Psalm 78

ATtend unto my doctrine all
my people, and give ear
Attentively unto the words
which from my mouth you hear.
My mouth shall utter parables,
and sayings dark of old,
Which we have heard and known, & which
our fathers have us told.

We will not hide them from their seed
to those unborn that be,
Gods praises, strength, and wondrous works
which he wrought teach will we.
This statute he to Jacob gave,
and law to Israel,
To charge our fathers that his works
they to their seed should tell.

That future generations
might these things learn and know,
That children yet unborn, the same
might to their children show.
That they Gods works might not forget,
but on him stay their heart,
And his Commandements might keep,
and from them not depart.

And might not like their fathers old
be disobedient found,
Whose heart not right, whose spirit with God
nor stedfast was, nor sound.
The Ephraimites by Gods just hand,
though arm'd and carrying bows,
Yet in the day of battel turn'd
their backs before their foes.

They kept not that just covenant,
which God to them did give,
And after his most perfect laws
they did refuse to live.
But they forgat the weighty works
which wrought by him had been,
Remembring not those wonders great,
which their own eyes had seen.

The Second Part.

In the whole land of Egypt, and
in Zoan field wrought hee,
Before their fathers eyes his works
most marvellous to see.
The sea divided, gave through it
a passage to them all,
The waters he made stand on heaps
which were to them a wall.

With a thick cloud he shadowed
them while the day was light,
And with a pillar of light fire,
he led them in the night.
And in the thirsty wildernesse
the stony rocks he clave,
And as from the great depths, from them
he drink unto them gave.

From those dry and hard rocks he caus'd
great streams to issue out,
And caus'd the waters to run down
like rivers round about.
For all this, more and more they did
against turn still transgresse,
And the most high they did provoke
in the great wildernesse.

And in their hearts they God himself
tempted by their mistrust,
In boldly asking flesh of him
to satisfie their lust.
Against their God they utter'd words,
and spake profanely thus,
A Table in the wildernesse
can God prepare for us?

Behold, he smote the rock, and thence
came streams and waters great,
But can he give his people bread,
and give them flesh to eat?
The Lord heard this, and waxed wroth,
and kindled was a flame
In Jacobs house, and anger great
from God on Israel came.

The Third Part.

Because they did not in their God
believe, and rest upon
His pow'r and truth, and trusted not
in his salvation.
Although he his commandement
gave to the clouds above,
And unto them had opened
the doors of Heav'n in love.

And on them Mannah had rain'd down,
from thence for them to eat,
And had on them bestow'd the Corn
of Heaven for their meat.
Thus man with food for Angels meet
was fed and satisfi'd,
He of his bounty meat to them
abundantly suppli'd.

He caus'd an East-wind in the Heav'ns
to passe by his command,
The South wind too he caus'd to come
by the strength of his hand.
And like to dust he rained flesh
on them abundantly,
And feathered fowls as thick as sands
that on the sea-shore lie.

In midst of all their Camp, and round
about their tents it fell,
He gave their own desire, they eat
and they were filled well.
They were not weaned from their lust,
nor turned from their sin,
But while their dainty meats were yet
their lustful mouths within,

On them the wrath of God, which slew
the fattest of them, fell,
And soon smote down the chosen men
and flow'r of Israel.
Nor wrath, nor mercy could prevail
to turn them from their sin,
But still for all his wondrous works,
him they believ'd not in.

The Fourth Part.

Therefore their days in vanity
he did consume and waste,
And by his wrath their years away
in trouble soon they past
When thus he slew them in his wrath,
they sought him by and by,
And they return'd, and after God
enquired speedily.

They then remembred that their God,
their rock and stay had been,
The high God, their redeemer, whom
they griev'd thus by their sin.
Yet with their mouths they flattred him,
and spake but feignedly,
And they unto the God of truth
with their false tongues did ly.

For their false hearts were not with him
establisht thoroughly,
Nor in his Covenant did they
continue stedfastly.
But he full of compassion,
pardoned their sin, when they
Him sought, destroyed them not, but oft
his anger turn'd away,

And did not stir up all his wrath,
Remembring they were vain
Weak flesh, a wind that being past
returneth not again.
How often had they him provok'd
in the wide wildernesse,
And in the desart griev'd him still
with their rebelliousnesse.

Yea, they return'd again, and God
they tempted wickedly,
And unto Israels holy One,
set bounds, his power to try.
They thought not on his mighty hand,
nor on the day when he
From their oppressing enemy
them saved and set free.

The Fifth Part.

His signs in Egypt they forgat,
though wrought in their own sight,
His wonders great in Zoan field,
done by his dreadful might.
Nor did consider how he turn'd
their rivers into bloud,
That neither any man nor beast
could drink at any floud.

He sent them divers sorts of flies,
which did them sore annoy,
And fill'd their Country full of frogs,
which did their land destroy.
He to the Caterpillers gave
th' increase of all their land,
And fruits of all their labours to
devouring locusts hand.

Their fruitful Vines he did destroy,
with hail in all their coast,
And all their Sycamores he kill'd,
with the sharp biting frost.
And he deliv'red to the hail
their cattel in the field,
And to the lightenings their flocks
to be destroy'd and kill'd.

His burning anger, troubles, wrath
and indignation,
By sending evil messengers,
he did send them upon.
He to his anger making way,
spar'd not their soul from death,
But to the killing pestilence,
gave up their life and breath.

And in the land of Egypt he
all their first-born did smite,
And in the tents of Ham the chief
of all their strength might.
But his own people he brought forth
like sheep, and them did guide
In safety through the wildernesse
while they did there abide.

The Sixth Part.

He led them safely by his pow'r,
they had no cause to feare,
But by the seas their enemies
all overwhelmed were.
He brought them on into the Coasts
of his own holy land,
Into this Mount Zion, which he
did purchase with his hand.

For them he cast the Heathen out,
and did their land divide,
And in their tents he set the tribes
of Israel to abide.
Yet did they tempt the highest God,
and him provoked they,
His testimonies they forsook,
and did not them obey.

But like their fathers turned back,
and dealt unfaithfully,
Like to a warping bow which shoots
from the mark clean awry.
They with their Altars him provok'd,
set up in places high,
And with their graven images,
mov'd him to jealousie.

But when into the Lords ears came
of those soul sins the cry,
He waxed wrath, and Israel he
abhorred utterly.
So that the Tent of Shiloh he
forsook, though lov'd so well,
The Tabernacle which he plac't
amongst men there to dwell.

The Ark his peoples strength he gave
into captivity,
His glory he gave up into
the hand of th'enemy.
He gave his people to the sword,
and being angry then
With his inheritance, the fire
consum'd their strongest men.

The Seventh Part.

Their maids in marriage were not prais'd.
their Priests fell by the sword,
Widows no solemn mourning did
for the deceas'd afford.
But then the Lord arose as one
that did from sleep awake,
And like a Giant that by wine
refresht, a shout doth make.

His enemies in the hinder parts
he smote both great and small,
And thereby on them did he bring
a shame perpetuall.
But yet the Tabernacle he
of Joseph did refuse,
The fruitful Tribe of Ephraim,
he was not pleas'd to choose.

But he the Tribe of Judah chose,
that he therein might dwell,
Even that holy Mount Zion
which he did love so well.
There he his sanctuary built,
like to a palace high,
And like the earth establish'd it
to stand continually.

And he his servant David chose,
his flock to rule and keep,
And he out of his favour took
him from the folds of sheep.
Even from behind the Ews with young,
the Lord did him advance,
To feed his people Israel,
his own inheritance.

And so in soundnesse of his heart
them faithfully he fed,
And he with skilfulnesse of hand
them wisely governed.