78:2 Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;
78:3 Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.
78:4 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.
78:5 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;
78:6 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;
78:7 So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;
78:8 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.
78:9 The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.
78:10 They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;
78:11 They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.
78:12 He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
78:13 The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.
78:14 In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.
78:15 The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.
78:16 He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.
78:17 And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;
78:18 Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.
78:19 They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?
78:20 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?
78:21 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;
78:23 And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;
78:24 And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.
78:25 Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.
78:26 He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.
78:27 He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,
78:28 And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.
78:29 So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;
78:30 But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,
78:31 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.
78:32 For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.
78:33 So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.
78:34 When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;
78:35 In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.
78:36 But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;
78:37 And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.
78:38 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.
78:39 So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.
78:40 How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!
78:41 Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.
78:42 They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;
78:43 How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;
78:44 So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.
78:46 He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.
