Tell the Coming Generation

A Maskil[a] of (A)Asaph.

78 (B)Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
(C)I will open my mouth (D)in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
    that our (E)fathers have told us.
We will not (F)hide them from their children,
    but (G)tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and (H)the wonders that he has done.

He established (I)a testimony in (J)Jacob
    and appointed a law in (K)Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
that (L)the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
    so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget (M)the works of God,
    but (N)keep his commandments;
and that they should not be (O)like their fathers,
    (P)a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation (Q)whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The Ephraimites, armed with[b] the bow,
    (R)turned back on the day of battle.
10 They (S)did not keep God's covenant,
    but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They (T)forgot his works
    and (U)the wonders that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their fathers (V)he performed wonders
    in the land of Egypt, in (W)the fields of Zoan.
13 He (X)divided the sea and let them pass through it,
    and made the waters (Y)stand like a heap.
14 (Z)In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
    and all the night with a fiery light.
15 He (AA)split rocks in the wilderness
    and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16 He made streams come out of (AB)the rock
    and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17 Yet they sinned still more against him,
    (AC)rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They (AD)tested God in their heart
    by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying,
    (AE)“Can God (AF)spread a table in the wilderness?
20 (AG)He struck the rock so that water gushed out
    and streams overflowed.
Can he also give bread
    or provide meat for his people?”

21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
    (AH)a fire was kindled against Jacob;
    his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they (AI)did not believe in God
    and did not trust his saving power.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above
    and (AJ)opened the doors of heaven,
24 and he (AK)rained down on them manna to eat
    and gave them (AL)the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate of the bread of (AM)the angels;
    he sent them food (AN)in abundance.
26 He (AO)caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
    and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained meat on them like (AP)dust,
    winged birds like (AQ)the sand of the seas;
28 he (AR)let them fall in the midst of their camp,
    all around their dwellings.
29 And they (AS)ate and were well filled,
    for he gave them what they (AT)craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving,
    (AU)while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them,
    and he killed (AV)the strongest of them
    and laid low (AW)the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they (AX)still sinned;
    (AY)despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he made (AZ)their days (BA)vanish like[c] a breath,[d]
    and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they (BB)sought him;
    they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their (BC)rock,
    the Most High God their (BD)redeemer.
36 But they (BE)flattered him with their mouths;
    they (BF)lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their (BG)heart was not (BH)steadfast toward him;
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being (BI)compassionate,
    (BJ)atoned for their iniquity
    and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
    and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He (BK)remembered that they were but (BL)flesh,
    (BM)a wind that passes and comes not again.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting
  3. Psalm 78:33 Hebrew in
  4. Psalm 78:33 Or vapor

Psalm 78

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

My people, hear my teaching;(A)
    listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;(B)
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.(C)
We will not hide them from their descendants;(D)
    we will tell the next generation(E)
the praiseworthy deeds(F) of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders(G) he has done.
He decreed statutes(H) for Jacob(I)
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,(J)
    and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget(K) his deeds
    but would keep his commands.(L)
They would not be like their ancestors(M)
    a stubborn(N) and rebellious(O) generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,(P)
    turned back on the day of battle;(Q)
10 they did not keep God’s covenant(R)
    and refused to live by his law.(S)
11 They forgot what he had done,(T)
    the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles(U) in the sight of their ancestors
    in the land of Egypt,(V) in the region of Zoan.(W)
13 He divided the sea(X) and led them through;
    he made the water stand up like a wall.(Y)
14 He guided them with the cloud by day
    and with light from the fire all night.(Z)
15 He split the rocks(AA) in the wilderness
    and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag
    and made water flow down like rivers.

17 But they continued to sin(AB) against him,
    rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test(AC)
    by demanding the food they craved.(AD)
19 They spoke against God;(AE)
    they said, “Can God really
    spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
    and water gushed out,(AF)
    streams flowed abundantly,
but can he also give us bread?
    Can he supply meat(AG) for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious;
    his fire broke out(AH) against Jacob,
    and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
    or trust(AI) in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
    and opened the doors of the heavens;(AJ)
24 he rained down manna(AK) for the people to eat,
    he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
    he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind(AL) from the heavens
    and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
    birds(AM) like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
    all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged—(AN)
    he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved,
    even while the food was still in their mouths,(AO)
31 God’s anger rose against them;
    he put to death the sturdiest(AP) among them,
    cutting down the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;(AQ)
    in spite of his wonders,(AR) they did not believe.(AS)
33 So he ended their days in futility(AT)
    and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek(AU) him;
    they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock,(AV)
    that God Most High was their Redeemer.(AW)
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,(AX)
    lying to him with their tongues;
37 their hearts were not loyal(AY) to him,
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful;(AZ)
    he forgave(BA) their iniquities(BB)
    and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger(BC)
    and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,(BD)
    a passing breeze(BE) that does not return.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 78:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (A)“Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. 22 For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them (B)concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this command I gave them: (C)‘Obey my voice, and (D)I will be your God, and you shall be my people. (E)And walk in all the way that I command you, (F)that it may be well with you.’ 24 (G)But they did not obey or incline their ear, (H)but walked in their own counsels and (I)the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and (J)went backward and not forward. 25 From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, (K)I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. 26 (L)Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, (M)but stiffened their neck. (N)They did worse than their fathers.

27 (O)“So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. (P)You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; (Q)truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.

29 (R)“‘Cut off your hair and cast it away;
    raise a lamentation on (S)the bare heights,
for the Lord has rejected and forsaken
    the generation of his wrath.’

The Valley of Slaughter

30 “For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the Lord. They have set (T)their detestable things in the house (U)that is called by my name, to (V)defile it. 31 And they have built the high places of (W)Topheth, which is in (X)the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, (Y)to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, (Z)which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. 32 (AA)Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it will no more be called (AB)Topheth, or (AC)the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; (AD)for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere. 33 (AE)And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, (AF)and none will frighten them away. 34 (AG)And I will silence in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, (AH)for the land shall become a waste.

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21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(A) and eat(B) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(C) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(D) 23 but I gave them this command:(E) Obey(F) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(G) Walk in obedience to all(H) I command you, that it may go well(I) with you. 24 But they did not listen(J) or pay attention;(K) instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.(L) They went backward(M) and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again(N) I sent you my servants(O) the prophets.(P) 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention.(Q) They were stiff-necked(R) and did more evil than their ancestors.’(S)

27 “When you tell(T) them all this, they will not listen(U) to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.(V) 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.(W) Truth(X) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

29 “‘Cut off(Y) your hair and throw it away; take up a lament(Z) on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned(AA) this generation that is under his wrath.

The Valley of Slaughter

30 “‘The people of Judah have done evil(AB) in my eyes, declares the Lord. They have set up their detestable idols(AC) in the house that bears my Name and have defiled(AD) it. 31 They have built the high places of Topheth(AE) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(AF) to burn their sons and daughters(AG) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.(AH) 32 So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter,(AI) for they will bury(AJ) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. 33 Then the carcasses(AK) of this people will become food(AL) for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away.(AM) 34 I will bring an end to the sounds(AN) of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom(AO) in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem,(AP) for the land will become desolate.(AQ)

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The Promise Realized Through Faith

13 For (A)the promise to Abraham and his offspring (B)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 (C)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For (D)the law brings wrath, but (E)where there is no law (F)there is no transgression.

16 That is why it depends on faith, (G)in order that the promise may rest on grace and (H)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, (I)who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, (J)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, (K)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence (L)the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, (M)“So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was (N)as good as dead ((O)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered (P)the barrenness[a] of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that (Q)God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But (R)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us (S)who believe in (T)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 (U)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised (V)for our justification.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:19 Greek deadness

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(A) that he would be heir of the world,(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(C) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(D) 15 because the law brings wrath.(E) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(F)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(G) and may be guaranteed(H) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(I) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a](J) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(K) to the dead and calls(L) into being things that were not.(M)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(N) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b](O) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(P)—since he was about a hundred years old(Q)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(R) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(S) in his faith and gave glory to God,(T) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(U) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(V) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(W) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(X) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(Y) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(Z) and was raised to life for our justification.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  2. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5

Rivers of Living Water

37 (A)On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, (B)“If anyone thirsts, let him (C)come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, (D)as[a] the Scripture has said, (E)‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of (F)living water.’” 39 Now (G)this he said about the Spirit, (H)whom those who believed in him were to receive, (I)for as yet the Spirit had not been (J)given, (K)because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, (L)some of the people said, “This really is (M)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (N)the Christ.” But some said, (O)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes (P)from the offspring of David, and comes (Q)from Bethlehem, the village (R)where David was?” 43 So there was (S)a division among the people over him. 44 (T)Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 (U)The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, (V)“No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, (W)“Have you also been deceived? 48 (X)Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 (Y)Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 (Z)“Does our law judge a man without first (AA)giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, (AB)“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that (AC)no prophet arises from Galilee.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(A) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(B) 38 Whoever believes(C) in me, as Scripture has said,(D) rivers of living water(E) will flow from within them.”[a](F) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(G) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(H) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(I)

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”(J)

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?(K) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants(L) and from Bethlehem,(M) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided(N) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.(O)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”(P) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?”(Q) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?(R) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus,(S) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”(T)

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”