Maschilof Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: inclineyour earsto the wordsof my mouth. I will openmy mouthin a parable: I will utterdark sayingsofold: Whichwe have heardand known, and our fathershave toldus. We will nothide them from their children, showingto the generationto comethe praisesof the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful worksthathe hath done. For he establisheda testimonyin Jacob, and appointeda lawin Israel, whichhe commandedour fathers, that they should make them knownto their children: Thatthe generationto comemight know them, even the children which should be born; who should ariseand declare them to their children: That they might settheir hopein God, and notforgetthe worksof God, but keephis commandments: And might notbeas their fathers, a stubbornand rebelliousgeneration; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spiritwas notsteadfastwithGod. The childrenof Ephraim, being armed, and carryingbows, turned backin the dayof battle. They keptnotthe covenantof God, and refusedto walkin his law; And forgothis works, and his wondersthathe had showedthem. Marvelous thingsdidhe in the sightof their fathers, in the landof Egypt, in the fieldof Zoan. He dividedthe sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the watersto standasa heap. In the daytimealso he ledthem with a cloud, and allthe nightwith a lightof fire. He cleavedthe rocksin the wilderness, and gave them drinkas out of the greatdepths. He brought streams also outof the rock, and caused watersto run downlike rivers. And they sinnedyetmoreagainst him by provokingthe most Highin the wilderness. And they temptedGodin their heartby askingmeatfor their lust. Yea, they spokeagainst God; they said, CanGodfurnisha tablein the wilderness? Behold, he smotethe rock, that the watersgushed out, and the streamsoverflowed; canhe givebreadalso? can he providefleshfor his people? Thereforethe LORDheard this , and was wroth: so a firewas kindledagainst Jacob, and angeralsocame upagainst Israel; Becausethey believednotin God, and trustednotin his salvation: Though he had commandedthe cloudsfrom above, and openedthe doorsof heaven, And had rained downmannauponthem to eat, and had giventhem of the cornof heaven. Mandid eatangels' food: he sentthem meatto the full. He caused an east windto blowin the heaven: and by his powerhe broughtin the south wind. He rainedfleshalso uponthem as dust, and featheredfowlslike as the sandof the sea: And he let it fallin the midstof their camp, round abouttheir habitations. So they did eat, and were wellfilled: for he gavethem their own desire; They were notestrangedfrom their lust. But while their meat was yetin their mouths, The wrathof Godcameupon them, and slewthe fattestof them, and smote downthe chosen men of Israel. For allthisthey sinnedstill, and believednotfor his wondrous works. Therefore their daysdid he consumein vanity, and their yearsin trouble. Whenhe slewthem, then they soughthim: and they returnedand inquired earlyafter God. And they rememberedthatGod was their rock, and the highGodtheir redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatterhim with their mouth, and they liedunto him with their tongues. For their heartwas not rightwithhim, neitherwere they steadfastin his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, manya time turned he his anger away, and did notstir upallhis wrath. For he rememberedthatthey were but flesh; a windthat passeth away, and cometh not again. How oftdid they provokehim in the wilderness, and grievehim in the desert! Yea, they turned backand temptedGod, and limitedthe Holy Oneof Israel. They rememberednothis hand, nor the daywhenhe deliveredthem fromthe enemy. Howhe had wroughthis signsin Egypt, and his wondersin the fieldof Zoan: And had turnedtheir riversinto blood; and their floods, that they could notdrink. He sentdivers sorts of fliesamong them, which devouredthem; and frogs, which destroyedthem. He gavealso their increaseunto the caterpillar, and their laborunto the locust. He destroyedtheir vineswith hail, and their sycamore treeswith frost. He gave uptheir cattlealso to the hail, and their flocksto hot thunderbolts. He castupon them the fiercenessof his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sendingevilangels among them . He madea wayto his anger; he sparednottheir soulfrom death, but gavetheir lifeover to the pestilence; And smoteallthe firstbornin Egypt; the chiefof their strengthin the tabernaclesof Ham: But made his own peopleto go forthlike sheep, and guidedthem in the wildernesslike a flock. And he ledthem on safely, so that they fearednot: but the seaoverwhelmedtheir enemies. And he broughtthem tothe borderof his sanctuary, even to thismountain, which his right handhad purchased. He cast outthe heathenalso beforethem, and dividedthem an inheritanceby line, and made the tribesof Israelto dwellin their tents. Yet they temptedand provokedthe most highGod, and keptnothis testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfullylike their fathers: they were turned asidelike a deceitfulbow. For they provoked him to angerwith their high places, and moved him to jealousywith their graven images. When Godheard this , he was wroth, and greatlyabhorredIsrael: So that he forsookthe tabernacleof Shiloh, the tent which he placedamong men; And deliveredhis strengthinto captivity, and his gloryinto the enemy's hand. He gavehis peopleoveralso unto the sword; and was wrothwith his inheritance. The fireconsumedtheir young men; and their maidenswere notgiven to marriage. Their priestsfellby the sword; and their widowsmade nolamentation. Then the Lordawakedas one out of sleep, and like a mighty manthat shoutethby reason of wine. And he smotehis enemiesin the hinder parts: he putthem to a perpetualreproach. Moreover he refusedthe tabernacleof Joseph, and chosenotthe tribeof Ephraim: But chosethe tribeof Judah, the mountZionwhichhe loved. And he builthis sanctuarylikehigh palaces , like the earthwhich he hath establishedforever. He choseDavidalso his servant, and tookhim from the sheepfolds: From followingthe ewes great with younghe broughthim to feedJacobhis people, and Israelhis inheritance. So he fedthem according to the integrityof his heart; and guidedthem by the skilfulnessof his hands.