Maschil of Asaph. Give ear,{H238} O my people,{H5971} to my law:{H8451} Incline{H5186} your ears{H241} to the words{H561} of my mouth.{H6310}

I will open{H6605} my mouth{H6310} in a parable;{H4912} I will utter{H5042} dark sayings{H2420} of old,{H6924}

Which we have heard{H8085} and known,{H3045} And our fathers{H1} have told{H5608} us.

We will not hide{H3582} them from their children,{H1121} Telling{H5608} to the generation{H1755} to come{H314} the praises{H8416} of Jehovah,{H3068} And his strength,{H5807} and his wondrous works{H6381} that he hath done.{H6213}

For he established{H6965} a testimony{H5715} in Jacob,{H3290} And appointed{H7760} a law{H8451} in Israel,{H3478} Which he commanded{H6680} our fathers,{H1} That they should make them known{H3045} to their children;{H1121}

That the generation{H1755} to come{H314} might know{H3045} [them], even the children{H1121} that should be born;{H3205} Who should arise{H6965} and tell{H5608} [them] to their children,{H1121}

That they might set{H7760} their hope{H3689} in God,{H430} And not forget{H7911} the works{H4611} of God,{H410} But keep{H5341} his commandments,{H4687}

And might not be as their fathers,{H1} A stubborn{H5637} and rebellious{H4784} generation,{H1755} A generation{H1755} that set{H3559} not their heart{H3820} aright,{H3559} And whose spirit{H7307} was not stedfast{H539} with God.{H410}

The children{H1121} of Ephraim,{H669} being armed{H5401} and carrying{H7411} bows,{H7198} Turned back{H2015} in the day{H3117} of battle.{H7128}

They kept{H8104} not the covenant{H1285} of God,{H430} And refused{H3985} to walk{H3212} in his law;{H8451}

And they forgat{H7911} his doings,{H5949} And his wondrous works{H5949} that he had showed{H7200} them.

Marvellous things{H6382} did{H6213} he in the sight{H5048} of their fathers,{H1} In the land{H776} of Egypt,{H4714} in the field{H7704} of Zoan.{H6814}

He clave{H1234} the sea,{H3220} and caused them to pass through;{H5674} And he made the waters{H4325} to stand{H5324} as a heap.{H5067}

In the day-time{H3119} also he led{H5148} them with a cloud,{H6051} And all the night{H3915} with a light{H216} of fire.{H784}

He clave{H1234} rocks{H6697} in the wilderness,{H4057} And gave them drink{H8248} abundantly as out of the{H7227} depths.{H8415}

He brought{H3318} streams{H5140} also out of the rock,{H5553} And caused waters{H4325} to run down{H3381} like rivers.{H5104}

Yet went they on still{H3254} to sin{H2398} against him, To rebel{H4784} against the Most High{H5945} in the desert.{H6723}

And they tempted{H5254} God{H410} in their heart{H3824} By asking{H7592} food{H400} according to their desire.{H5315}

Yea, they spake{H1696} against God;{H430} They said,{H559} Can{H3201} God{H410} prepare{H6186} a table{H7979} in the wilderness?{H4057}

Behold, he smote{H5221} the rock,{H6697} so that waters{H4325} gushed out,{H2100} And streams{H5158} overflowed;{H7857} Can{H3201} he give{H5414} bread{H3899} also? Will{H3201} he provide{H3559} flesh{H7607} for his people?{H5971}

Therefore Jehovah{H3068} heard,{H8085} and was wroth;{H5674} And a fire{H784} was kindled{H5400} against Jacob,{H3290} And anger{H639} also went up{H5927} against Israel;{H3478}

Because they believed{H539} not in God,{H430} And trusted{H982} not in his salvation.{H3444}

Yet he commanded{H6680} the skies{H7834} above,{H4605} And opened{H6605} the doors{H1817} of heaven;{H8064}

And he rained down{H4305} manna{H4478} upon them to eat,{H398} And gave{H5414} them food{H1715} from heaven.{H8064}

Man{H376} did eat{H398} the bread{H3899} of the mighty:{H47} He sent{H7971} them food{H6720} to the full.{H7648}

He caused the east wind{H6921} to blow{H5265} in the heavens;{H8064} And by his power{H5797} he guided{H5090} the south wind.{H8486}

He rained{H4305} flesh{H7607} also upon them as the dust,{H6083} And winged{H3671} birds{H5775} as the sand{H2344} of the seas:{H3220}

And he let it fall{H5307} in the midst{H7130} of their camp,{H4264} Round about{H5439} their habitations.{H4908}

So they did eat,{H398} and were well{H3966} filled;{H7646} And he gave{H935} them their own desire.{H8378}

They were not estranged{H2114} from that which they desired,{H8378} Their food{H400} was yet in their mouths,{H6310}

When the anger{H639} of God{H430} went{H5927} up against them, And slew{H2026} of the fattest{H4924} of them, And smote down{H3766} the young{H970} men of Israel.{H3478}

For all this they sinned{H2398} still, And believed{H539} not in his wondrous works.{H6381}

Therefore their days{H3117} did he consume{H3615} in vanity,{H1892} And their years{H8141} in terror.{H928}

When he slew{H2026} them, then they inquired{H1875} after him; And they returned{H7725} and sought God{H410} earnestly.{H7836}

And they remembered{H2142} that God{H430} was their rock,{H6697} And the Most High{H5945} God{H410} their redeemer.{H1350}

But they flattered{H6601} him with their mouth,{H6310} And lied{H3576} unto him with their tongue.{H3956}

For their heart{H3820} was not right{H3559} with him, Neither were they faithful{H539} in his covenant.{H1285}

But he, being merciful,{H7349} forgave{H3722} [their] iniquity,{H5771} and destroyed{H7843} [them] not: Yea, many a time{H7235} turned{H7725} he his anger{H639} away,{H7725} And did not stir up{H5782} all his wrath.{H2534}

And he remembered{H2142} that they were but flesh,{H1320} A wind{H7307} that passeth away,{H1980} and cometh not again.{H7725}

How{H4100} oft did they rebel{H4784} against him in the wilderness,{H4057} And grieve{H6087} him in the desert!{H3452}

And they turned{H7725} again and tempted{H5254} God,{H410} And provoked{H8428} the Holy One{H6918} of Israel.{H3478}

They remember{H2142} not his hand,{H3027} Nor the day{H3117} when he redeemed{H6299} them from the adversary;{H6862}

How he set{H7760} his signs{H226} in Egypt,{H4714} And his wonders{H226} in the field{H7704} of Zoan,{H6814}

And turned{H2015} their rivers{H2975} into blood,{H1818} And their streams,{H2975} so that they could not drink.{H8354}

He sent{H7971} among them swarms of flies,{H6157} which devoured{H398} them; And frogs,{H6854} which destroyed{H7843} them.

He gave{H5414} also their increase{H2981} unto the caterpillar,{H2625} And their labor{H3018} unto the locust.{H697}

He destroyed{H2026} their vines{H1612} with hail,{H1259} And their sycomore-trees{H8256} with frost.{H2602}

He gave over{H5462} their cattle{H1165} also to the hail,{H1259} And their flocks{H4735} to hot thunderbolts.{H7565}

He cast{H7971} upon them the fierceness{H2740} of his anger,{H639} Wrath,{H5678} and indignation,{H2195} and trouble,{H6869} A band{H4917} of angels{H4397} of evil.{H7451}

He made{H6424} a path{H5410} for his anger;{H639} He spared{H2820} not their soul{H5315} from death,{H4194} But gave{H5462} their life{H2416} over{H5462} to the pestilence,{H1698}

And smote{H5221} all the first-born{H1060} in Egypt,{H4714} The chief{H7225} of their strength{H202} in the tents{H168} of Ham.{H2526}

But he led forth{H5265} his own people{H5971} like sheep,{H6629} And guided{H5090} them in the wilderness{H4057} like a flock.{H5739}

And he led{H5148} them safely,{H983} so that they feared{H6342} not; But the sea{H3220} overwhelmed{H3680} their enemies.{H341}

And he brought{H935} them to the border{H1366} of his sanctuary,{H6944} To this mountain,{H2022} which his right hand{H3225} had gotten.{H7069}

He drove out{H1644} the nations{H1471} also before{H6440} them, And allotted{H5307} them for an inheritance{H5159} by line,{H2256} And made the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} to dwell{H7931} in their tents.{H168}

Yet they tempted{H5254} and rebelled{H4784} against the Most High{H5945} God,{H430} And kept{H8104} not his testimonies;{H5713}

But turned back,{H5472} and dealt treacherously{H898} like their fathers:{H1} They were turned aside{H2015} like a deceitful{H7423} bow.{H7198}

For they provoked him to anger{H3707} with their high places,{H1116} And moved him to jealousy{H7065} with their graven images.{H6456}

When God{H430} heard{H8085} [this], he was wroth,{H5674} And greatly{H3966} abhorred{H3988} Israel;{H3478}

So that he forsook{H5203} the tabernacle{H4908} of Shiloh,{H7887} The tent{H168} which he placed{H7931} among men;{H120}

And delivered{H5414} his strength{H5797} into captivity,{H7628} And his glory{H8597} into the adversary's{H6862} hand.{H3027}

He gave{H5462} his people{H5971} over{H5462} also unto the sword,{H2719} And was wroth{H5674} with his inheritance.{H5159}

Fire{H784} devoured{H398} their young men;{H970} And their virgins{H1330} had no marriage-song.{H1984}

Their priests{H3548} fell{H5307} by the sword;{H2719} And their widows{H490} made no lamentation.{H1058}

Then the Lord{H136} awaked{H3364} as one out of sleep,{H3463} Like a mighty man{H1368} that shouteth{H7442} by reason of wine.{H3196}

And he smote{H5221} his adversaries{H6862} backward:{H268} He put{H5414} them to a perpetual{H5769} reproach.{H2781}

Moreover he refused{H3988} the tent{H168} of Joseph,{H3130} And chose{H977} not the tribe{H7626} of Ephraim,{H669}

But chose{H977} the tribe{H7626} of Judah,{H3063} The mount{H2022} Zion{H6726} which he loved.{H157}

And he built{H1129} his sanctuary{H4720} like the heights,{H7311} Like the earth{H776} which he hath established{H3245} for ever.{H5769}

He chose{H977} David{H1732} also his servant,{H5650} And took{H3947} him from the sheepfolds:{H4356}

From following{H310} the ewes that have their young{H5763} he brought{H935} him, To be the shepherd{H7462} of Jacob{H3290} his people,{H5971} and Israel{H3478} his inheritance.{H5159}

So he was their shepherd{H7462} according to the integrity{H8537} of his heart,{H3824} And guided{H5148} them by the skilfulness{H8394} of his hands.{H3709}