Psalms 78

maskil le'asaf ha'azinah ammi torati hattu oznekhem le'imre-fi

A maskil of Asaph. Give ear, my people, to my teaching, turn your ear to what I say.

eftekhah vemashal pi abbi'ah khidot minni-qedem

I will expound a theme, hold forth on the lessons of the past—

asher shamanu vanneda'em va'avotenu sipperu-lanu

things we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.

lo nekhakhed mibbenehem ledor akharon mesapperim tehillot Adonai ve'ezuzo venifle'otayw asher asah

We will not withhold them from their children, telling the coming generation the praises of GOD and of divine might, and the wonders performed.

vayyaqem edut beya'aqov vetorah sam beyisra'el asher tsivvah et-avotenu lehodi'am livnehem

[God] established a decree in Jacob, ordained a teaching in Israel, charging our ancestors to make them known to their children,

lema'an yede'u dor akharon banim yivvaledu yaqumu visapperu livnehem

that a future generation might know— children yet to be born— and in turn tell their children

veyasimu velohim kislam velo yishkekhu ma'alle-el umitsvotayw yintsoru

that they might put their confidence in God, and not forget God’s great deeds, but observe the commandments,

velo yihyu ka'avotam dor sorer umoreh dor lo-hekhin libbo velo-ne'emnah et-el rukho

and not be like their ancestors, a wayward and defiant generation, a generation whose heart was inconstant, whose spirit was not true to God.

bene-efrayim nosheqe rome-qashet hafekhu beyom qerav

Like the Ephraimite archers who played false in the day of battle,

lo shameru berit elohim uvetorato me'anu lalekhet

they did not keep God’s covenant, they refused to follow divine instruction;

vayyishkekhu alilotayw venifle'otayw asher heram

they forgot what was done for them and the wonders they were shown.

neged avotam asah fele be'erets mitsrayim sedeh-tso'an

[God] performed marvels in the sight of their ancestors, in the land of Egypt, the plain of Zoan.

baqa yam vayya'avirem vayyatsev-mayim kemo-ned

[God] split the sea and took them through it— making the waters stand like a wall.

vayyankhem be'anan yomam vekhol-hallaylah be'or esh

[God] led them with a cloud by day, and throughout the night by the light of fire.

yevaqqa tsurim bammidbar vayyashq kithomot rabbah

[God] split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as if from the great deep.

vayyotsi nozelim missala vayyored kanneharot mayim

[God] brought forth streams from a rock and made them flow down like a river.

vayyosifu od lakhato-lo lamrot elyon batsiyyah

But they went on sinning, defying the Most High in the parched land.

vayenassu-el bilvavam lishol-okhel lenafsham

To test God was in their mind when they demanded food for themselves.

vayedabberu belohim ameru hayukhal el la'arokh shulkhan bammidbar

They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a feast in the wilderness?

hen hikkah-tsur vayyazuvu mayim unekhalim yishtofu hagam-lekhem yukhal tet im-yakhin she'er le'ammo

True, [God] struck the rock and waters flowed, streams gushed forth; but can [God] provide bread and supply meat for this people?”

lakhen shama Adonai vayyitabbar ve'esh nisseqah veya'aqov vegam-af alah veyisra'el

GOD heard and then raged; fire broke out against Jacob, anger flared up at Israel,

ki lo he'eminu belohim velo vatekhu bishu'ato

because they did not put their trust in God, did not rely on divine deliverance.

vayetsav shekhaqim mimma'al vedalte shamayim patakh

So [God] commanded the skies above, opened the doors of heaven

vayyamter alehem man le'ekhol udegan-shamayim natan lamo

and rained manna upon them for food, giving them heavenly grain.

lekhem abbirim akhal ish tsedah shalakh lahem lasova

Each person ate a hero’s meal; they were sent provision in plenty.

yassa qadim bashamayim vayenaheg be'uzzo teman

[God] set the east wind moving in heaven, and drove the south wind mightily.

vayyamter alehem ke'afar she'er ukhekhol yammim of kanaf

[God] rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sands of the sea,

vayyappel beqerev makhanehu saviv lemishkenotayw

making them come down inside God’s camp, around the divine dwelling-place.

vayyokhelu vayyisbe'u me'od veta'avatam yavi lahem

They ate till they were sated; they were given what they craved.

lo-zaru mitta'avatam od okhlam befihem

They had not yet wearied of what they craved, the food was still in their mouths

ve'af elohim alah vahem vayyaharog bemishmannehem uvakhure yisra'el hikhria

when God’s anger flared up at them. [God] slew their sturdiest, struck down the youth of Israel.

bekhol-zot khate'u-od velo-he'eminu benifle'otayw

Nonetheless, they went on sinning and had no faith in God’s wonders.

vayekhal-bahevel yemehem ushenotam babbehalah

Their days were made to end in futility, their years in sudden death.

im-haragam uderashuhu veshavu veshikharu-el

When stricken, they returned, and sought God once again.

vayyizkeru ki-elohim tsuram ve'el elyon go'alam

They remembered that God was their rock, God Most High, their Redeemer.

vayefattuhu befihem uvilshonam yekhazzevu-lo

Yet they deceived [God] with their speech, and lied with their words.

velibbam lo-nakhon immo velo ne'emnu bivrito

Their hearts were inconstant; they were untrue to the covenant.

vehu rakhum yekhapper avon velo-yashkhit vehirbah lehashiv appo velo-ya'ir kol-khamato

But [God], being merciful, forgave iniquity and would not destroy— restraining wrath time and again and not giving full vent to such fury—

vayyizkor ki-vasar hemmah ruakh holekh velo yashuv

remembering that they were but flesh, a passing breath that does not return.

kammah yamruhu vammidbar ya'atsivuhu bishimon

How often did they act defiantly in the wilderness, then cause grief in the wasteland!

vayyashuvu vayenassu el uqedosh yisra'el hitvu

Again and again they tested God, vexed the Holy One of Israel.

lo-zakheru et-yado yom asher-padam minni-tsar

They did not remember God’s strength, or the day they were redeemed from the foe;

asher-sam bemitsrayim ototayw umofetayw bisdeh-tso'an

how [God] displayed signs in Egypt, and wonders in the plain of Zoan.

vayyahafokh ledam ye'orehem venozelehem bal-yishtayun

[God first] turned their rivers into blood— making their waters undrinkable;

yeshallakh bahem arov vayyokhelem utsefardea vattashkhitem

then inflicted upon them swarms of insects to devour them, frogs to destroy them;

vayyitten lekhasil yevulam vigi'am la'arbeh

then gave their crops over to grubs, their produce to locusts;

yaharog babbarad gafnam veshiqmotam bakhanamal

then killed their vines with hail, their sycamores with frost;

vayyasger labbarad be'iram umiqnehem lareshafim

then gave their beasts over to hail, their cattle to lightning bolts;

yeshallakh-bam kharon appo evrah vaza'am vetsarah mishlakhat malakhe ra'im

and inflicted a burning anger upon them— wrath, indignation, trouble, a band of deadly messengers.

yefalles nativ le'appo lo-khasakh mimmavet nafsham vekhayyatam laddever hisgir

[God] cleared a path for that anger, and did not stop short of slaying them, but gave them over to pestilence.

vayyakh kol-bekhor bemitsrayim reshit onim be'ohole-kham

[God] struck every [male] first-born in Egypt, the first fruits of their vigor in the tents of Ham.

vayyassa katson ammo vayenahagem ka'eder bammidbar

God’s own people were set moving like sheep, driven like a flock in the wilderness.

vayyankhem lavetakh velo fakhadu ve'et-oyevehem kissah hayyam

[God] led them in safety; they were unafraid; as for their enemies, the sea covered them.

vayevi'em el-gevul qodsho har-zeh qanetah yemino

[God] brought them to the holy realm, the mountain God’s right hand had acquired.

vayegaresh mippenehem goyim vayyappilem bekhevel nakhalah vayyashken be'oholehem shivte yisra'el

[God] expelled nations before them, settled the tribes of Israel in their tents, allotting them their portion by the line.

vayenassu vayyamru et-elohim elyon ve'edotayw lo shamaru

Yet they defiantly tested God Most High, and did not observe divine decrees.

vayyissogu vayyivgedu ka'avotam nehpekhu keqeshet remiyyah

They fell away, disloyal like their ancestors; they played false like a treacherous bow.

vayyakhisuhu bevamotam uvifsilehem yaqni'uhu

They provoked anger with their high places; they kindled wrath with their idols.

shama elohim vayyitabbar vayyimas me'od beyisra'el

God heard it and was enraged— utterly rejecting Israel.

vayyittosh mishkan shilo ohel shikken ba'adam

[God] forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent that had been set among mortals.

vayyitten lashevi uzzo vetifarto veyad-tsar

God’s might was allowed to go into captivity, that glory into the hands of the foe.

vayyasger lakherev ammo uvenakhalato hitabbar

This people was given over to the sword; God’s very own the object of rage.

bakhurayw okhlah-esh uvetulotayw lo hullalu

Fire consumed their young men, and their maidens remained unwed.

kohanayw bakherev nafalu ve'almenotayw lo tivkenah

Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.

vayyiqats keyashen adonay kegibbor mitronen miyyayin

The Sovereign awoke as from sleep— like a warrior shaking off wine—

vayyakh-tsarayw akhor kherpat olam natan lamo

and beat back all foes, dealing them lasting disgrace.

vayyimas be'ohel yosef uveshevet efrayim lo vakhar

[God] rejected the clan of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.

vayyivkhar et-shevet yehudah et-har tsiyyon asher ahev

[God] did choose the tribe of Judah— Mount Zion, which was beloved—

vayyiven kemo-ramim miqdasho ke'erets yesadah le'olam

building the Sanctuary like the heavens, like the earth that [God] established forever.

vayyivkhar bedavid avdo vayyiqqakhehu mimmikhle'ot tson

David, God’s servant, was chosen, and taken from the sheepfolds.

me'akhar alot hevi'o lirot beya'aqov ammo uveyisra'el nakhalato

He was brought from minding the nursing ewes to tend the people of Jacob, Israel, God’s very own.

vayyirem ketom levavo uvitvunot kappayw yankhem

He tended them with blameless heart; with skillful hands he led them.