New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A Contemplation of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

1A Maskil of Asaph. Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

3Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

3Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

4We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

4We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.

5For 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;

5For He established a testimony in Jacob And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children,

6That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,

6That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children,

7That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;

7That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments,

8And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

8And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

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

9The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, Yet they turned back in the day of battle.

10They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law,

10They did not keep the covenant of God And refused to walk in His law;

11And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.

11They forgot His deeds And His miracles that He had shown them.

12Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

12He wrought wonders before their fathers In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

13He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

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

14Then He led them with the cloud by day And all the night with a light of fire.

15He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.

15He split the rocks in the wilderness And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.

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

16He brought forth streams also from the rock And caused waters to run down like rivers.

17But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.

17Yet they still continued to sin against Him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert.

18And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.

18And in their heart they put God to the test By asking food according to their desire.

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

19Then they spoke against God; They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?”

20"Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?"

21Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,

21Therefore the LORD heard and was full of wrath; And a fire was kindled against Jacob And anger also mounted against Israel,

22Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.

22Because they did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation.

23Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,

23Yet He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven;

24Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

24He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them food from heaven.

25Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.

25Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

26He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens And by His power He directed the south wind.

27He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;

27When He rained meat upon them like the dust, Even winged fowl like the sand of the seas,

28And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings.

28Then He let them fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their dwellings.

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

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

30They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths,

30Before they had satisfied their desire, While their food was in their mouths,

31The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel.

31The anger of God rose against them And killed some of their stoutest ones, And subdued the choice men of Israel.

32In spite of this they still sinned, And did not believe in His wondrous works.

32In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works.

33Therefore their days He consumed in futility, And their years in fear.

33So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror.

34When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God.

34When He killed them, then they sought Him, And returned and searched diligently for God;

35Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.

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

36Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;

36But they deceived Him with their mouth And lied to Him with their tongue.

37For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

37For their heart was not steadfast toward Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

38But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath;

38But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath.

39For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.

39Thus He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes and does not return.

40How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert!

40How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness And grieved Him in the desert!

41Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.

41Again and again they tempted God, And pained the Holy One of Israel.

42They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,

42They did not remember His power, The day when He redeemed them from the adversary,

43When He worked His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan;

43When He performed His signs in Egypt And His marvels in the field of Zoan,

44Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink.

44And turned their rivers to blood, And their streams, they could not drink.

45He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.

45He sent among them swarms of flies which devoured them, And frogs which destroyed them.

46He also gave their crops to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

46He gave also their crops to the grasshopper And the product of their labor to the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycamore trees with frost.

47He destroyed their vines with hailstones And their sycamore trees with frost.

48He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning.

48He gave over their cattle also to the hailstones And their herds to bolts of lightning.

49He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.

49He sent upon them His burning anger, Fury and indignation and trouble, A band of destroying angels.

50He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague,

50He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave over their life to the plague,

51And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.

51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.

52But He made His own people go forth like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

52But He led forth His own people like sheep And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;

53And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

53He led them safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea engulfed their enemies.

54And He brought them to His holy border, This mountain which His right hand had acquired.

54So He brought them to His holy land, To this hill country which His right hand had gained.

55He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them an inheritance by survey, And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.

55He also drove out the nations before them And apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement, And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.

56Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, And did not keep His testimonies,

56Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God And did not keep His testimonies,

57But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

57But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; They turned aside like a treacherous bow.

58For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

58For they provoked Him with their high places And aroused His jealousy with their graven images.

59When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel,

59When God heard, He was filled with wrath And greatly abhorred Israel;

60So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

60So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, The tent which He had pitched among men,

61And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy’s hand.

61And gave up His strength to captivity And His glory into the hand of the adversary.

62He also gave His people over to the sword, And was furious with His inheritance.

62He also delivered His people to the sword, And was filled with wrath at His inheritance.

63The fire consumed their young men, And their maidens were not given in marriage.

63Fire devoured His young men, And His virgins had no wedding songs.

64Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows made no lamentation.

64His priests fell by the sword, And His widows could not weep.

65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.

65Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, Like a warrior overcome by wine.

66And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.

66He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting reproach.

67Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

67He also rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.

68But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.

69And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever.

69And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has founded forever.

70He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

70He also chose David His servant And took him from the sheepfolds;

71From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

71From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

72So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

72So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org