Psalm 78/Text/Verses

Hebrew	Verse	English
מַשְׂכִּיל לְאָסָף הַאֲזִינָה עַמִּי תּוֹרָתִי הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם לְאִמְרֵי־פִי׃	1	A maskil. By Asaph. Listen, my people, to my teaching; turn your ear to the words of my mouth.
אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי־קֶדֶם׃	2	Let me open up my mouth with a parable; let me pour out puzzling problems from long ago.
אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵם וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָנוּ׃	3	The things which we heard, and which we learned and our ancestors told us,
לֹא נְכַחֵד מִבְּנֵיהֶם לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן מְסַפְּרִים תְּהִלּוֹת יְהוָה וֶעֱזוּזוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה׃	4	we will not hide from their children in the latest generation, proclaiming the praiseworthy deeds of YHWH and his power and his wonderful deeds which he has accomplished:
וַיָּקֶם עֵדוּת בְּיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָה שָׂם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהוֹדִיעָם לִבְנֵיהֶם׃	5	how he established a testimony among Jacob and set up a teaching among Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children,
לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דּוֹר אַחֲרוֹן בָּנִים יִוָּלֵדוּ יָקֻמוּ וִיסַפְּרוּ לִבְנֵיהֶם׃	6	so that the latest generation might know —children who were yet to be born— [that] they might begin to tell their children
וְיָשִׂימוּ בֵֽאלֹהִים כִּסְלָם וְלֹא יִשְׁכְּחוּ מַֽעַלְלֵי־אֵל וּמִצְוֺתָיו יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃	7	and they might put their trust in God, [so that] they might not forget God's deeds but might obey his commands
וְלֹא יִהְיוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם דּוֹר סוֹרֵר וּמֹרֶה דּוֹר לֹא־הֵכִין לִבּוֹ וְלֹא־נֶאֶמְנָה אֶת־אֵל רוּחֽוֹ׃	8	and might not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation who did not keep their heart committed and whose mind was not faithful to God.
בְּנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם נוֹשְׁקֵי רוֹמֵי־קָשֶׁת הָפְכוּ בְּיוֹם קְרָב׃	9	Ephraimites, armed [with a bow], archers, turned back on a day of battle.
לֹא שָׁמְרוּ בְּרִית אֱלֹהִים וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ מֵאֲנוּ לָלֶכֶת׃	10	They did not keep the covenant of God and they refused to walk in his teaching,
וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ עֲלִילוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָם׃	11	in that they forgot his deeds and [they forgot] his wonders which he had shown them.
נֶגֶד אֲבוֹתָם עָשָׂה פֶלֶא בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃	12	In front of their ancestors he performed miracles in the land of Egypt, the region of Zoan.
בָּקַע יָם וַיַּעֲבִירֵם וַיַּצֶּב־מַיִם כְּמוֹ־נֵד׃	13	He divided the sea and brought them through; he made the waters stand like a heap.
וַיַּנְחֵם בֶּעָנָן יוֹמָם וְכָל־הַלַּיְלָה בְּאוֹר אֵֽשׁ׃	14	He led them by cloud during the day and [he led them] all night by fire light.
יְבַקַּע צֻרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּשְׁקְ כִּתְהֹמוֹת רַבָּֽה׃	15	He would split rocks in the wilderness and provide drinking water abundantly, as from oceans.
וַיּוֹצִא נוֹזְלִים מִסָּלַע וַיּוֹרֶד כַּנְּהָרוֹת מָֽיִם׃	16	He would bring streams out from rock and make water flow down like rivers.
וַיּוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד לַחֲטֹא־לוֹ לַמְרוֹת עֶלְיוֹן בַּצִּיָּה׃	17	But again they sinned against him; again they rebelled against the Most High in the desert.
וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵל בִּלְבָבָם לִשְׁאָל־אֹכֶל לְנַפְשָׁם׃	18	They put God to the test in their thoughts, by asking for food for their throat.
וַיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּֽאלֹהִים אָמְרוּ הֲיוּכַל אֵל לַעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן בַּמִּדְבָּר׃	19	They spoke against God saying: Is God not able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
הֵן הִכָּה־צוּר וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם וּנְחָלִים יִשְׁטֹפוּ הֲגַם־לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת אִם־יָכִין שְׁאֵר לְעַמּוֹ׃	20	Since he struck a rock so that waters gushed out and streams began to flow, is he not able to give bread, too? Or can he not provide meat for his people?
לָכֵן שָׁמַע יְהוָה וַיִּתְעַבָּר וְאֵשׁ נִשְּׂקָה בְיַעֲקֹב וְגַם־אַף עָלָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃	21	Therefore, when YHWH heard he became furious; fire flared up against Jacob and also anger rose against Israel,
כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִים וְלֹא בָטְחוּ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ׃	22	because they had not believed in God and they had not trusted in his provision.
וַיְצַו שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל וְדַלְתֵי שָׁמַיִם פָּתָח׃	23	So he ordered clouds from above and opened heavenly doors;
וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּדְגַן־שָׁמַיִם נָתַן לָמוֹ׃	24	he rained down upon them manna to eat and he gave them grain from heaven.
לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ צֵידָה שָׁלַח לָהֶם לָשֹׂבַע׃	25	People ate bread of angels; he sent them provisions until they were satisfied.
יַסַּע קָדִים בַּשָּׁמָיִם וַיְנַהֵג בְּעֻזּוֹ תֵימָן׃	26	He caused an east wind to blow in the sky and he drove a south wind with his might.
וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם כֶּעָפָר שְׁאֵר וּכְחוֹל יַמִּים עוֹף כָּנָף׃	27	So he made meat rain upon them like dust and [he made] winged birds [rain upon them] like the sand on the seashore,
וַיַּפֵּל בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֵהוּ סָבִיב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָיו׃	28	and he made them fall inside his camp, all around his tents.
וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׂבְּעוּ מְאֹד וְתַֽאֲוָתָם יָבִא לָהֶֽם׃	29	So they ate and were completely satisfied when he brought them what they craved.
לֹא־זָרוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָם עוֹד אָכְלָם בְּפִיהֶֽם׃	30	They had not turned away from the object of their craving —their food was still in their mouth—
וְאַף אֱלֹהִים עָלָה בָהֶם וַיַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְרִיעַ׃	31	when the anger of God rose against them and he killed some of their strong men and he struck down young men of Israel.
בְּכָל־זֹאת חָטְאוּ־עוֹד וְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמִינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָיו׃	32	In spite of this, they sinned again and did not trust in his wonderful deeds,
וַיְכַל־בַּהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶם וּשְׁנוֹתָם בַּבֶּהָלָה׃	33	so he made them spend their days in vain and [he made them spend] their years in anguish.
אִם־הֲרָגָם וּדְרָשׁוּהוּ וְשָׁבוּ וְשִׁחֲרוּ־אֵל׃	34	Whenever he killed them, then they would seek him and again look for God.
וַיִּזְכְּרוּ כִּי־אֱלֹהִים צוּרָם וְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָם׃	35	They would remember that God was their rock and [that] God, the Most High, was their redeemer.
וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ־לוֹ׃	36	But they were trying to deceive him with their mouth and with their tongue were lying to him.
וְלִבָּם לֹא־נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתוֹ׃	37	Their heart was not committed to him and they were not faithful to his covenant.
וְהוּא רַחוּם יְכַפֵּר עָוֺן וְלֹא־יַשְׁחִית וְהִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ וְלֹֽא־יָעִיר כָּל־חֲמָתוֹ׃	38	But he is compassionate. He forgives iniquity and does not destroy. He repeatedly turned back his anger. And he would not stir up all his wrath.
וַיִּזְכֹּר כִּי־בָשָׂר הֵמָּה רוּחַ הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא יָשׁוּב׃	39	He remembered that they were flesh, a breeze that goes by and will not return.
כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ בִּֽישִׁימוֹן׃	40	How often did they rebel against him in the wilderness! [How often] did they grieve him in the desert!
וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְווּ׃	41	Again they put God to the test and they provoked the Holy One of Israel.
לֹא־זָכְרוּ אֶת־יָדוֹ יוֹם אֲֽשֶׁר־פָּדָם מִנִּי־צָר׃	42	They did not remember his strength; [they did not remember] the day in which he saved them from an adversary.
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם בְּמִצְרַיִם אֹתוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו בִּשְׂדֵה־צֹעַן׃	43	[They did not remember the day] in which he displayed his signs in Egypt and [displayed] his miracles in the region of Zoan—
וַיַּהֲפֹךְ לְדָם יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְנֹזְלֵיהֶם בַּל־יִשְׁתָּיוּן׃	44	how he turned their rivers into blood and they could not drink [from] their streams.
יְשַׁלַּח בָּהֶם עָרֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵם וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵם׃	45	He sent a swarm of insects among them and it devoured them; [he sent] a plague of frogs [among them] and it destroyed them.
וַיִּתֵּן לֶחָסִיל יְבוּלָם וִיגִיעָם לָאַרְבֶּה׃	46	He gave their crops to young locusts and [he gave] the fruit of their labor to locusts.
יַהֲרֹג בַּבָּרָד גַּפְנָם וְשִׁקְמוֹתָם בַּֽחֲנָמַל׃	47	He killed their vines with hail and [he killed] their sycamore trees with frost.
וַיַּסְגֵּר לַבָּרָד בְּעִירָם וּמִקְנֵיהֶם לָרְשָׁפִים׃	48	He gave their livestock over to hail and [he gave] their herds [over] to lightning.
יְשַׁלַּח־בָּם חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ עֶבְרָה וָזַעַם וְצָרָה מִשְׁלַחַת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִים׃	49	He sent among them the wrath of his anger: fury and indignation and trouble, by a deputation of angels bringing disaster.
יְפַלֵּס נָתִיב לְאַפּוֹ לֹא־חָשַׂךְ מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם וְחַיָּתָם לַדֶּבֶר הִסְגִּיר׃	50	He cleared a path for his anger; he did not spare their soul from death but gave their life over to plague.
וַיַּךְ כָּל־בְּכוֹר בְּמִצְרָיִם רֵאשִׁית אוֹנִים בְּאָהֳלֵי־חָם׃	51	He killed every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of strength among the tents of Ham,
וַיַּסַּע כַּצֹּאן עַמּוֹ וַיְנַהֲגֵם כַּעֵדֶר בַּמִּדְבָּר׃	52	but he led out his people like a flock and guided them in the wilderness like a herd.
וַיַּנְחֵם לָבֶטַח וְלֹא פָחָדוּ וְאֶת־אוֹיְבֵיהֶם כִּסָּה הַיָּם׃	53	He led them securely and they were not afraid, but the sea covered their enemies.
וַיְבִיאֵם אֶל־גְּבוּל קָדְשׁוֹ הַר־ זֶה קָנְתָה יְמִינוֹ׃	54	He brought them to his holy territory, the hill-country which his right hand had acquired.
וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶם גּוֹיִם וַיַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶבֶל נַחֲלָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃	55	He drove out nations from their presence and allotted them as an inheritance by measurement; he let the clans of Israel live in their dwelling places.
וַיְנַסּוּ וַיַּמְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן וְעֵדוֹתָיו לֹא שָׁמָרוּ׃	56	But they rebelliously put God, the Most High, to the test, and they did not observe his testimonies,
וַיִּסֹּגוּ וַיִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם נֶהְפְּכוּ כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּה׃	57	but they went astray and acted unfaithfully, like their ancestors. They became like a slack bow.
וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ בְּבָמוֹתָם וּבִפְסִילֵיהֶם יַקְנִיאוּהוּ׃	58	They made him angry with their high places of worship and with their carved images made him jealous.
שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְעַבָּר וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃	59	God heard and he became furious, so that he completely rejected Israel
וַיִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּן שִׁלוֹ אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָם׃	60	and he abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent which he had set up among mankind.
וַיִּתֵּן לַשְּׁבִי עֻזּוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ בְיַד־צָר׃	61	He gave his strength into captivity and [he gave] his glory into the possession of an adversary.
וַיַּסְגֵּר לַחֶרֶב עַמּוֹ וּבְנַחֲלָתוֹ הִתְעַבָּר׃	62	He gave his people over to the sword and against his inheritance he raged.
בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה־אֵשׁ וּבְתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּלוּ׃	63	Fire consumed his young men and his young women were not sung to.
כֹּהֲנָיו בַּחֶרֶב נָפָלוּ וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּינָה׃	64	His priests fell by the sword and his widows could not mourn.
וַיִּקַץ כְּיָשֵׁן אֲדֹנָי כְּגִבּוֹר מִתְרוֹנֵן מִיָּיִן׃	65	Now the Lord arose like one who had been asleep, like a warrior shouting from [the effects of] wine,
וַיַּךְ־צָרָיו אָחוֹר חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם נָתַן לָמוֹ׃	66	and he struck back his adversaries. He gave them eternal shame.
וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יוֹסֵף וּֽבְשֵׁבֶט אֶפְרַיִם לֹא בָחָר׃	67	But he rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the clan of Ephraim,
וַיִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אֶת־הַר צִיּוֹן אֲשֶׁר אָהֵב׃	68	but he chose the clan of Judah, Mount Zion which he loves,
וַיִּבֶן כְּמוֹ־רָמִים מִקְדָּשׁוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ לְעוֹלָם׃	69	and he built his holy place like heaven, like the earth which he has established forever.
וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ מִמִּכְלְאֹת צֹאן׃	70	He chose David, his servant, and took him from a sheep pen.
מֵאַחַר עָלוֹת הֱבִיאוֹ לִרְעוֹת בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלָתוֹ׃	71	From [looking] after nursing animals he brought him to shepherd Jacob, his people, and [to shepherd] Israel, his inheritance.
וַיִּרְעֵם *בְּ*תֹם לְבָבוֹ וּבִתְבוּנוֹת כַּפָּיו יַנְחֵם׃	72	He shepherded them with the integrity of his heart and with his wise actions he led them.