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[1]GIVEear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
[2]Iwill open my mouth in parables; I will utter proverbs of old.
[3]Thatwhich we have heard and known, and which our fathers have told us,
[4]Wewill not hide from their children, showing to the generation to come the praise of the LORD and his strength and the wonderful works that he has done.
[5]Forhe established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make known to their children,
[6]Thatthe generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children;
[7]Thatthey might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
[8]Andmight not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
[9]Thechildren of Ephraim, being armed and throwing forth bows, turned back in the day of battle.
[10]Forthey kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
[11]Andforgot his works and his wonders that he had shown them in the sight of their fathers.
[12]Marvellousthings did he in the land of Egypt and in the fields of Zoan.
[13]Hedivided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as in skins.
[14]Inthe daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
[15]Hecleaved the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of great depths.
[16]Hebrought forth streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
[17]Butthe people continued to sin, and to murmur against the most High in their thirst for water.
[18]Andthey tempted God in their hearts by asking food to satisfy their desires.
[19]Yea,they complained against God; they said, Can God furnish tables of food in the wilderness?
[20]Behold,he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide food for his people?
[21]Thereforethe LORD heard this and was angered; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel,
[22]Becausethey believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation:
[23]Thoughhe had commanded the clouds from above and opened the doors of heaven,
[24]Andhad rained down manna for them to eat and had given them of the bread of heaven.
[25]Mandid eat angels' food; he sent them game in abundance.
[26]Hecaused winds to blow in the skies; and by his power he brought in the south wind.
[27]Herained flesh also upon them like dust, and feathered fowls like the sands of the sea:
[28]Andhe let these fall in the midst of their camp, round about their tents.
[29]Sothey did eat and were well filled; for he gave them their own desire.
[30]Theyrelinquished not their craving. But while their food was yet in their mouths,
[31]Theanger of God came upon them and slew the richest of them, and made to bow the chosen men of Israel.
[32]Neverthelessthey sinned still, and believed not in his wondrous works.
[33]Whereforetheir days were spent in emptiness, and their years in impatience.
[34]Whenhe slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and drew nearer to him.
[35]Andthey remembered that God was their helper, and the high God their Saviour.
[36]Neverthelessthey loved him with their mouths, and they lied to him with their tongues.
[37]Fortheir hearts were not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
[38]Heis merciful, the forgiver of sins, and destroys not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath.
[39]Forhe remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away and comes not again.
[40]Howoft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
[41]Yea,they turned back and tempted God, and defied the Holy One of Israel.
[42]Theyremembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the oppressor,
[43]Howhe had wrought his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan,
[44]Norhow he had turned their rivers into blood and their brooks, that they could not drink.
[45]Hesent swarms of insects among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.
[46]Hegave also their crops to the locusts, and their labor to the caterpillars.
[47]Hedestroyed their vines with hail and their fig trees with frost.
[48]Hegave up their cattle also to the hail and their flocks to destruction.
[49]Hecast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by the hand of an evil angel.
[50]Heresorted to strong measures; he spared not their souls from death, and gave their cattle over to the pestilence;
[51]Andsmote all the first-born in Egypt, the fairest of their sons in the tabernacles of Ham;
[52]Buthe led forth his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
[53]Andhe led them on safely so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
[54]Andhe brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had possessed.
[55]Hecast out the Gentiles from before them, and allotted them an inheritance by measure, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
[56]Yetthey tempted and provoked the most High God, and kept not his testimonies;
[57]Butturned back and dealt deceitfully like their fathers; they were crooked like a twisted bow.
[58]Forthey provoked him to anger by sacrificing on high places, and made him indignant with their graven images.
[59]WhenGod heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel,
[60]Sothat he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
[61]Andhe delivered his people into captivity, and his glory into the oppressor's hand.
[62]Hedelivered his people to the sword, and disregarded his inheritance.
[63]Thefire consumed their young men; and their maidens were violated.
[64]Theirpriests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
[65]Thenthe LORD awaked as one out of sleep and like a mighty man who has shaken off the effects of wine.
[66]Andhe caused his enemies to retreat; he put them to a perpetual reproach.
[67]Moreoverhe refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
[68]Butchose the tribe of Judah, mount Zion which he loved.
[69]Andhe built his sanctuary on a high place, and he established it upon the earth for ever.
[70]Hechose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
[71]Fromfollowing the ewes that give suck, he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance.
[72]Sohe shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
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