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Psalm 78:1–7

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.

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Psalm 78:1–7 — The New International Version (NIV)

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.

Psalm 78:1–7 — English Standard Version (ESV)

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;

Psalm 78:1–7 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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:

Psalm 78:1–7 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

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,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,

And His strength and His wonderful works that He has 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,

The children who would be born,

That they may arise and declare them to their children,

That they may set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God,

But keep His commandments;

Psalm 78:1–7 — New Century Version (NCV)

My people, listen to my teaching;

listen to what I say.

I will speak using stories;

I will tell secret things from long ago.

We have heard them and known them

by what our ancestors have told us.

We will not keep them from our children;

we will tell those who come later

about the praises of the Lord.

We will tell about his power

and the miracles he has done.

The Lord made an agreement with Jacob

and gave the teachings to Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children.

Then their children would know them,

even their children not yet born.

And they would tell their children.

So they would all trust God

and would not forget what he had done

but would obey his commands.

Psalm 78:1–7 — American Standard Version (ASV)

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,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah,

And his strength, and his wondrous 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 that should be born;

Who should arise and tell them to their children,

That they might set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God,

But keep his commandments,

Psalm 78:1–7 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

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 riddles from of old, Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us: We will not hide them from their sons, shewing forth to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his marvellous works which 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, the children that should be born; that they might rise up and tell them to their children, And that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of •God, but observe his commandments;

Psalm 78:1–7 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Open your ears to my teachings, my people. 

Turn your ears to the words from my mouth. 

I will open my mouth to illustrate points. 

I will explain what has been hidden long ago, 

things that we have heard and known about, 

things that our parents have told us. 

We will not hide them from our children. 

We will tell the next generation 

about the Lord’s power and great deeds 

and the miraculous things he has done. 

He established written instructions for Jacob’s people. 

He gave his teachings to Israel. 

He commanded our ancestors to make them known to their children 

so that the next generation would know them. 

Children yet to be born ⸤would learn them⸥. 

They will grow up and tell their children 

to trust God, to remember what he has done, 

and to obey his commands. 

Psalm 78:1–7 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

My people, hear my instruction;

listen to what I say.

I will declare wise sayings;

I will speak mysteries from the past —

things we have heard and known

and that our fathers have passed down to us.

We must not hide them from their children,

but must tell a future generation

the praises of the Lord,

His might, and the wonderful works

He has performed.

He established a testimony in Jacob

and set up a law in Israel,

which He commanded our fathers

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.

Psalm 78:1–7 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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 ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their children;

we will tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

He established a decree in Jacob,

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children;

that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and rise up 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;

Psalm 78:1–7 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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,

Psalm 78:1–7 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

My people, listen to my teaching.

Pay attention to what I say.

I will open my mouth and tell stories.

I will speak about things that were hidden.

They happened a long time ago.

We have heard about them and we know them.

Our people who lived before us have told us about them.

We won’t hide them from our children.

We will tell them to those who live after us.

We will tell them about what the Lord has done that is worthy of praise.

We will talk about his power and the wonderful things he has done.

He gave laws to the people of Jacob.

He gave Israel their law.

He commanded our people who lived before us

to teach his laws to their children.

Then those born later would know his laws.

Even their children yet to come would know them.

And they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God.

They would not forget what he had done.

They would obey his commands.

Psalm 78:1–7 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Listen, O my people, to my instruction;

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 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.

For 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,

That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,

That they may arise and tell them to their children,

That they should put their confidence in God

And not forget the works of God,

But keep His commandments,


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