Psalm 78:1–31

¹My people, hear my instruction;

listen to the words from my mouth.^h

²I will declare wise sayings;

I will speak mysteries from the pastⁱ—

³things we have heard and known

and that our ancestors have passed down to us.^j

⁴We will not hide them from their children,

but will tell a future generation

the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,

his might, and the wondrous works

he has performed.^k

⁵He established a testimony in Jacob

and set up a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children^l

⁶so that a future generation—

children yet to be born—might know.

They were to rise and tell their children^m

⁷so that they might put their confidence in God

and not forget God’s works,

but keep his commands.ⁿ

⁸Then they would not be like their ancestors,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not loyal

and whose spirit was not faithful to God.^o

⁹The Ephraimite archers turned back

on the day of battle.^p

¹⁰They did not keep God’s covenant

and refused to live by his law.^q

¹¹They forgot what he had done,

the wondrous works he had shown them.^r

¹²He worked wonders in the sight of their ancestors

in the land of Egypt, the territory of Zoan.^s

¹³He split the sea and brought them across;

the water stood firm like a wall.^t

¹⁴He led them with a cloud by day

and with a fiery light throughout the night.^u

¹⁵He split rocks in the wilderness

and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.^v

¹⁶He brought streams out of the stone

and made water flow down like rivers.^w

¹⁷But they continued to sin against him,

rebelling in the desert against the Most High.^x

¹⁸They deliberately^A tested God,

demanding the food they craved.^y

¹⁹They spoke against God, saying,

“Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?

²⁰Look! He struck the rock and water gushed out;

torrents overflowed.^z

But can he also provide bread

or furnish meat for his people?”^aa

²¹Therefore, the Lord heard and became furious;

then fire broke out against Jacob,

and anger flared up against Israel^ab

²²because they did not believe God

or rely on his salvation.^ac

²³He gave a command to the clouds above

and opened the doors of heaven.^ad

²⁴He rained manna for them to eat;

he gave them grain from heaven.^ae

²⁵People^B ate the bread of angels.^C

He sent them an abundant supply of food.^af

²⁶He made the east wind blow in the skies

and drove the south wind by his might.^ag

²⁷He rained meat on them like dust,

and winged birds like the sand of the seas.

²⁸He made them fall in the camp,

all around the tents.^a

²⁹The people ate and were completely satisfied,

for he gave them what they craved.^b

³⁰Before they had turned from what they craved,

while the food was still in their mouths,

³¹God’s anger flared up against them,

and he killed some of their best men.

He struck down Israel’s fit young men.^c