Psalm 78
1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
1 Hear my | law, • O my | people; ||
incline your | ears un•to the | 3 words of my | mouth. ||
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
2 I will open my | mouth • in a | para•ble; ||
I will de- | clare hard | senten•ces of | old; ||
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
3 Which we have | heard and | known, ||
and 3 such | as our | 3 fathers have | told us; ||
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
4 That we should not hide them from the children of the gener- | 3 ations to | come; ||
but to show the honour of the Lord, * his mighty and | 3 wonderful | works that • he hath | done. ||
5 For 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:
5 He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave | Isra•el a | law, ||
which he commanded our | fore•fathers to | teach their | children; ||
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
6 That their posterity might know it, * and the children which were | yet un- | born; ||
7 To the intent that when they came up, they might | show their | 3 children the | same; ||
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
8 That they might put their | trust in | God; ||
and not to forget the works of | God, • but to | keep • his com- | mandments; ||
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
9 And not to be as their forefathers, a faithless and | stubborn • gener- | ation; ||
a generation that set not their heart aright, * and whose spirit clave not | 3 stedfastly | unto | God; ||
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
10 Like as the | 3 children of | Eph•raim; ||
who being harnessed, and carrying bows, * turned themselves | back • in the | day of | battle. ||
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
11 They kept not the | cove•nant of | God, ||
and | would not | 3 walk in his | law; ||
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
12 But for- | gat what • he had | done, ||
and the wonderful | works that | he had | showed • for them. ||
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
13 Marvellous things did he in the | 3 sight of our | fore•fathers, ||
in the land of Egypt, | even • in the | field of | Zoan. ||
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
14 He divided the sea, and 3 let | them go | through; ||
he made the | 3 waters to | stand • on an | heap. ||
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
15 In the day-time also he | led them • with a | cloud, ||
and all the night | through • with a | light of | fire. ||
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
16 He clave the hard | rocks • in the | wilder•ness, ||
and gave them drink thereof, as it had been | 3 out of the | great | depth. ||
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
17 He brought waters out of the | stony | rock, ||
so that it | gushed out | like the | rivers. ||
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
18 Yet for all this they sinned | more a- | gainst him, ||
and provoked the Most | Highest | in the | wilder•ness. ||
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
19 They tempted God in their hearts, and required | 3 meat for their | lust. ||
20 They spake against God also, saying, * Shall | God pre•pare a | table • in the | wilder•ness? ||
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
21 He smote the stony rock indeed, * that the water gushed | out, and the • streams | flowed with•al; ||
but can he give bread also, * | or pro•vide | 3 flesh for his | people? ||
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
22 When the Lord heard | this, • he was | wroth; ||
so the fire was kindled in Jacob, * and there came up | 3 heavy dis- | pleasure a•gainst | Isra•el; ||
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
23 Because they be- | lieved • not in | God, ||
and | 3 put not their | trust • in his | help. ||
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
24 So he commanded the | clouds a- | bove, ||
and | 3 opened the | doors of | heaven. ||
25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
25 He rained down manna also upon them for to eat, * and gave them | food from | heaven. ||
26 So man did eat angels' | food; • for he | sent them | meat e•nough. ||
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
27 He caused the east-wind to 3 blow | under | heaven; ||
and through his power he 3 brought | in the | south•west- | wind. ||
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
28 He rained flesh upon them as | thick as | dust, ||
and feathered fowls 3 like | as the | sand • of the | sea. ||
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
29 He let it | fall a•mong their | tents, ||
even | round a•bout their | habi- | tation. ||
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
30 So they did eat, and were well filled; * for he gave them their | own de- | sire: ||
they were | not • disap- | pointed • of their | lust. ||
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
31 But while the meat was yet in their mouths, * the heavy wrath of God came upon them, and | slew the | wealthiest • of them; ||
yea, and smote down the chosen | men that | were in | Isra•el. ||
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
32 But for all this they sinned yet more, and believed not his | wondrous | works. ||
33 Therefore their days did he consume in | vanity, • and their | years in | trouble. ||
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
34 When he | 3 slew them, they | sought him, ||
and turned them | early, • and in- | quired • after | God. ||
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
35 And they remembered that | God • was their | strength, ||
and that the High | God was | their re- | deemer. ||
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
36 Nevertheless, they did but | flatter him • with their | mouth, ||
and dis- | sembled | with him • in their | tongue. ||
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
37 For their | heart • was not | whole • with him, ||
neither con- | 3 tinued they | stedfast • in his | cove•nant. ||
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
38 But he was so merciful, that he forgave their mis- | deeds, • and de- | stroyed them • not. ||
39 Yea, many a time turned he his wrath away, * and would not suffer his | whole dis- | pleasure • to a- | rise. ||
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
40 For he considered that they | were but | flesh, ||
and that they were even a wind that passeth a- | way, and | cometh • not a- | gain. ||
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
41 Many a time did they pro- | voke him • in the | wilder•ness, ||
and | grieved him | in the | desert. ||
42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
42 They turned back, and tempted God, and provoked the | Holy • One in | Isra•el. ||
43 They thought not of his hand, and of the day when he de- | livered them • from the | hand • of the | ene•my; ||
43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
44 How he had wrought his | mira•cles in | Egypt, ||
and his | wonders • in the | field of | Zoan. ||
45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
45 He turned their | waters • into | blood, ||
so that they | might not | drink • of the | rivers. ||
46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
46 He sent flies among them, and devoured them up; * and | frogs • to de- | stroy them. ||
47 He gave their fruit unto the caterpillar, * and their | labour | 3 unto the | grass•hopper. ||
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
48 He destroyed their vines with hailstones, * and their mulberry- | trees • with the | frost. ||
49 He smote their cattle also with | hailstones, • and their | flocks with • hot | thunder•bolts. ||
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
50 He cast upon them the furiousness of his wrath, * anger, dis- | pleasure, • and | trouble: ||
and sent | evil | 3 angels a- | mong them. ||
51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
51 He made a way to his indignation, and spared not their | soul from | death; ||
but 3 gave | their life | over • to the | pesti•lence; ||
52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
52 And smote all the | 3 firstborn in | Egypt, ||
the most principal and | mightiest • in the | 3 dwellings of | Ham. ||
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
53 But as for his own people, * he led them | forth like | sheep, ||
and carried them in the | 3 wilderness | like a | flock. ||
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
54 He brought them out safely, that they | should not | fear, ||
and over- | whelmed their | enemies • with the | sea. ||
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
55 And brought them within the | borders • of his | sanc•tuary, ||
even to this | mountain, • which he | purchased • with his | right hand. ||
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
56 He cast out the heathen | 3 also be- | fore them, ||
caused their land to be divided among them for an heritage, * and made the tribes of | Isra•el to | 3 dwell in their | tents. ||
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
57 Yet they tempted and displeased the Most High God, and | kept • not his | testi•monies. ||
58 They turned their backs, and fell away like their forefathers; * starting a- | side • like a | broken | bow. ||
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
59 For they | grieved him • with their | hill•altars, ||
and pro- | voked him • to dis- | pleasure • with their | ima•ges. ||
60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
60 When God heard | this, • he was | wroth, ||
and took | sore dis- | 3 pleasure at | Isra•el; ||
61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.
61 So that he forsook the | taber•nacle in | Shiloh, ||
even the | tent that • he had | pitched a•mong | men. ||
62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
62 He delivered their | power • into cap- | tivi•ty, ||
and their | beauty • into the | ene•my's | hand. ||
63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
63 He gave his people over also | 3 unto the | sword, ||
and was | wroth with | his in- | heri•tance. ||
64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
64 The fire con- | 3 sumed their young | men, ||
and their | maidens • were not | 3 given in | marriage. ||
65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
65 Their priests were | slain • with the | sword, ||
and there were no | 3 widows to | make • lamen- | tation. ||
66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
66 So the Lord awaked as 3 one | out of | sleep, ||
and like a | 3 giant re- | freshed with | wine. ||
67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
67 He drave his | ene•mies | backward, ||
and | put them • to a per- | petu•al | shame. ||
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
68 He refused the | taber•nacle of | Joseph, ||
and 3 chose | not the | tribe of | Ephraim; ||
69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
69 But chose the | tribe of | Judah, ||
even the hill of | Sion | which he | loved. ||
70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
70 And there he built his | 3 temple on | high, ||
and laid the foundation of it like the | ground which • he hath | made con- | tinual•ly. ||
71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
71 He chose David | 3 also his | servant, ||
and | 3 took him a- | way • from the | sheep-folds: ||
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
72 As he was following the ewes with their | young he | took him, ||
that he might feed Jacob his | people, • and | Israel • his in- | heri•tance. ||
73 So he fed them with a | faithful and • true | heart, ||
and ruled them | prudent•ly with | all his | power. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).