78:30 They were not estranged from their l.u.s.t. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
78:31 The wrath of G.o.d came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
78:32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
78:33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
78:34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after G.o.d.
78:35 And they remembered that G.o.d was their rock, and the high G.o.d their redeemer.
78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
78:37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
78:38 But he, being full of compa.s.sion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
78:39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that pa.s.seth away, and cometh not again.
78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted G.o.d, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
78:43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.
78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
78:45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
78:46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
78:48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
78:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
78:54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
78:55 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.
78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high G.o.d, and kept not his testimonies:
78:57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
78:59 When G.o.d heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
78:60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
78:61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy"s hand.
78:62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
78:63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
78:64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
78:65 Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
78:66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
78:67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
78:68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
78:69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
78:70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
78:71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
79:1 O G.o.d, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
79:2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
79:3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
79:4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
79:5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
79:6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
79:7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.