Psalm 77:1–8

A Maskil of Asaph.

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known,

that our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

to teach to their children,

that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

but keep his commandments;

and that they should not be like their fathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.

A maskil of Asaph.

My people, hear my teaching;

listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth with a parable;

I will utter hidden things, things from of old—

things we have heard and known,

things our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their descendants;

we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,

his power, and the wonders he has done.

He decreed statutes for Jacob

and established the law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach their children,

so the next generation would know them,

even the children yet to be born,

and they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God

and would not forget his deeds

but would keep his commands.

They would not be like their ancestors—

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

whose hearts were not loyal to God,

whose spirits were not faithful to him.

A Maskil of Asaph.

My people, hear my instruction;

listen to the words from my mouth.

I will declare wise sayings;

I will speak mysteries from the past—

things we have heard and known

and that our ancestors have passed down to us.

We 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.

He established a testimony in Jacob

and set up a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children

so that a future generation—

children yet to be born—might know.

They were to rise and tell their children

so that they might put their confidence in God

and not forget God’s works,

but keep his commands.

Then 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.

A psalm of Asaph.

O my people, listen to my instructions.

Open your ears to what I am saying,

for I will speak to you in a parable.

I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—

stories we have heard and known,

stories our ancestors handed down to us.

We will not hide these truths from our children;

we will tell the next generation

about the glorious deeds of the Lord,

about his power and his mighty wonders.

For he issued his laws to Jacob;

he gave his instructions to Israel.

He commanded our ancestors

to teach them to their children,

so the next generation might know them—

even the children not yet born—

and they in turn will teach their own children.

So each generation should set its hope anew on God,

not forgetting his glorious miracles

and obeying his commands.

Then they will not be like their ancestors—

stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,

refusing to give their hearts to God.

A maskil of Asaph.

Listen, O my people, to my teaching.

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will offer a parable with my mouth.

I will pour out riddles from long ago,

that we have heard and known,

and our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

telling the next generation the praises of Yahweh,

and his power and his wonders that he has done.

For he established a testimony in Jacob,

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children,

so that the next generation might know—

children yet to be born—

that they might rise up and tell their children,

that they might set their confidence in God,

and not forget the deeds of God,

but keep his commandments,

and not be like their ancestors,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation that did not make ready its heart,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Maschil of Asaph.

Give ear, O my people, to my law:

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable:

I will utter dark sayings of old:

Which we have heard and known,

And our fathers have told us.

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.

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:

That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born;

Who should arise and declare them to their children:

That they might set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God,

But keep his commandments:

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.