Psalms 78:30-40

³⁰Their desire was not yet satisfied, And their meat was yet in their mouths,

³¹When the wrath of God came upon them, And slew their strong men, And smote down the chosen men of Israel.

³²For all this they sinned still, And put no trust in his wondrous works.

³³Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in sudden destruction.

³⁴When he slew them, they sought him; They returned, and sought earnestly for God;

³⁵And remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High their redeemer.

³⁶But they only flattered him with their mouths, And spake falsely to him with their tongues.

³⁷For their hearts were not true to him, Nor were they steadfast in his covenant.

³⁸Yet, being full of compassion, he forgave their iniquity, And would not utterly destroy them; Often he restrained his indignation, And stirred not up all his anger.

³⁹He remembered that they were but flesh,—A breath, that passeth and cometh not back.

⁴⁰How often did they provoke him in the wilderness! How often did they anger him in the desert!