gegen Jakob, und auch Zorn stieg auf gegen Israel, (Nu 11:1; Heb 3:10)22weil sie Gott nicht glaubten und nicht vertrauten auf seine Rettung. (Heb 3:17)23Und doch hat er den Wolken oben geboten und die Torflügel des Himmels geöffnet. (Mal 3:10)24Und hat Manna auf sie regnen lassen, dass sie es äßen, und ihnen Himmelsgetreide gegeben. (Ex 16:14; Joh 6:31)25Ein jeder aß Brot der Starken[6]. Speise sandte er ihnen bis zur Sättigung. (Ps 105:40)26Er ließ den Ostwind losbrechen am Himmel und trieb durch seine Stärke den Südwind herbei. (Ps 135:7; Ps 147:18)27Er ließ Fleisch auf sie regnen wie Staub und Vögel[7] wie Sand der Meere, (Nu 11:31)28und ließ ⟨sie⟩ mitten in sein Lager fallen, rings um seine Wohnungen. (Ex 16:13)29Da aßen sie und wurden sehr satt, und was sie verlangten[8], brachte er ihnen. (Nu 11:19; Ps 106:15)30Sie hatten sich noch nicht abgewendet von ihrem Verlangen, ihre Speise war noch in ihrem Mund,31da stieg der Zorn Gottes gegen sie auf. Er brachte ⟨viele⟩ unter ihren stattlichen Leuten um. Die jungen Männer Israels streckte er nieder[9]. (Nu 11:33)32Trotz alledem sündigten sie weiter und glaubten nicht an seine Wunder.33Da ließ er in Nichtigkeit hinschwinden ihre Tage und ihre Jahre in Schrecken. (Nu 14:33; Ps 90:7)34Wenn er sie umbrachte, dann fragten sie nach ihm, kehrten um und suchten nach Gott. (Isa 26:16)35Und sie dachten daran, dass Gott ihr Fels sei und Gott, der Höchste, ihr Erlöser. (Ps 19:15)36Doch sie betrogen ihn mit ihrem Mund, und mit ihrer Zunge belogen sie ihn. (Mic 6:12)37Denn ihr Herz war nicht fest ihm gegenüber, und sie blieben nicht treu an seinem Bund. (Jer 31:32)38Er aber war barmherzig, er vergab die Schuld und vertilgte nicht; und oftmals wandte er seinen Zorn ab und ließ nicht erwachen seinen ganzen Grimm. (Isa 48:9)39Er dachte daran, dass sie Fleisch sind, ein Hauch, der dahinfährt und nicht wiederkehrt. (Ge 6:3; Ps 103:14)40Wie oft waren sie widerspenstig gegen ihn in der Wüste, betrübten ihn in der Einöde! (Ps 78:8)41Immer wieder stellten sie Gott auf die Probe und kränkten den Heiligen Israels. (Isa 1:4)42Sie dachten nicht an seine Hand, an den Tag, da er sie von dem Bedränger erlöste, (Ps 105:27; Ps 106:21)43als er seine Zeichen tat in Ägypten und seine Wunder im Gebiet Zoans: (Ps 78:12)44Er verwandelte ihre Ströme in Blut und ihre Bäche, sodass sie nicht mehr trinken konnten. (Ex 7:20)45Er sandte Hundsfliegen unter sie, die sie fraßen, und Frösche, die ihnen Verderben brachten. (Ex 8:17)46Ihren Ertrag gab er der Heuschreckenlarve, und was sie erarbeitet hatten, der Heuschrecke. (Ex 10:14)47Ihren Weinstock zerschlug er mit Hagel, ihre Maulbeerbäume mit Wasserflut.48Und er gab ihr Vieh dem Hagel preis und ihre Herden den Blitzen. (Ex 9:25)49Er ließ gegen sie los seines Zornes Glut, Grimm, Verwünschung und Bedrängnis, eine Schar[10] von Unheilsboten.50Er bahnte seinem Zorn einen Weg, er entzog ihre Seele nicht dem Tod und gab ihr Leben der Pest preis.51Er schlug alle Erstgeburt in Ägypten, die Erstlinge der Kraft in den Zelten Hams. (Ex 12:29; Ps 135:8; Ps 136:10)52Und er ließ sein Volk aufbrechen wie die Schafe und leitete sie wie eine Herde in der Wüste. (Ps 77:21; Isa 63:11)53Er führte sie sicher, sodass sie sich nicht fürchteten; und ihre Feinde bedeckte das Meer. (Ex 14:13; Ex 18:24; Ps 106:11; Ps 136:15)54Er brachte sie in sein heiliges Land[11], zu diesem Berg, den seine Rechte erworben hat. (Ex 15:17)55Er vertrieb Nationen vor ihnen und verteilte sie mit der Messschnur des Erbteils[12] und ließ in ihren Zelten wohnen die Stämme Israels. (Jos 21:43; Ps 44:3)56Aber sie stellten Gott, den Höchsten, auf die Probe und waren widerspenstig ⟨gegen ihn⟩; und seine Mahnungen beachteten sie nicht. (Ps 78:8)57Sie wurden abtrünnig und handelten treulos wie ihre Väter. Sie versagten wie ein schlaffer Bogen[13]. (Ho 7:16)58Und sie erbitterten ihn durch ihre Höhen und reizten ihn zur Eifersucht mit ihren Götzenbildern. (De 12:2; De 32:16; Jud 3:19; 2Ki 17:9; 2Ki 21:7; 1Co 10:22)59Gott hörte es und ergrimmte, und er verwarf Israel völlig. (Heb 8:9)60Er gab die Wohnung zu Silo auf, das Zelt, in dem er unter den Menschen wohnte[14]. (Jos 18:1; 1Sa 4:11; Jer 7:12)61Und er gab seine Kraft[15] in Gefangenschaft und seine Herrlichkeit[16] in die Hand des Bedrängers. (1Sa 4:21)62Er gab sein Volk dem Schwert preis, und gegen sein Erbteil ergrimmte er. (1Sa 4:10; Jer 12:7)63Seine jungen Männer fraß das Feuer, und seine Jungfrauen wurden nicht besungen[17]. (Jer 7:34)64Seine Priester fielen durch das Schwert, und seine Witwen weinten nicht[18]. (1Sa 4:11; Job 27:15)65Da erwachte der Herr wie ein Schlafender, wie ein Held, der bezwungen war vom Wein. (Isa 42:13; Zep 3:17)66Und er schlug seine Bedränger zurück, ewige Schande bereitete er ihnen. (1Sa 7:10)67Und er verwarf das Zelt Josefs, und den Stamm Ephraim erwählte er nicht,68sondern er erwählte den Stamm Juda, den Berg Zion, den er geliebt hat. (Ge 49:10; 2Ch 6:6; Ps 87:2; Ps 132:13)69Er baute sein Heiligtum wie ⟨Himmels⟩höhen, wie die Erde, die er auf ewig gegründet hat. (Ps 87:1)70Er erwählte David, seinen Knecht, und nahm ihn weg von den Hürden der Schafe. (1Sa 16:12; 2Sa 7:8)71Von den Muttertieren[19] weg holte er ihn, dass er Jakob, sein Volk, weidete und Israel, sein Erbteil. (Eze 34:23; Mt 2:6)72Und er weidete sie nach der Lauterkeit seines Herzens, und mit der Geschicklichkeit seiner Hände leitete er sie. (1Ki 9:4)