Maschil
of Asaph.
Give ear,
O my people,
to my law:
incline
your ears
to the words
of my mouth.
I will open
my mouth
in a parable:
I will utter
dark sayings
of old:
Which we have heard
and known,
and our fathers
have told
us.
We 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.
power
δυναστείας
dynasteias
For 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:
That the generation
to come
might know
them, even the children
which should be born;
who should arise
and declare
them to their children:
That they might set
their hope
in God,
and not forget
the works
of God,
but keep
his commandments:
And 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.
The children
of Ephraim,
being armed,
and carrying
bows,
turned back
in the day
of battle.
They kept
not the covenant
of God,
and refused
to walk
in his law;
And forgat
his works,
and his wonders
that he had shewed
them.
Marvellous things
did
he in the sight
of their fathers,
in the land
of Egypt,
in the field
of Zoan.
He divided
the sea,
and caused them to pass through;
and he made the waters
to stand
as an heap.
In the daytime
also he led
them with a cloud,
and all the night
with a light
of fire.
He clave
the rocks
in the wilderness,
and gave them drink
as out of the great
depths.
He brought
streams
also out of the rock,
and caused waters
to run down
like rivers.
And they sinned
yet more
against him by provoking
the most High
in the wilderness.
And they tempted
God
in their heart
by asking
meat
for their lust.
Yea, they spake
against God;
they said,
Can
God
furnish
a table
in the wilderness?
Behold, 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?
Therefore the LORD
heard
this, and was wroth:
so a fire
was kindled
against Jacob,
and anger
also came up
against Israel;
Because they believed
not in God,
and trusted
not in his salvation:
Though he had commanded
the clouds
from above,
and opened
the doors
of heaven,
And had rained down
manna
upon them to eat,
and had given
them of the corn
of heaven.
Man
did eat
angels'
food:
he sent
them meat
to the full.
He caused an east wind
to blow
in the heaven:
and by his power
he brought in
the south wind.
He rained
flesh
also upon them as dust,
and feathered
fowls
like as the sand
of the sea:
And he let it fall
in the midst
of their camp,
round about
their habitations.
So they did eat,
and were well
filled:
for he gave
them their own desire;
They were not estranged
from their lust.
But while their meat
was yet in their mouths,
The wrath
of God
came
upon them, and slew
the fattest
of them, and smote down
the chosen
men of Israel.
For all this they sinned
still, and believed
not for his wondrous works.
Therefore their days
did he consume
in vanity,
and their years
in trouble.
When he slew
them, then they sought
him: and they returned
and enquired early
after God.
And they remembered
that God
was their rock,
and the high
God
their redeemer.
Nevertheless they did flatter
him with their mouth,
and they lied
unto him with their tongues.
For their heart
was not right
with him, neither were they stedfast
in his covenant.
But 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.
For he remembered
that they were but flesh;
a wind
that passeth away,
and cometh not again.
How
oft did they provoke
him in the wilderness,
and grieve
him in the desert!
Yea, they turned back
and tempted
God,
and limited
the Holy One
of Israel.
They remembered
not his hand,
nor the day
when he delivered
them from the enemy.
How he had wrought
his signs
in Egypt,
and his wonders
in the field
of Zoan:
And had turned
their rivers
into blood;
and their floods,
that they could not drink.
He sent
divers sorts of flies
among them, which devoured
them; and frogs,
which destroyed
them.
He gave
also their increase
unto the caterpiller,
and their labour
unto the locust.
He destroyed
their vines
with hail,
and their sycomore trees
with frost.
He gave up
their cattle
also to the hail,
and their flocks
to hot thunderbolts.
He cast
upon them the fierceness
of his anger,
wrath,
and indignation,
and trouble,
by sending
evil
angels
among them.
He made
a way
to his anger;
he spared
not their soul
from death,
but gave
their life
over
to the pestilence;
And smote
all the firstborn
in Egypt;
the chief
of their strength
in the tabernacles
of Ham:
But made his own people
to go forth
like sheep,
and guided
them in the wilderness
like a flock.
And he led
them on safely,
so that they feared
not: but the sea
overwhelmed
their enemies.
And he brought
them to the border
of his sanctuary,
even to this mountain,
which his right hand
had purchased.
He 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.
distribute land to
ἐκληροδότησεν
eklērodotēsen
distribution of land
κληροδοσίας
klērodosias
Yet they tempted
and provoked
the most high
God,
and kept
not his testimonies:
But turned back,
and dealt unfaithfully
like their fathers:
they were turned aside
like a deceitful
bow.
For they provoked him to anger
with their high places,
and moved him to jealousy
with their graven images.
When God
heard
this, he was wroth,
and greatly
abhorred
Israel:
So that he forsook
the tabernacle
of Shiloh,
the tent
which he placed
among men;
And delivered
his strength
into captivity,
and his glory
into the enemy's
hand.
He gave
his people
over
also unto the sword;
and was wroth
with his inheritance.
The fire
consumed
their young men;
and their maidens
were not given to marriage.
Their priests
fell
by the sword;
and their widows
made no lamentation.
Then the Lord
awaked
as one out of sleep,
and like a mighty man
that shouteth
by reason of wine.
And he smote
his enemies
in the hinder parts:
he put
them to a perpetual
reproach.
Moreover he refused
the tabernacle
of Joseph,
and chose
not the tribe
of Ephraim:
But chose
the tribe
of Judah,
the mount
Zion
which he loved.
And he built
his sanctuary
like high
palaces, like the earth
which he hath established
for ever.
He chose
David
also his servant,
and took
him from the sheepfolds:
From following
the ewes great with young
he brought
him to feed
Jacob
his people,
and Israel
his inheritance.
So he fed
them according to the integrity
of his heart;
and guided
them by the skilfulness
of his hands.
