Psalms [Praises] 78:2-40

²I will open my mouth in a parable. I will explain mysteries from days of old,

³Which we have sh'ma ·heard obeyed· and known, and our fathers have told us.

⁴We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the tehilahot ·praise songs· of Adonai , his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.

⁵For he established a testimony in Jacob Supplanter, and appointed a teaching in Israel God prevails, which he enjoined our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;

⁶that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,

⁷that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his mitzvot ·instructions·,

⁸and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

⁹The children of Ephraim Fruit, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

¹⁰They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his torot ·teachings·.

¹¹They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them.

¹²He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt Abode of slavery, in the field of Zoan.

¹³He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.

¹⁴In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.

¹⁵He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

¹⁶He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

¹⁷Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against haElyon the Most High in the desert.

¹⁸They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.

¹⁹Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

²⁰Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”

²¹Therefore Adonai sh'ma ·heard obeyed·, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob Supplanter, anger also went up against Israel God prevails,

²²because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his yishu'ah ·salvation·.

²³Yet he enjoined the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.

²⁴He rained down manna ·what is it· on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.

²⁵Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.

²⁶He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.

²⁷He rained also meat on them as the dust; winged birds as the sand of the seas.

²⁸He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.

²⁹So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.

³⁰They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,

³¹when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their fattest, and struck down the young men of Israel God prevails.

³²For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.

³³Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.

³⁴When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They made teshuvah ·complete return· and sought God earnestly.

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

³⁶But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.

³⁷For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.

³⁸But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.

³⁹He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and does not come again.

⁴⁰How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!