Psalm 78:14–40

¹⁴In the daytime he led them with a cloud

and all night long with a fiery light.^*

¹⁵He split rocks open in the wilderness

and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.^*

¹⁶He made streams come out of the rock

and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

¹⁷Yet they sinned still more against him,

rebelling against the Most High in the desert.^*

¹⁸They tested God in their heart

by demanding the food they craved.^*

¹⁹They spoke against God, saying,

“Can God spread a table in the wilderness?^*

²⁰Even though he struck the rock so that water gushed out

and torrents overflowed,

can he also give bread

or provide meat for his people?”^*

²¹Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of rage;

a fire was kindled against Jacob,

his anger mounted against Israel,^*

²²because they had no faith in God

and did not trust his saving power.^*

²³Yet he commanded the skies above

and opened the doors of heaven;^*

²⁴he rained down on them manna to eat

and gave them the grain of heaven.^*

²⁵Mortals ate of the bread of angels;

he sent them food in abundance.

²⁶He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

and by his power he led out the south wind;^*

²⁷he rained flesh upon them like dust,

winged birds like the sand of the seas;^*

²⁸he let them fall within their camp,

all around their dwellings.

²⁹And they ate and were well filled,

for he gave them what they craved.^*

³⁰But before they had satisfied their craving,

while the food was still in their mouths,

³¹the anger of God rose against them,

and he killed the strongest of them

and laid low the flower of Israel.^*

³²In spite of all this they still sinned;

they did not believe in his wonders.^*

³³So he made their days vanish like a breath

and their years in terror.^*

³⁴When he killed them, they searched for him;

they repented and sought God earnestly.^*

³⁵They remembered that God was their rock,

the Most High God their redeemer.^*

³⁶But they flattered him with their mouths;

they lied to him with their tongues.^*

³⁷Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

they were not true to his covenant.

³⁸Yet he, being compassionate,

forgave their iniquity

and did not destroy them;

often he restrained his anger

and did not stir up all his wrath.^*

³⁹He remembered that they were but flesh,

a wind that passes and does not come again.^*

⁴⁰How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

and grieved him in the desert!^*