Psalm 78:31-40

New International Version

³¹ God’s anger rose against them;
    he put to death the sturdiest^(A) among them,
    cutting down the young men of Israel.

³² In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;^(B)
    in spite of his wonders,^(C) they did not believe.^(D)
33 So he ended their days in futility^(E)
    and their years in terror.
³⁴ Whenever God slew them, they would seek^(F) him;
    they eagerly turned to him again.
³⁵ They remembered that God was their Rock,^(G)
    that God Most High was their Redeemer.^(H)
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,^(I)
    lying to him with their tongues;
³⁷ their hearts were not loyal^(J) to him,
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
³⁸ Yet he was merciful;^(K)
    he forgave^(L) their iniquities^(M)
    and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger^(N)
    and did not stir up his full wrath.
³⁹ He remembered that they were but flesh,^(O)
    a passing breeze^(P) that does not return.

⁴⁰ How often they rebelled^(Q) against him in the wilderness^(R)
    and grieved him^(S) in the wasteland!