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A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
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I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
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things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
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We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought.
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He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children;
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that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
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so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
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and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
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The E'phraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
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They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.
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They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them.
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In the sight of their fathers he wrought marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.
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He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.
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In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light.
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He cleft rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
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He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
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Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
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They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.
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They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
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He smote the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread, or provide meat for his people?"
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Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel;
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because they had no faith in God, and did not trust his saving power.
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Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;
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and he rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven.
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Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.
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He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;
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he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;
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he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their habitations.
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And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.
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But before they had sated their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,
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the anger of God rose against them and he slew the strongest of them, and laid low the picked men of Israel.
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In spite of all this they still sinned; despite his wonders they did not believe.
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So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.
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When he slew them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
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They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
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But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.
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Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.
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Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath.
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He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.