Psalm 78:18–31

¹⁸They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,

demanding the foods they craved.

¹⁹They even spoke against God himself, saying,

“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.

²⁰Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,

but he can’t give his people bread and meat.”

²¹When the Lord heard them, he was furious.

The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob.

Yes, his anger rose against Israel,

²²for they did not believe God

or trust him to care for them.

²³But he commanded the skies to open;

he opened the doors of heaven.

²⁴He rained down manna for them to eat;

he gave them bread from heaven.

²⁵They ate the food of angels!

God gave them all they could hold.

²⁶He released the east wind in the heavens

and guided the south wind by his mighty power.

²⁷He rained down meat as thick as dust—

birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore!

²⁸He caused the birds to fall within their camp

and all around their tents.

²⁹The people ate their fill.

He gave them what they craved.

³⁰But before they satisfied their craving,

while the meat was yet in their mouths,

³¹the anger of God rose against them,

and he killed their strongest men.

He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.