Maschil of Asaph.
GIVE ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 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.
5 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:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 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.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
25 Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

 

1Giue eare, O my people, to my Lawe: incline your eares to the wordes of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable: I wil vtter darke sayings of old:

3Which we haue heard, & knowen: and our fathers haue told vs.

4We 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.

5For he established a Testimony in Iacob, and appointed a Law in Israel, which he commaunded our fathers: that they should make them knowen to their children.

6That the generation to come might know them, euen the children which should be borne: who should arise and declare them to their children:

7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God: but keepe his Commandements,

8And might not bee as their fathers, a stubborne and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright: and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

9The children of Ephraim being armed, and carying bowes, turned backe in the day of battell.

10They kept not the couenant of God: and refused to walke in his Law:

11And forgat his workes: and his wonders that he had shewed them.

12Marueilous things did he in the sight of their fathers: in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13Hee diuided the Sea, and caused them to passe through: and he made the waters to stand as an heape.

14In the day time also he led them with a cloud: and all the night with a light of fire.

15Hee claue the rockes in the wildernes: and gaue them drinke as out of the great depthes.

16Hee brought streames also out of the rocke, and caused waters to runne downe like riuers.

17And they sinned yet more against him: by prouoking the most High in the wildernes.

18And they tempted God in their heart: by asking meat for their lust.

19Yea, they spake against God: they said, Can God furnish a table in the wildernes?

20Behold, he smote the rocke, that the waters gushed out, & the streames ouerflowed; can he giue bread also? can he prouide flesh for his people?

21Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Iacob: and anger also came vp against Israel.

22Because they beleeued not in God: and trusted not in his saluation:

23Though he had commanded the cloudes from aboue: and opened the doores of heauen:

24And had rained downe Manna vpon them to eate, and had giuen them of the corne of heauen.

25Man did eate Angels food: hee sent them meat to the full.

26He caused an East wind to blow in the heauen: and by his power hee brought in the South wind.

27He rained flesh also vpon them as dust: and feathered soules like as the sand of the sea.

28And hee let it fall in the midst of their campe, round about their habitations.

29So they did eate, & were well filled: for he gaue them their owne desire.

30They were not estranged from their lust: but while their meate was yet in their mouthes,

31The wrath of God came vpon them, and slew the fattest of them: and smote downe the chosen men of Israel.

32For all this they sinned still: and beleeued not for his wondrous works.

33Therefore their dayes did he consume in vanitie, and their yeeres in trouble.

34When hee slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and inquired early after God.

35And they remembred that God was their rocke: and the high God, their redeemer.

36Neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth: and they lyed vnto him with their tongues.

37For their heart was not right with him: neither were they stedfast in his couenant.

38But hee being full of compassion, forgaue their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stirre vp all his wrath.

39For he remembred that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and commeth not againe.

40How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse: and grieue him in the desert?

41Yea they turned backe and tempted God: and limited the holy one of Israel.

42They remembred not his hand: nor the day when hee deliuered them from the enemie:

43How he had wrought his signes in Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

44And had turned their riuers into blood: and their flouds, that they could not drinke.

45Hee sent diuers sorts of flies among them, which deuoured them: and frogges which destroyed them.

46He gaue also their increase vnto the caterpiller: and their labour vnto the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with haile: and their Sycomore trees with frost.

48He gaue vp their cattel also to the haile: and their flockes to hot thunder-bolts.

49He cast vpon them the fiercenesse of his anger, wrath and indignation, and trouble: by sending euill angels among them.

50He made a way to his anger, hee spared not their soule from death: but gaue their life ouer to the pestilence.

51And smote all the first borne in Egypt: the chiefe of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52But made his owne people to goe forth like sheepe: and guided them in the wildernesse like a flocke.

53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea ouerwhelmed their enemies.

54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuarie: euen to this mountaine which his right hand had purchased.

55He cast out the heathen also before them, and diuided them an inheritance by line: and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56Yet they tempted and prouoked the most high God: and kept not his testimonies:

57But turned backe, and dealt vnfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitfull bowe.

58For they prouoked him to anger with their high places: and moued him to ielousie with their grauen images.

59When God heard this, hee was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

60So that he forsooke the tabernacle of Shiloh: the tent which he placed among men,

61And deliuered his strength into captiuitie: and his glory into the enemies hand.

62He gaue his people ouer also vnto the sword: and was wroth with his inheritance.

63The fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not giuen to mariage.

64Their priests fell by the sword: and their widowes made no lamentation.

65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe: and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetuall reproch.

67Moreouer he refused the tabernacle of Ioseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim.

68But chose the tribe of Iudah: the mount Sion which he loued.

69And he built his sanctuarie like high palaces: like the earth which he hath established for euer.

70He chose Dauid also his seruant, and tooke him from the sheepe-folds:

71From following the ewes great with young, hee brought him to feed Iacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72So he fed them according to the integritie of his heart: and guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands.

I == Isa 51:4

 

II == Ps 49:4 ; Matt 13:35

III Ps 44:1

 

IV == Ex 12:26-27 ; 13:8,14 ; Josh 4:6-7

 

V == Deut 4:9 ; 6:7 ; 11:19

 

 

VI == Ps 102:18

 

 

VIII == Ex 32:9 ; 2nd Kings 17:14 ; Ezek 20:18

 

 

 

 

 

X == 2nd Kings 17:15

 

 

XII == Ex 7---12

 

 

XIII == Ex 14:21 ; 15:8

 

XV == Ex 17:6 ; Num 20:11 ; 1st Cor 10:4

XVI == Deut 9:21 ; PS 105:41

XVII == Deut 9:22

 

XVIII == Ex 16:2

 

XIX == Num 11:4

XX == Ex 17:6

 

 

 

XXI == Num 11:1 , 10

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Ex 16:4, 14 ; John 6:31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == Num 11:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIV == Hos 5:15

 

XXXV == Ex 15:13 ; Deut 7:8 ; 32:4 , 15 . 31 ; Esa 41:14 ; 44:6 ; 63:9

XXXVI == Ezek 33:31

XXXVII == Ps 78:8

XXXVIII == Num 14:18 , 20 ; 1st Kings 21:29 ; Esa 48:9

XXXIX == Gen 6:3 ; Job 7:7 , 16 ; Ps 103:14 , 16 ; John 3:6 ; James 4:14

XL == Ps 78:17 ;95:9-10 ; Isa 7:13 ; 63:10 ; Eph 4:30 ; Heb 3:16-17

 

 

XLIV == Ex 7:20

 

XLV == Ex 8:6 , 24

 

XLVI == Ex 10:13 , 15

 

XLVII == Ex 9:23 , 25

 

 

 

L == Ex 9:3 , 6

 

 

LI == Ex 12:29

 

 

 

LIII == Ex 14:19 . 20 , 27-28 ; 15:10

 

LIV == Ex 15:17

LV == Josh 13:7 ; 19:51

 

 

LVI == Judg 2:11-12

LVII == Ezek 20:27-28 ; Hos 7:16

LVIII == 1st Kings 11:7 ; 12:31 ; Ezek 20:28

 

 

LX == Jer 7:12 , 14

 

LXII == 1st Sam 4:10

LXIII == Jer 7:34 ; 16:9 ; 25:10

LXIV == 1st Sam 4:11 ; 22:18

LXV == Ps 44:23 ; Isa 42:13

 

LXVI == 1st Sam 5:6 , 12 ; 6:4

 

 

 

 

LXIX == 1st King 6:1

 

 

LXX == 1st Sam 16:11-12 ; 2nd Sam 7:8

LXXI == 2nd Sam 5:2 ; 1st Chr 11:2

1 A maskil of Asaph.Attend, my people, to my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable, unfold the puzzling events of the past.

3 What we have heard and know; things our ancestors have recounted to us.

4 We do not keep them from our children; we recount them to the next generation, The praiseworthy deeds of the LORD and his strength, the wonders that he performed.

5 God made a decree in Jacob, established a law in Israel: Which he commanded our ancestors, they were to teach their children;

6 That the next generation might come to know, children yet to be born. In turn they were to recount them to their children,

7 that they too might put their confidence in God, And not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments.

8 They were not to be like their ancestors, a rebellious and defiant generation, A generation whose heart was not constant, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 The ranks of Ephraimite archers, retreated on the day of battle.

10 They did not keep God’s covenant; they refused to walk according to his law.

11 They forgot his deeds, the wonders that he had shown them.

12 In the sight of their ancestors God did wonders, in the land of Egypt, the plain of Zoan.

13 He split the sea and led them across, making the waters stand like walls.

14 He led them with a cloud by day, all night with the light of fire.

15 He split rocks in the desert, gave water to drink, abundant as the deeps of the sea.

16 He made streams flow from crags, caused rivers of water to flow down.

17 But they went on sinning against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18 They tested God in their hearts, demanding the food they craved.

19 They spoke against God, and said, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

20 True, when he struck the rock, water gushed forth, the wadies flooded. but can he also give bread, or provide meat to his people?”

21 The LORD heard and grew angry; fire blazed up against Jacob; anger flared up against Israel.

22 For they did not believe in God, did not trust in his saving power.

23 So he commanded the clouds above; and opened the doors of heaven.

24 God rained manna upon them for food; grain from heaven he gave them.

25 Man ate the bread of the angels; food he sent in abundance.

26 He stirred up the east wind in the skies; by his might God brought on the south wind.

27 He rained meat upon them like dust, winged fowl like the sands of the sea,

28 They fell down in the midst of their camp, all round their dwellings.

29 They ate and were well filled; he gave them what they had craved.

30 But while they still wanted more, and the food was still in their mouths,

31 God’s anger flared up against them, and he made a slaughter of their strongest, laying low the youth of Israel.

32 In spite of all this they went on sinning, they did not believe in his wonders.

33 God ended their days abruptly, their years in sudden death.

34 When he slew them, they began to seek him; they again looked for God.

35 They remembered that God was their rock, God Most High, their redeemer.

36 But they deceived him with their mouths, lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their hearts were not constant toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

38 But God being compassionate forgave their sin; he did not utterly destroy them. Time and again he turned back his anger, unwilling to unleash all his rage.

39 He remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passes on and does not return.

40 How often they rebelled against God in the wilderness,

grieved him in the wasteland.

41 Again and again they tested God,

provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42 They did not remember his power, the day he redeemed them from the foe,

43 When he performed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the plain of Zoan.

44 God turned their rivers to blood; their streams they could not drink.

45 He sent swarms of insects that devoured them, frogs that destroyed them.

46 He gave their harvest to the caterpillar, the fruits of their labor to the locust.

47 He killed their vines with hail, their sycamores with frost.

48 He exposed their cattle to plague, their flocks to pestilence.

49 He let loose against them the heat of his anger, wrath, fury, and distress, a band of deadly messengers.

50 He cleared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but delivered their animals to the plague.

51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the first fruits of their vigor in the tents of Ham.

52 Then God led forth his people like sheep, guided them like a flock through the wilderness.

53 He led them on secure and unafraid, while the sea enveloped their enemies.

54 And he brought them to his holy mountain, the hill his right hand had won.

55 He drove out the nations before them, allotted them as their inherited portion, and settled in their tents the tribes of Israel.

56 But they tested and rebelled against God Most High, his decrees they did not observe.

57 They turned disloyal, faithless like their ancestors; they proved false like a slack bow.

58 They enraged him with their high places, and with their idols provoked him to jealous anger.

59 God heard and grew angry; he rejected Israel completely.

60 He forsook the shrine at Shiloh, the tent he set up among human beings.

61 He gave up his might into captivity, his glorious ark into the hands of the foe.

62 God delivered his people to the sword; he was enraged against his heritage.

63 Fire consumed their young men; their young women heard no wedding songs.

64 Their priests fell by the sword; their widows made no lamentation.

65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a warrior shouting from the effects of wine.

66 He put his foes to flight; everlasting shame he dealt them.

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph, chose not the tribe of Ephraim.

68 God chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.

69 He built his shrine like the heavens, like the earth which he founded forever.

70 He chose David his servant, took him from the sheepfolds.

71 From tending ewes God brought him, to shepherd Jacob, his people,Israel, his heritage.

72 He shepherded them with a pure heart; with skilled hands he guided them.

This Psalm continues the thought of how God worked in Israel’s history. The giving of the Law, v 7; Ephraim, ie all Israel, failed to go into the promised land, v 9; their rebellion, dividing the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud or fire, and in v 15,16 water from the rock like a river; provision of food, Moses smiting the rock, v 20,21; manna, 24; quail,26. The impact of this is important as we pray to God today, as we find in v 29 the result of God giving their desire,106:15 and 81:12. He continues with their rebellion and reminds of the plagues and deliverance from Egypt, 43-54. Then he speaks of more rebellion and problems during the times of judges, capture of the ark, 61; rejection of northern tribes and choice of Judah and of David the shepherd boy to be king. Verse 72 summarizes God’s care for His people. This rich chapter can be meditated on as well verse by verse as giving detailed comments here.