MY FAVORITE PSALMS - PART TWENTY SIXI will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and have known and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wonderful works which He has done.
For He has established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which He commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children.
That the generations to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.
And not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle, they kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law; and forgot His work and His wonders that He had shown them. Marvellous things did He in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; and He made the waters to stand as a heap.
In the daytime also, he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
He clave the rock in the wilderness and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
And they sinned yet more against Him, by provoking the Most High in the wilderness. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Yea, they spoke against God, they said, Can God establish a table in the wilderness?
Behold He smote the rock that the waters rushed out, and the streams overflowed; can He give bread also? Can He provide flesh for His people?
Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth. So a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they believed not in God and trusted not in His salvation.
Though He had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of heaven. Man did eat angel's food. He sent them meat to the full.
He caused the East wind to blow in the heaven; and by His power He brought in the South wind. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls as the sands of the sea; and He let it fall in the midst of their camp , round about their habitations.
So they did eat and were well filled; for He gave them their own desire. They were now estranged from their lust. But while their meat was still in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not for His wondrous works. Therefore their days did He consume in vanity and their years in trouble.
When they He slew them then they sought Him; and they inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock and the High God their Redeemer.
Nevertheless they did flatter Him with their mouth and they lied unto Him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with Him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant.
But He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time turned He His anger away and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness and grieve Him in the dessert? Yea, they turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel.
They remembered not His hand, nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy. How He had wrought His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the field of Zoan. And He turned their rivers into blood and their floods, that they could not drink.
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