Psalm 78
A maskil of Asaph.
1My people, listen to my teaching.
Pay attention to what I say.
2I will open my mouth and tell a story.
I will speak about things that were hidden.
They happened a long time ago.
3We have heard about them and we know them.
Our people who lived before us have told us about them.
4We won’t hide them from our children.
We will tell them to those who live after us.
We will tell them what the Lord has done that is worthy of praise.
We will talk about his power and the wonderful things he has done.
5He gave laws to the people of Jacob.
He gave Israel their law.
He commanded our people who lived before us
to teach his laws to their children.
6Then those born later would know his laws.
Even their children yet to come would know them.
And they in turn would tell their children.
7Then they would put their trust in God.
They would not forget what he had done.
They would obey his commands.
8They would not be like their people who lived long ago.
Those people were stubborn. They refused to obey God.
They turned away from him.
Their spirits were not faithful to him.
9The soldiers of Ephraim were armed with bows.
But they ran away on the day of battle.
10They didn’t keep the covenant God had made with them.
They refused to live by his law.
11They forgot what he had done.
They didn’t remember the wonders he had shown them.
12He did miracles right in front of their people who lived long ago.
At that time they were living in Egypt, in the area of Zoan.
13God parted the Red Sea and led them through it.
He made the water stand up like a wall.
14He guided them with the cloud during the day.
He led them with the light of a fire all night long.
15He broke the rocks open in the desert.
He gave them as much water as there is in the oceans.
16He brought streams out of a rocky cliff.
He made water flow down like rivers.
17But they continued to sin against him.
In the desert they refused to obey the Most High God.
18They were stubborn and tested God.
They ordered him to give them the food they wanted.
19They spoke against God. They said,
“Can God really put food on a table in the desert?
20It is true that he struck the rock, and streams of water poured out.
Huge amounts of water flowed down.
But can he also give us bread?
Can he supply meat for his people?”
21When the Lord heard what they said, he was very angry.
His anger broke out like fire against the people of Jacob.
He became very angry with Israel.
22That was because they didn’t believe in God.
They didn’t trust in his power to save them.
23But he gave a command to the skies above.
He opened the doors of the heavens.
24He rained down manna for the people to eat.
He gave them the grain of heaven.
25Mere human beings ate the bread of angels.
He sent them all the food they could eat.
26He made the east wind blow from the heavens.
By his power he caused the south wind to blow.
27He rained down meat on them like dust.
He sent them birds like sand on the seashore.
28He made the birds come down inside their camp.
The birds fell all around their tents.
29People ate until they couldn’t eat any more.
He gave them what they had wanted.
30But even before they had finished eating, God acted.
He did it while the food was still in their mouths.
31His anger rose up against them.
He put to death the strongest among them.
He struck down Israel’s young men.
32But even after all that, they kept on sinning.
Even after the wonderful things he had done, they still didn’t believe.
33So he brought their days to an end like a puff of smoke.
He ended their years with terror.
34Every time God killed some of them, the others would seek him.
They gladly turned back to him again.
35They remembered that God was their Rock.
They remembered that God Most High had set them free.
36But they didn’t mean it when they praised him.
They lied to him when they spoke.
37They turned away from him.
They weren’t faithful to the covenant he had made with them.
38But he was full of tender love.
He forgave their sins
and didn’t destroy his people.
Time after time he held back his anger.
He didn’t let all his burning anger blaze out.
39He remembered that they were only human.
He remembered they were only a breath of air
that drifts by and doesn’t return.
40How often they refused to obey him in the desert!
How often they caused him sorrow in that dry and empty land!
41Again and again they tested God.
They made the Holy One of Israel sad and angry.
42They didn’t remember his power.
They forgot the day he set them free
from those who had treated them so badly.
43They forgot how he had shown them his signs in Egypt.
They forgot his miracles in the area of Zoan.
44He turned the river of Egypt into blood.
The people of Egypt couldn’t drink water from their streams.
45He sent large numbers of flies that bit them.
He sent frogs that destroyed their land.
46He gave their crops to the grasshoppers.
He gave their food to the locusts.
47He destroyed their vines with hail.
He destroyed their fig trees with sleet.
48He killed their cattle with hail.
Their livestock were struck by lightning.
49Because he was so angry with Egypt, he caused them to have great trouble.
In his great anger he sent destroying angels against them.
50God prepared a path for his anger.
He didn’t spare their lives.
He gave them over to the plague.
51He killed the oldest son of each family in Egypt.
He struck down the oldest son in every house in the land of Ham.
52But he brought his people out like a flock.
He led them like sheep through the desert.
53He guided them safely, and they weren’t afraid.
But the Red Sea swallowed up their enemies.
54And so he brought his people to the border of his holy land.
He led them to the central hill country he had taken by his power.
55He drove out the nations to make room for his people.
He gave to each family a piece of land to pass on to their children.
He gave the tribes of Israel a place to make their homes.
56But they tested God.
They refused to obey the Most High God.
They didn’t keep his laws.
57They were like their people who lived long ago.
They turned away from him and were not faithful.
They were like a bow that doesn’t shoot straight.
They couldn’t be trusted.
58They made God angry by going to their high places.
They made him jealous by worshiping the statues of their gods.
59When God saw what the people were doing, he was very angry.
He turned away from them completely.
60He deserted the holy tent at Shiloh.
He left the tent he had set up among his people.
61He allowed the ark to be captured.
Into the hands of his enemies he sent the ark where his glory rested.
62He let his people be killed by swords.
He was very angry with them.
63Fire destroyed their young men.
Their young women had no one to marry.
64Their priests were killed by swords.
Their widows weren’t able to weep.
65Then the Lord woke up as if he had been sleeping.
He was like a warrior waking up from the deep sleep caused by wine.
66He drove back his enemies.
He put them to shame that will last forever.
67He turned his back on the tents of the people of Joseph.
He didn’t choose to live in the tribe of Ephraim.
68Instead, he chose to live in the tribe of Judah.
He chose Mount Zion, which he loved.
69There he built his holy place as secure as the heavens.
He built it to last forever, like the earth.
70He chose his servant David.
He took him from the sheep pens.
71He brought him from tending sheep
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob.
He made him the shepherd of Israel, his special people.
72David cared for them with a faithful and honest heart.
With skilled hands he led them.
Dwom 78
Asaf dwom.
1Me nkurɔfo, muntie me nkyerɛkyerɛ;
monyɛ aso mma mʼanom nsɛm.
2Mɛkasa wɔ abebu mu,
mɛka ahintasɛm, teteete nneɛma no,
3nneɛma a yɛate na yɛahu;
nneɛma a yɛn agyanom aka ho asɛm akyerɛ yɛn.
4Yɛremfa nkame wɔn mma;
yɛbɛka akyerɛ nkyirimma
Awurade nneyɛe a ɛfata nkamfo no,
ne tumi ne anwonwade a wayɛ no.
5Ɔyɛɛ ahyɛde maa Yakob
na ɔyɛɛ mmara wɔ Israel,
nea ɔhyɛɛ yɛn nenanom
sɛ wɔnkyerɛ wɔn mma,
6sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nkyirimma besua,
mpo mmofra a wonnya nwoo wɔn,
na wɔn nso akyerɛkyerɛ wɔn mma.
7Afei wɔde wɔn ho bɛto Onyankopɔn so,
na wɔn werɛ remfi ne nneyɛe,
na wobedi nʼahyɛde so.
8Wɔrenyɛ sɛ wɔn nenanom,
a na wɔyɛ asoɔdenfo ne atuatewfo,
wɔn a wonni Onyankopɔn nokware wɔ wɔn koma mu
na woyɛ honhom mu atorofo ma no no.
9Ɛwɔ mu sɛ na Efraim mmarima kurakura agyan,
nanso ɔko da no woguanee;
10Wɔanni Onyankopɔn apam no so,
wɔampɛ sɛ wodi ne mmara no so.
11Wɔn werɛ fii nea wayɛ,
anwonwade a wayɛ akyerɛ wɔn no.
12Ɔyɛɛ anwonwade wɔ wɔn nenanom anim,
wɔ Soan mantam a ɛwɔ Misraim asase so.
13Ɔkyɛɛ po mu na ɔde wɔn faa mu.
Ɔmaa nsu no gyinaa sɛ afasu.
14Ɔde omununkum dii wɔn anim awia
na ɔde ogyatɛn dii wɔn anim anadwo nyinaa.
15Ɔpaee ɔbotan mu wɔ sare so,
na ɔmaa wɔn nsu a ɛdɔɔso sɛ po;
16Ɔmaa asuti fii abotan mu
na ɔmaa nsu sen sɛ nsubɔnten.
17Nanso wɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ bɔne tiaa no,
wɔsɔre tiaa Ɔsorosoroni no wɔ sare no so.
18Wɔhyɛɛ da kaa aduan a wɔpɛ,
de sɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛe.
19Wɔkasa tiaa Onyankopɔn se,
“Onyankopɔn betumi ato pon wɔ sare so ana?
20Ɔde ade bɔɔ ɔbotan mu no, nsu tue fii mu,
na nsuwa sen buu so.
Na obetumi ama yɛn aduan nso?
Obetumi ama ne nkurɔfo nam ana?”
21Bere a Awurade tee nea wɔreka no, ne bo fuw yiye;
ne gya beguu Yakob so,
na nʼabufuwhyew sɔre tiaa Israel,
22efisɛ na wonni Onyankopɔn mu gyidi
anaasɛ ne nkwagye mu ahotoso.
23Nanso ɔkasa kyerɛɛ ɔsoro wɔ ɔhyɛ so;
na obuee ɔsorosoro apon.
24Ɔtɔɔ mana guu fam maa nnipa no sɛ wunni,
ɔmaa wɔn ɔsoro aduan.
25Nnipa dii abɔfo aduan;
ɔmaa wɔn aduan a wobetumi adi nyinaa.
26Ogyaa apuei mframa fi ɔsoro,
na ofi ne tumi mu bɔɔ atɔe mframa.
27Ɔtɔɔ nam sɛ mfutuma guu wɔn so,
nnomaa a wotu bebree sɛ mpoano nwea.
28Ɔma wɔbaa fam kɔɔ wɔn atenae,
ne wɔn ntamadan ho nyinaa.
29Wodidi maa aduan no boroo wɔn so
efisɛ ɔmaa wɔn nea wɔhwehwɛ.
30Nanso ansa na wobefi aduan a wɔhwehwɛ no ho,
bere a ɛhyehyɛ wɔn anom mpo no,
31Onyankopɔn abufuw sɔree wɔn so;
okum ahoɔdenfo a wɔwɔ wɔn mu
twitwaa Israel mmerante gui.
32Eyinom nyinaa akyi, wɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ bɔne;
nʼanwonwade akyi no, wɔannye anni.
33Enti otwaa wɔn nna so te sɛ ahuru
yɛɛ wɔn mfe awiei huhuuhu.
34Bere biara a Onyankopɔn bekum wɔn no, wɔhwehwɛ no
na wɔpere wɔn ho san ba ne nkyɛn.
35Wɔkaee sɛ Onyankopɔn yɛ wɔn botan,
sɛ Ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn no yɛ wɔn Gyefo.
36Nanso wɔde wɔn ano bɛdaadaa no,
na wɔde wɔn tɛkrɛma atwa atoro akyerɛ no;
37wɔn koma nni no nokware,
na wonni nʼapam no so.
38Nanso na ɔyɛ ahummɔbɔ;
ɔde wɔn amumɔyɛ kyɛɛ wɔn
a wansɛe wɔn.
Mpɛn pii, ɔtwentwɛn nʼabufuw so
na wanhwie nʼabufuwhyew nyinaa.
39Ɔkaee sɛ wɔyɛ ɔhonam ara kwa,
mframa bi a ɛbɔ twa mu na ɛnsan nʼakyi.
40Mpɛn ahe na wɔansɔre antia no wɔ sare no so hɔ,
na mpɛn ahe na wɔamma ne werɛ anhow wɔ asase wosee no so!
41Wɔsɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ bere biara;
na woyii Israel Ɔkronkronni no abufuw.
42Wɔn werɛ fii ne tumi no,
da a ogyee wɔn fii wɔn nhyɛsofo nsam no,
43da a ɔyɛɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne nwonwaso wɔ Misraim no
ne nʼanwonwade wɔ Soan mantam mu no.
44Ɔmaa wɔn nsubɔnten dan mogya;
wɔantumi annom wɔn nsuten mu nsu.
45Ɔmaa nwansenadɔm baa wɔn so bɛhaw wɔn
na mpɔtorɔ nso bɛsɛee wɔn asase.
46Ɔmaa tɛwtɛw bedii wɔn mfuw so aduan
na ɔde wɔn nnɔbae nso maa mmoadabi.
47Ɔde mparuwbo sɛee wɔn bobe
na ɔde sukyerɛmma sɛee wɔn ankye nnua.
48Ɔde sukyerɛmma kum wɔn anantwi
ɔde anyinam kum wɔn nyɛmmoa.
49Ohwiee nʼabufuwhyew guu wɔn so,
abufuw, anibere ne ɔtan;
abɔfo asɛefo kuw no.
50Ɔbɔɔ kwan maa nʼabufuw;
na wamfa wɔn nkwa ankyɛ wɔn,
mmom, ɔde wɔn maa ɔyaredɔm.
51Okunkum Misraimfo mmakan nyinaa,
Ham ntamadan mu nnipa mu abakan.
52Nanso oyii ne nkurɔfo fii mu sɛ nguankuw;
odii wɔn anim sɛ nguan wɔ sare no so.
53Odii wɔn anim dwoodwoo, enti wɔansuro;
nanso wɔn atamfo de, po asorɔkye bu faa wɔn so.
54Sɛɛ na ɔyɛ de wɔn baa nʼasase kronkron no ahye so,
bepɔw asase a ɔde ne nsa nifa gyee no.
55Ɔpam amanaman a wɔwɔ wɔn anim no
na ɔkyekyɛɛ wɔn nsase no mu maa wɔn sɛ wɔn agyapade;
ɔbɔɔ Israel mmusuakuw no atenase wɔ wɔn afi mu.
56Nanso wɔsɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛe,
na wɔsɔre tiaa Ɔsorosoroni no;
na wɔanni ne mmara so.
57Wɔyɛɛ sɛ wɔn agyanom, wɔanni nokware na wɔannya gyidi,
ahotoso nni wɔn mu na wɔte sɛ agyan a asɛe.
58Wɔde wɔn sorɔnsorɔmmea hyɛɛ no abufuw
na wɔn ahoni maa ne ninkutwe mu yɛɛ den.
59Onyankopɔn tee wɔn nka no, ne bo fuwii;
na ɔpoo Israel korakora.
60Ogyaw nʼatenae a ɛwɔ Silo no,
ntamadan a wasi wɔ nnipa mu no.
61Ɔde Apam Adaka a ɛyɛ ne tumi no kɔɔ nnommum mu,
nʼanuonyam kɔɔ atamfo nsam.
62Ɔde ne nkurɔfo maa afoa;
ne bo fuw nʼagyapade yiye.
63Ogya hyew wɔn mmerante kum wɔn,
na wɔn mmabaa annya ayeforohyia dwom anto;
64Wɔn asɔfo wuwuu afoa ano,
na wɔn akunafo antumi ansu.
65Afei Awurade sɔree sɛnea ofi nna mu no,
sɛnea ɔbarima a wabow nsa nyan fi nnahɔɔ mu no.
66Ɔbobɔɔ nʼatamfo ma woguan kɔɔ wɔn akyi;
ɔhyɛɛ wɔn aniwu afebɔɔ.
67Afei ɔpoo Yosef ntamadan no,
na wamfa Efraim abusuakuw no nso;
68Na mmom, ɔfaa Yuda abusuakuw no,
Bepɔw Sion a ɔdɔ no no.
69Osii ne kronkronbea te sɛ sorɔnsorɔmmea,
te sɛ asase a etim hɔ daa.
70Oyii ne somfo Dawid,
ɔfrɛɛ no fii nguannan mu;
71fii nguan akyi na ɔde no bae
se ɔmmɛyɛ oguanhwɛfo mma ne nkurɔfo Yakob,
mma Israel a wɔyɛ nʼagyapade.
72Na Dawid de koma pa hwɛɛ wɔn so
na ɔde ne nimdeɛ dii wɔn anim.
