(KJV) Psalm 78¹

⥃I Will Open My Mouth in Parables ^{[ Matthew 13:34–35 ]}

Maschil of Asaph.

[1] Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.² [2] I will³ open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings⁴ of old: [3] Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.⁵ [4] We will⁶ not hide [them] from their children, shewing⁷ to the generation to come the praises⁸ of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. [5] For he⁹ established a testimony¹⁰ in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they¹¹ should make them known to their children: [6] That¹² the generation to come might know [them], [even] the children [which] should be born; [who¹³] should arise and declare [them] to their children: [7] That they might set¹⁴ their hope in God, and not forget¹⁵ the works of God, but keep¹⁶ his commandments: [8] And might not be as their¹⁷ fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation [that] set not¹⁸ their heart aright, and whose¹⁹ spirit was not stedfast with God. [9] The children²⁰ of Ephraim, [being] armed, [and] carrying²¹ bows, turned²² back in the day of battle. [10] They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;²³ [11] And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.²⁴ [12] Marvellous²⁵ things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan²⁶. [13] He divided²⁷ the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made²⁸ 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.²⁹ [15] He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths.³⁰ [16] He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.³¹ [17] And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.³² [18] And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat³³ for their lust. [19] Yea³⁴, they spake against God; they said, Can God³⁵ furnish³⁶ a table in the wilderness? [20] Behold, he smote³⁷ the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give³⁸ bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? [21] Therefore the Lord³⁹ heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire⁴⁰ was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; [22] Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:⁴¹ [23] Though⁴² he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened⁴³ the doors of heaven, [24] And had rained⁴⁴ down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven⁴⁵. [25] Man⁴⁶ did eat angels’ food: he sent⁴⁷ them meat to the full. [26] He caused⁴⁸ an east wind to blow⁴⁹ in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. [27] He rained⁵⁰ flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls⁵¹ 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 gave⁵² them their own desire; [30] They were not estranged from their lust. But⁵³ while their meat [was] yet in their mouths, [31] The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down⁵⁴ the chosen [men⁵⁵] of Israel. [32] For all this they sinned⁵⁶ still, and believed⁵⁷ not for his wondrous works. [33] Therefore their days⁵⁸ did he consume in vanity, and their years⁵⁹ in trouble. [34] When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.⁶⁰ [35] And they remembered⁶¹ that God [was⁶²] their rock, and the high⁶³ God their redeemer⁶⁴. [36] Nevertheless⁶⁵ they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied⁶⁶ unto him with their tongues. [37] For their heart⁶⁷ was not right with him, neither were they stedfast⁶⁸ in his covenant. [38] But he⁶⁹, [being] full of compassion, forgave [their] iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many⁷⁰ a time turned he his anger away, and did not⁷¹ stir up all his wrath. [39] For he⁷² remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind⁷³ that passeth away, and cometh not again. [40] How oft⁷⁴ did they provoke him⁷⁵ in the wilderness, [and] grieve⁷⁶ him in the desert! [41] Yea⁷⁷, they turned back and tempted God, and limited⁷⁸ the Holy One of Israel. [42] They remembered⁷⁹ not his hand, [nor] the day⁸⁰ when he delivered them from the enemy⁸¹. [43] How⁸² he had wrought⁸³ his signs in Egypt, and his wonders⁸⁴ in the field of Zoan: [44] And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.⁸⁵ [45] He sent⁸⁶ divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs⁸⁷, which destroyed them. [46] He gave also⁸⁸ their increase unto the caterpiller⁸⁹, and their labour unto the locust. [47] He destroyed⁹⁰ their vines with hail⁹¹, and their sycomore⁹² trees with frost⁹³. [48] He gave up⁹⁴ their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts⁹⁵. [49] He cast⁹⁶ upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending⁹⁷ evil angels [among them]. [50] He made a way⁹⁸ to his anger; he spared⁹⁹ not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence¹⁰⁰; [51] And smote¹⁰¹ all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief¹⁰² of [their] strength in the tabernacles¹⁰³ of Ham: [52] But¹⁰⁴ made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a¹⁰⁵ flock. [53] And he led them on safely, so that¹⁰⁶ they feared not: but¹⁰⁷ the sea overwhelmed¹⁰⁸ their enemies. [54] And he¹⁰⁹ brought them to the border of his sanctuary, [even to] this mountain, [which] his right¹¹⁰ hand had purchased. [55] He cast¹¹¹ out the heathen also before them, and divided¹¹² them an inheritance by line, and made¹¹³ the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. [56] Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:¹¹⁴ [57] But¹¹⁵ turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were¹¹⁶ turned aside like a deceitful bow. [58] For they provoked him to anger with their high¹¹⁷ places, and moved¹¹⁸ him to jealousy with¹¹⁹ their graven images. [59] When God¹²⁰ heard [this], he was wroth, and greatly¹²¹ abhorred Israel: [60] So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [which] he placed among men;¹²² [61] And delivered his strength¹²³ into captivity, and his glory¹²⁴ into the enemy’s hand. [62] He gave¹²⁵ his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. [63] The fire¹²⁶ consumed their young men; and their maidens¹²⁷ were not given to marriage¹²⁸. [64] Their priests¹²⁹ fell by the sword; and their widows¹³⁰ made no lamentation. [65] Then¹³¹ the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] like¹³² a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. [66] And he¹³³ smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put¹³⁴ them to a perpetual reproach. [67] Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:¹³⁵ [68] But chose¹³⁶ the tribe of Judah, the mount¹³⁷ Zion which he loved. [69] And he¹³⁸ built his sanctuary like high¹³⁹ [palaces], like the earth¹⁴⁰ which he hath established¹⁴¹ for ever. [70] He chose¹⁴² David also his servant, and took¹⁴³ him from the sheepfolds: [71] From following¹⁴⁴ the ewes¹⁴⁵ great with young he brought¹⁴⁶ him to feed¹⁴⁷ Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. [72] So he fed them according¹⁴⁸ to the integrity of his heart; and guided¹⁴⁹ them by the skilfulness of his hands.