PSALM 78
Mas –chil of A –saph.
Give ear, O my people and my creation, to my Divine Law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth only.
2. I will open my mouth in parable: I will utter the un-revealed sayings of old:
3. Which we have heard and known, and our elders and ancestors told to us.
4. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the excellent LORD, and God’s strength, and the HOLY SPIRIT’s wonderful and everlasting works that God hath done.
5. For the King of glory established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which God commanded our elders and people, that they should make them known to their children and to publish it to the whole universe:
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 alone always, and not forget the marvellous works of infinite Life, but keep God’s commandments:
8. And might not be as their guardians, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with the compassionate Life.
9. The children of E –phra-im, 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 good and natural law;
11. And forgot God’s marvellous spiritual works, and His wonders that God had shewed them.
12. Marvellous things did the LORD SPIRIT in the sight of the previous generation, which come before them, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13. The Divine Love divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and God made the waters to stand as an heap.
14. In the daytime also the Lord Divine Light led them with a cloud, and all the other time with a light of fire.
15. The God obeying and spiritually fruitful rocks poured forth the LORD’s water to those people; in that wilderness God gave them drink from the rock, as out of the great depths.
16. The Holy God brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17. And they sinned yet more against the innocent and kind God, who gives only the good, to all at all times; they sinned against God by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18. And they tried to tempt God in their inward parts by asking flesh to devour, like demons do, for their lust.
19. Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can Christ-Life furnish a table in the wilderness?
20. Behold, God commanded the spiritually created and the naturally good rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can God give bread also? Yes. Should the spiritual substance of all beings, who is pure Spirit give flesh to them also? No, because LIFE does not create flesh.
21. Therefore the LORD heard this, and was indignant: so a burning flame was kindled against Jacob and God’s judgement also came up against Israel;
22. Because they believed not in the incorporeal Light, and trusted not in Divine Love’s salvation.
23. Though God 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.