Psalm 77
Asafu's mind | Into learning. Asafa. |
| 1 Hearken, my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth. | 1 Listen, my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth: |
| 2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will proclaim the decrees from the beginning. | 2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak original riddles. |
| 3 I have heard and known, and our fathers told us: | 3 How many times have we heard and known them, and our fathers have told us, |
| 4 not being hidden from their children throughout their generations, proclaiming the praises of the Lord and His mighty works and the wonders He has done. | 4 It was not hidden from their children in another generation; We proclaim the praises of the Lord, and His powers, and His wonders that He has done. |
| 5 And set forth a testimony in Jacob, and laid down a law in Israel: This is the commandment of our fathers, that I said unto my sons, | 5 And He raised up a testimony in Jacob, and established a law in Israel, according to all that He commanded our fathers, to impart it to their sons. |
| 6 For this kindred shall know that those who are born sons shall arise and command their sons: | 6 So that another generation may know the sons that will be born; and they will rise up and tell it to their sons. |
| 7 Let them put their trust in God, and not forget the works of God, and seek His commandments. | 7 So that they may place their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, and seek His commandments. |
| 8 Let not a generation be like their fathers, a crooked and bitter generation, a generation that has not straightened its heart, and has not trusted its spirit with God. | 8 So that they do not become like their fathers, a stubborn and troublesome generation, a generation that did not correct its heart and did not entrust its spirit to God. |
| 9 The sons of Ephraim, drawing and shooting bows, returned on the day of battle: | 9 The sons of Ephraim, straining and shooting their bows, turned back to the day of battle. |
| 10 You have not kept the covenant of God, and you have not desired to walk in His law. | 10 They did not keep the covenant of God and did not want to walk according to His law, |
| 11 And they forgot His good works, and His wonders which He showed them | 11 and they forgot His good works and His wonders which He showed them, |
| 12 Before their fathers, they did wonders in the land of Egypt, in the city of Thaneos. | 12 The wonders which he did before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Tanis. |
| 13 Open the sea and lead them through, making the waters like fur. | 13 He opened the sea and brought them through; he brought water like in a bottle, |
| 14 And I taught with a cloud during the days, and all the night with the illumination of fire. | 14 And he guided them with a cloud during the day, and all the night with a shining fire. |
| 15 Open up the stone in the desert, and give me drink as in the depths of the deep, | 15 He tore apart the rock in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep, |
| 16 And he brought water out of the stone, and brought down water like rivers. | 16 And he brought water out of the rock, and brought down the waters like rivers. |
| 17 And he added to sin again, causing the Most High to grieve in the abyss; | 17 And they continued to sin against Him: they grieved the Most High in a waterless land, |
| 18 And having tempted God in your hearts, you question the meat of your souls. | 18 And they tempted God in their hearts, demanding food for their souls. |
| 19 And slandering God, and deciding: food, will God be able to prepare a meal in the desert? | 19 And they slandered God and said, “Can God really prepare a meal in the desert? |
| 20 Thou hast struck the stone, and the waters have flowed, and the streams have flooded: can He give food and bread, or prepare a table for His people? | 20 For He struck the rock, and the waters flowed out, and the streams overflowed; Can he really give bread or prepare a meal for his people?” |
| 21 For this reason the Lord heard and despised: and fire burned in Jacob, and wrath arose against Israel, | 21 Therefore God heard and was indignant; and fire burned in Jacob, and wrath arose against Israel, |
| 22 Because you have not believed in God, you have placed less hope in His salvation. | 22 For they did not believe God and did not trust in salvation from Him. |
| 23 And the commandment was a cloud from above, and the doors of heaven were opened, | 23 And He commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, |
| 24 And provide them with manna to eat, and give them the bread of heaven. | 24 And he rained down manna upon them for food, and gave them the bread of heaven. |
| 25 The bread of the angels was given to the people; it was bestowed upon them until they were full. | 25 The man ate the bread of the angels; He sent them food until they were full. |
| 26 Raise up the south from heaven, and bring down the rain with His power, | 26 He lifted up the south wind from heaven, and brought in the west wind by His power, |
| 27 And rain upon her like the dust of flesh, and like the sand of the sea the birds of the sea. | 27 And he rained down upon them flesh like dust, and like the sand of the sea, feathered birds, |
| 28 And he attacked in the midst of their camp, around their dwellings. | 28 And they attacked in the midst of their camp, around their tents. |
| 29 And you ate and were filled with plenty, and you brought their desire to them. | 29 And they ate and were filled abundantly, and He gave them their desire, |
| 30 I am not deprived of my desire: I will still eat food in their mouths: | 30 did not lose what they wanted. But while food was still in their mouths, |
| 31 And the wrath of God arose against her, and she killed the multitude of them, and killed the chosen ones of Israel. | 31 The wrath of God came upon them and killed many of them, and overthrew the chosen ones of Israel. |
| 32 In all these things you have yet sinned, and have not believed through His miracles. | 32 For all this they still sinned and did not believe His miracles, |
| 33 And their days perished in vanity, and their years in vanity. | 33 And their days passed away in vanity, and their years with speed. |
| 34 Whenever I have killed, then I will seek Him, and turn and pray to God: | 34 When He killed them, they sought Him, and turned, and from the dawn they rushed to God, |
| 35 And remember that God is their Helper, and God the Most High is their Savior. | 35 And they remembered that God is their Helper, and God Most High is their Deliverer. |
| 36 And she loved Him with her mouth, and lied to Him with her tongue: | 36 And they loved Him only with their lips, and lied to Him with their tongues, |
| 37 But their heart was not right with Him, having less confidence in His covenant. | 37 But their heart was not right with Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant. |
| 38 He is also generous, and will cleanse their sins, and will not corrupt them, and will avert His wrath, and will not kindle all His anger. | 38 But He is compassionate, and will have mercy on their sins, and will not destroy, and will turn away His wrath many times over, and will not kindle all His anger. |
| 39 And I will remember, for this is flesh, but spirit walk and be not turned back. | 39 And He remembered that they are flesh, a spirit that goes away and does not return. |
| 40 How did the Kolkrats grieve Him in the desert, anger Him in the waterless lands? | 40 How often did they grieve Him in the wilderness, anger Him in the dry land? |
| 41 And he turned, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel, | 41 Sometimes they turned, sometimes they tempted God, and they provoked the Holy One of Israel. |
| 42 And having not remembered His hand in the day, I delivered the stench from the hand of the one who offends, | 42 And they did not remember His hand, the day in which He delivered them out of the hand of the oppressor, |
| 43 Just as you placed Your signs in Egypt, and Your wonders in the city of Thaneos, | 43 when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the plain of Tanis. |
| 44 And turn their rivers and their fountains into blood, so that they do not drink. | 44 And he turned their rivers and their streams into blood, so that they could not drink. |
| 45 The dog sent flies and eaters upon her; I also sent frogs and moles. | 45 He sent flies among them, and they bit them, and frogs, and they destroyed them. |
| 46 And he gave their fruit to the rust, and their labor to the wind. | 46 And he gave their fruits to the rust, and their labor to the locusts. |
| 47 Kill their grapes with hail, and their blueberries with slough, | 47 Their grapes were struck with hail, and their mulberries with frost. |
| 48 And they gave the city their cattle and their goods to the fire. | 48 And he gave the city their cattle and their property to the fire. |
| 49 He sent upon her the wrath of His fury, fury and wrath and grief, the message of fierce angels. | 49 He sent His furious wrath upon them, wrath and wrath and sorrow, sent through the angels of trouble. |
| 50 Make a path for Your wrath, and do not spare their souls from death: and imprison their cattle in death, | 50 He made a path for His wrath, and did not spare their souls from death, and shut up their livestock in death. |
| 51 And smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt, the firstfruits of all their labor in the villages of Ham. | 51 And he smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, the first fruit of all their labor in the tents of Ham. |
| 52 And I raised up My people like sheep, and I raised up My people like flocks in the wilderness, | 52 And he raised up his people like sheep, and led them like a flock in the wilderness. |
| 53 And I taught them to trust, and not to fear, and their enemies covered the sea. | 53 And he led them in hope, and they were not afraid, but the sea covered their enemies. |
| 54 And I brought into the mountain of His holiness, this mountain, which His right hand possessed. | 54 And He brought them to the mountain of His holiness, to this mountain which His right hand had acquired, |
| 55 And he drove out the tongues from before them, and gave them [land] to the already given lots by lot, and settled the tribes of Israel in their villages. | 55 And he drove out the nations from before them, and gave them their land as an inheritance, dividing it by lot by rope, and he settled the tribes of Israel in their dwellings. |
| 56 And you have tempted and grieved the Most High God, and have not kept His testimonies, | 56 And they tempted and grieved the Most High God, and did not keep His testimony, |
| 57 And they turned away and rejected themselves, as their fathers did, becoming a corrupt bow, | 57 and they turned away and changed, just as their fathers did, becoming a crooked bow, |
| 58 And provoked Him to anger in their hills, and provoked Him to anger in their idols. | 58 And they provoked Him to anger on their hills, and aroused His jealousy with their graven images. |
| 59 God heard and despised and humiliated Israel, | 59 God heard, and despised, and completely despised Israel, |
| 60 And I will tear away the tabernacle of Shiloh, the village where men dwelt. | 60 And he rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh, his dwelling place, in which he dwelt among men. |
| 61 And he delivered their strength into captivity, and their goodness into the hands of their enemies, | 61 And he delivered their strength and their beauty into captivity into the hands of their enemies, |
| 62 And shut up Your people in arms, and despise Your property. | 62 And he brought his people into the power of the sword, and despised his inheritance. |
| 63 Their young men ate fire, and their virgins did not complain; | 63 Their young men were consumed by fire, and their virgins were not mourned; |
| 64 Their priests fell with the sword, and their widows will not be mourned. | 64 Their priests have fallen by the sword, and their widows will not be mourned. |
| 65 And the Lord arose, as He slept, as He was strong and noisy with wine, | 65 And like one sleeping, the Lord awoke, like a strong man drunk with wine, |
| 66 And strike back Your enemies; give them eternal reproach. | 66 And he struck His enemies in the rear, giving them over to eternal shame. |
| 67 And I will cut off the village of Joseph, and will not choose the tribe of Ephraim, | 67 And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; |
| 68 And you chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which you loved, | 68 And he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. |
| 69 And He made His sanctuary like a unicorn, a foundation on earth and forever. | 69 And he built his sanctuary like a unicorn, and founded it on the earth forever. |
| 70 And he chose David as his servant, and they took him from the flock of sheep. | 70 And he chose David his servant, and called him from the flocks of sheep, |
| 71 From the milkmen he gave water to feed Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance. | 71 He took it from the milkers to feed Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance. |
| 72 And I guarded in the innocence of my heart, and in understanding I directed my hand to eat. | 72 And he began to shepherd them in the goodness of his heart and led them with his prudent hands. |
| Glory: | Glory: |
Hearken, my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will proclaim the decrees from the beginning. I have heard and known, and our fathers have told us: not being hidden from their children in their generation, exalting the praises of the Lord and His powers, and His miracles that He did. And you raised up a testimony in Jacob, and laid down a law in Israel: This is the commandment of our fathers, that I should tell my sons, that another generation shall know that they that are born sons, and they shall arise and command their sons: that they may put their trust in God, and not forget their deeds. God, and His commandments will be sought. May they not be like their fathers, a generation that is obstinate and bitter, a generation that has not straightened its heart and has not trusted its spirit with God. The sons of Ephraim drew bows and shot, returning on the day of battle: not having kept the covenant of God, neither did they desire to walk in His law. And they forgot His good deeds, and His miracles, which He had shown them before their fathers, and which He did miracles in the land of Egypt: on the land of Thaneos. Open up the sea and lead them through, imagine the waters like fur. And I will instruct with a cloud during the days and all the night with the illumination of fire. You opened up a stone in the desert, and I gave you water like the depths of water, and you brought water out of the stone, and you brought down water like rivers of water. And he added another sin to Him, causing the Most High to grieve in the abyss; and having tempted God in your hearts, ask for food for your souls. And slandering God, and deciding: food, will God be able to prepare a meal in the desert? Thou hast struck the stone, and the waters have flowed, and the sweats have flooded: can He provide food and bread, or prepare a meal for His people? For this reason, the Lord heard and despised: and fire kindled in Jacob, and wrath arose against Israel, because they did not believe in God, they trusted less in His salvation. And the commandment was a cloud from above, and you opened the doors of heaven, and rained down manna for them to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven. The angelic bread was given to man, he sent it to them until they were full. Raise up the south from heaven, and bring down the rain with Your power, and rain on it like the dust of flesh, and the birds of the sea like sand. And he attacked in the midst of their camp, around their dwellings. And you ate and were very full, and bring their desire to them. Not being deprived of my desire: I will again destroy the dry land in their mouths: and the wrath of God arose against her, and killed the multitude of them, and killed the chosen ones of Israel. In all these things you have yet sinned, and have not believed in His miracles. And their days perished in vanity, and their years in vanity. Whenever I kill, then I seek Him, and turn and pray to God: and remember that God is their Helper, and God the Most High is their Savior. And they loved Him with their lips, and lied to Him with their tongue: but their heart was not right with Him, less confident in His covenant. He is also generous, and will cleanse their sins, and will not corrupt them, and will avert His wrath, and will not kindle all His anger. And let me remember, for the essence of the flesh is the spirit, walk and do not be turned back. How did the crates grieve Him in the desert, anger Him in the waterless lands? And having turned, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel, and did not remember His hand on the day, I delivered the stench from the hand of the one who offends, just as you placed your signs in Egypt, and your wonders on the land of Thaneos, and turned their rivers and springs into blood they are not to be drunk. I sent flies and eaters at her, and toads and plants. And give their fruits unto rust, and their labors in vain. Slay their grapes with hail, and their blueberries, and deliver their livestock to the hail, and their property with fire. He sent upon her the wrath of His fury, fury and wrath and sorrow, the message of fierce angels. Make a path for Your wrath, and do not spare their souls from death: and imprison their cattle in death, and smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt, the firstfruits of all their labor in the villages of Ham. And I raised up My people like sheep, and I raised up My people like flocks in the wilderness, and I taught them to trust, and did not fear, and their enemies covered the sea. And I brought into the mountain of My holiness, this mountain, which His right hand possessed. And he drove out the tongues from before them, and gave them [the land] by lot by lot, and settled the tribes of Israel in their villages. And you have tempted and grieved the Most High God, and have not preserved His testimonies, and have turned away and rejected, like their fathers, turning into a depraved bow, and have angered Him in your hills and provoked Him in your idols. God heard and despised and despised the land of Israel, and tore away the tabernacle of Shiloh, the village that had dwelt among men. And you delivered their strength into captivity, and their kindness into the hands of enemies, and locked up your people in weapons, and despised your property. Their young men ate fire, and their virgins did not complain; Their priests fell with the sword, and their widows will not be mourned. And the Lord arose, as He slept, as He was strong and noisy with wine, and struck His enemies back, He gave them eternal reproach. And I will cast off the village of Joseph, and will not choose the tribe of Ephraim, and will choose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which thou hast loved, and made Thy sanctuary like a unicorn, the foundation of the earth, and for ever. And he chose David as his servant, and they took him from the flock of sheep. From the milking women they give water to the mouth of Jacob, His servant, and Israel, His heritage. And I guarded in the kindness of my heart, and in my understanding I directed my hand to eat.
Glory:
Interpretation
In the chant we can see that the Lord is not only a giver and patron. If you disobey God and neglect His care, punishment will immediately follow. People's actions are sometimes so vile that going against the decisions of the Almighty is wrong even from a moral point of view. To understand the meaning of the psalm thoroughly, you need to analyze each verse.
- Verses 1-8. It tells in general terms where the Jewish people came from. This beginning helps to understand the theme of the psalm and get into the swing of things.
- Verses 9-39. The author tells us that the people of Israel acted wrongly towards the Lord. In their ignorance they became far from God and he brought down his punishments on them. The people began to drag out a weak existence, only over time realizing their powerlessness and love for the Almighty.
- Verses 40-72. Almost an entire half of the chant is devoted to the part where the author talks about the mercies that the Lord extends from himself and His punishments. People don't always understand why they are punished. Sometimes they don’t even understand what they did to deserve God’s disfavor. Awareness of wrongdoing occurs over time. The author reports that repentance is the only way to accept forgiveness. Only through repentance does a person recognize the wrongness of his actions in the past.
The song itself is a real parable for the Jewish people, an event in time when God's chosen people sought repentance for their sinful deeds before the Creator.
