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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Psalm 78 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/psalms/78.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/psalms/78-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Psalm 78</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../psalms/77.htm" title="Psalm 77">◄</a> Psalm 78 <a href="../psalms/79.htm" title="Psalm 79">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="d">(A special psalm by Asaph.)</h3><h3 class="s1">What God Has Done for His People</h3>1My friends, I beg youto listen as I teach.2<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.2!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> I will give instructionand explain the mysteryof what happened long ago.3These are things we learnedfrom our ancestors,4and we will tell themto the next generation.We won't keep secretthe glorious deedsand the mighty miraclesof the Lord.5God gave his Lawto Jacob's descendants,the people of Israel.And he told our ancestorsto teach their children,6so that each new generationwould know his Lawand tell it to the next.7Then they would trust Godand obey his teachings,without forgetting anythingGod had done.8They would be differentfrom their ancestors,who were stubborn, rebellious,and unfaithful to God.9The warriors from Ephraimwere armed with arrows,but they ran awaywhen the battle began.10They broke their agreementwith God,and they turned their backson his teaching.11They forgot all he had done,even the mighty miracles12<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.12!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> <a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.12!x.2" class="notelink x-link"></a> he did for their ancestorsnear Zoan<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.12!f.3" class="notelink f-link">+</a> in Egypt.13<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.13!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> God made a path in the seaand piled up the wateras he led them across.14<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.14!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He guided them during the daywith a cloud,and each night he led themwith a flaming fire.15<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.15!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> God made water flowfrom rocks he split openin the desert,and his people drank freely,as though from a lake.16He made streams gush outlike rivers from rocks.17But in the desert,the people of God Most Highkept sinning and rebelling.18<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.18!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> They stubbornly tested Godand demanded from himwhat they wanted to eat.19They challenged God by saying,“Can God provide foodout here in the desert?20It's true God struck the rockand water gushed outlike a river,but can he give his peoplebread and meat?”21When the Lord heard this,he was angry and furiouswith Jacob's descendants,the people of Israel.22They had refused to trust him,and they had doubtedhis saving power.23But God gave a commandto the clouds,and he opened the doorsin the skies.24<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.24!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> From heaven he sent grainthat they called manna.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.24!f.2" class="notelink f-link">+</a> 25He gave them more than enough,and each one of them atethis special food.26God's mighty powersent a strong windfrom the southeast,27and it brought birdsthat covered the ground,like sand on the beach.28Then God made the birds fallin the camp of his peoplenear their tents.29God gave his peopleall they wanted,and each of them ateuntil they were full.30But before they had swallowedthe last bite,31God became angry and killedthe strongest and bestfrom the families of Israel.32But the rest kept on sinningand would not trustGod's miracles.33So he cut their lives shortand made them terrified.34After he killed some of them,the others turned to himwith all their hearts.35They remembered God Most High,the mighty rock<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.35!f.1" class="notelink f-link">+</a> that kept them safe.36But they tried to flatter God,and they told him lies;37<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.37!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> they were unfaithfuland broke their promises.38Yet God was kind.He kept forgiving their sinsand didn't destroy them.He often became angry,but never lost his temper.39God remembered that theywere made of fleshand were like a windthat blows onceand then dies down.40While they were in the desert,they often rebelledand made God sad.41They kept testing himand caused terrible painfor the Holy One of Israel.42They forgot about his powerand how he had rescued themfrom their enemies.43God showed them all kindsof wonderful miraclesnear Zoan<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.43!f.1" class="notelink f-link">+</a> in Egypt.44<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.44!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He turned the rivers of Egyptinto blood,and no one could drinkfrom the streams.45<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.45!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He sent swarms of fliesto pester the Egyptians,and he sent frogsto cause them trouble.46<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.46!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> God let worms and grasshopperseat their crops.47<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.47!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He destroyed their grapevinesand their fig treeswith hail and floods.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.47!f.2" class="notelink f-link">+</a> 48Then he killed their cattlewith hailand their other animalswith lightning.49God was so angry and furiousthat he went into a rageand caused them great troubleby sending swarmsof destroying angels.50God released his angerand slaughtered themin a terrible way.51<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.51!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He killed the first-born sonof each Egyptian family.52<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.52!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> Then God led his peopleout of Egyptand guided them in the desertlike a flock of sheep.53<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.53!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He led them safely along,and they were not afraid,but their enemies drownedin the sea.54<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.54!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> God brought his peopleto the sacred mountainthat he had takenby his own power.55<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.55!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He made nations runfrom the tribes of Israel,and he let the tribestake over their land.56<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.56!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> But the people testedGod Most High,and they refusedto obey his laws.57They were as unfaithfulas their ancestors,and they were as crookedas a twisted arrow.58God demanded all their love,but they made him angryby worshiping idols.59So God became furiousand completely rejectedthe people of Israel.60<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.60!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> Then he deserted his homeat Shiloh, where he livedhere on earth.61<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.61!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> He let enemies capturethe sacred chest<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.61!f.2" class="notelink f-link">+</a> and let them dishonor him.62God took out his angeron his chosen onesand let them be killedby enemy swords.63Fire destroyed the young men,and the young women were leftwith no one to marry.64Priests died violent deaths,but their widowswere not allowed to mourn.65Finally the Lord woke up,like a soldierstartled from a drunken sleep.66God scattered his enemiesand made them ashamedforever.67Then the Lord decidednot to make his homewith Joseph's descendantsin Ephraim.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.67!f.1" class="notelink f-link">+</a> 68Instead he chose the tribeof Judah,and he chose Mount Zion,the place he loves.69There he built his templeas lofty as the mountainsand as solid as the earthhe made to last forever.70<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.78.70!x.1" class="notelink x-link"></a> The Lord God chose Davidto be his servant and took himfrom tending sheep71and from caring for lambs.Then God made him the leaderof Israel, his own nation.72David treated the people fairlyand guided them with wisdom.</div> </div> <a name="fn"></a> Footnotes: <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.12 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Zoan: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">A city in the eastern part of the Nile Delta.</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.24 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">manna: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">When the people of Israel were wandering through the desert, the Lord gave them a special kind of food to eat. It tasted like a wafer and was called “manna,” which in Hebrew means, “What is this?”</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.35 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">mighty rock: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 18.2.</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.43 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Zoan: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 78.12.</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.47 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">floods: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “frost.”</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.61 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">sacred chest: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The Hebrew text has “his power,” which refers to the sacred chest. In Psalm 132.8 it is called “powerful.”</char></note> <note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">78.67 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">with … Ephraim: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Ephraim was Joseph's youngest son. One of the twelve tribes was named after him, and sometimes the northern kingdom of Israel was also known as Ephraim. The town of Shiloh was in the territory of Ephraim, but the place where God was worshiped was moved from there to Zion (Jerusalem) in the territory of Judah.</char></note></div></div> <div align="center">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. 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