1 Maschil. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.
2 Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;
3 Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.
4 We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done.
5 He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children;
6 So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children;
7 So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;
8 And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God.
9 The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.
10 They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;
11 They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.
12 He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
13 The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.
14 In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.
15 The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.
16 He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.
17 And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;
18 Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.
19 They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?
20 See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people?
21 So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel;
22 Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.
23 And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;
24 And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.
26 He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.
27 He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,
28 And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.
29 So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;
30 But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel.
32 For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.
33 So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.
34 When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;
35 In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.
36 But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;
37 And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.
38 But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry.
39 So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.
40 How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!
41 Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;
43 How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.
45 He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.
46 He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.
47 He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.
48 Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks.
49 He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them.
50 He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.
51 He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock.
53 He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea.
54 And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his;
55 Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place.
56 But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;
57 Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.
58 They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.
59 When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;
60 So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men;
61 And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater.
62 He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.
63 Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.
64 Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.
65 Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine.
66 His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.
67 And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure.
69 And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever.
70 He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;
71 From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage.
72 So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.
1 Maskil (cantique) d'Asaph. Écoute ma loi, ô mon peuple! Prêtez l'oreille aux paroles de ma bouche.
2 J'ouvrirai ma bouche pour prononcer des discours sentencieux; je publierai les secrets des temps anciens,
3 Que nous avons entendus et connus, et que nos pères nous ont racontés.
4 Nous ne les cacherons point à leurs enfants; nous raconterons à la race future les louanges de l'Éternel, et sa force, et les merveilles qu'il a faites.
5 Il établit un témoignage en Jacob; il mit en Israël une loi, qu'il ordonna à nos pères de faire connaître à leurs enfants;
6 Afin que la génération suivante, les enfants à venir, la connaissent, et qu'en grandissant ils la racontent à leurs enfants;
7 Qu'ils placent en Dieu leur confiance, qu'ils n'oublient pas les oeuvres de Dieu, et qu'ils gardent ses commandements;
8 Et qu'ils ne soient pas, comme leurs pères, une génération rebelle et indocile, génération qui ne disposa point son cœur, et dont l'esprit ne fut pas fidèle à Dieu.
9 Les fils d'Éphraïm, armés et tirant de l'arc, ont tourné le dos au jour du combat.
10 Ils n'ont point gardé l'alliance de Dieu, et n'ont pas voulu marcher dans sa loi.
11 Ils ont mis en oubli ses exploits, et ses merveilles qu'il leur avait fait voir.
12 Il fit des prodiges devant leurs pères, au pays d'Égypte, aux champs de Tsoan.
13 Il fendit la mer et les fit passer; il dressa les eaux comme en un monceau;
14 Et il les conduisit, le jour par la nuée, et toute la nuit par la clarté du feu.
15 Il fendit les rochers au désert, et les abreuva comme à flots abondants.
16 De la pierre il fit sortir des ruisseaux; il fit descendre les eaux comme des rivières.
17 Mais ils continuèrent à pécher contre lui, se rebellant contre le Très-Haut dans le désert.
18 Ils tentèrent Dieu dans leur cœur, demandant des mets selon leur désir.
19 Ils parlèrent contre Dieu et dirent: Dieu pourrait-il dresser une table au désert?
20 Voici, il a frappé la roche, et des eaux ont coulé, et des torrents se sont répandus: pourra-t-il bien donner du pain, préparer de la chair à son peuple?
21 Aussi l'Éternel l'entendit et s'indigna; un feu s'alluma contre Jacob, et la colère s'éleva contre Israël;
22 Parce qu'ils n'avaient pas cru en Dieu, et ne s'étaient pas confiés en son salut.
23 Alors il commanda aux nuées en haut, et ouvrit les portes des cieux.
24 Il fit pleuvoir sur eux la manne pour nourriture, et leur donna le froment des cieux.
25 Chacun mangea le pain des puissants; il leur envoya des vivres à souhait.
26 Il fit lever le vent d'orient dans les cieux, et amena par sa force le vent du midi.
27 Il fit pleuvoir sur eux de la chair comme de la poussière, et des oiseaux ailés, comme le sable des mers.
28 Il les fit tomber au milieu de leur camp, et tout autour de leurs tentes.
29 Ils mangèrent et furent abondamment repus; il leur accorda ce qu'ils désiraient.
30 Ils n'en avaient pas perdu l'envie, les mets étaient encore dans leur bouche,
31 Que la colère de Dieu monta contre eux, qu'il tua leurs hommes forts, et abattit l'élite d'Israël.
32 Et pourtant ils péchèrent encore, et ne crurent point à ses merveilles.
33 Il consuma leurs jours par un souffle, et leurs années par un effroi soudain.
34 Quand il les tuait, ils s'enquéraient de lui, et se remettaient à chercher Dieu.
35 Ils se souvenaient que Dieu était leur rocher, et le Dieu Très-Haut leur rédempteur.
36 Mais ils faisaient beau semblant de leur bouche, et de leur langue ils lui mentaient.
37 Leur cœur n'était pas droit envers lui, et ils n'étaient pas fidèles à son alliance.
38 Mais lui, miséricordieux, pardonnait le crime et ne les détruisait pas; souvent il revint de sa colère, et n'éveilla pas toute sa fureur.
39 Et il se souvint qu'ils n'étaient que chair, un vent qui passe et ne revient pas.
40 Que de fois ils se rebellèrent contre lui au désert, et le contristèrent dans la solitude!
41 Ils recommencèrent à tenter Dieu et à provoquer le Saint d'Israël;
42 Ils ne se souvinrent plus de sa main, du jour où il les délivra de l'oppresseur,
43 Lorsqu'il manifesta ses prodiges en Égypte, et ses miracles dans les champs de Tsoan;
44 Qu'il changea leurs fleuves en sang, et ils n'en burent plus les ondes;
45 Qu'il envoya contre eux des insectes pour les dévorer et des grenouilles pour les infester;
46 Qu'il livra leur récolte aux vermisseaux, et leur travail aux sauterelles;
47 Qu'il tua leurs vignes par la grêle, et leurs sycomores par les frimas;
48 Qu'il livra leur bétail à la grêle, et leurs troupeaux à la foudre;
49 Qu'il envoya contre eux l'ardeur de son courroux, l'indignation, la colère, la détresse, déchaînant les messagers de malheur.
50 Il donna carrière à sa colère, et ne préserva point leur âme de la mort; il livra leur vie à la mortalité.
51 Il frappa dans l'Égypte tous les premiers-nés, les prémices de la force dans les tentes de Cham.
52 Il fit partir son peuple comme des brebis, et les conduisit par le désert comme un troupeau.
53 Il les mena en sûreté et sans crainte; mais la mer couvrit leurs ennemis.
54 Il les fit parvenir dans ses frontières saintes, à la montagne que sa droite a conquise.
55 Il chassa devant eux des nations; il les leur fit échoir en portions d'héritage, et logea les tribus d'Israël dans leurs tentes.
56 Mais ils tentèrent et irritèrent le Dieu Très-Haut, et ne gardèrent point ses témoignages.
57 Ils reculèrent et furent infidèles comme leurs pères; ils tournèrent comme un arc qui trompe.
58 Ils le provoquèrent par leurs hauts lieux, et l'émurent à jalousie par leurs idoles.
59 Dieu l'entendit et s'indigna; il prit Israël en aversion.
60 Il abandonna la demeure de Silo, la tente qu'il avait dressée parmi les hommes.
61 Il livra sa gloire à la captivité, et sa majesté aux mains de l'ennemi.
62 Il abandonna son peuple à l'épée, et s'indigna contre son héritage.
63 Le feu dévora ses jeunes hommes, et ses vierges ne furent point chantées.
64 Ses sacrificateurs tombèrent par l'épée, et ses veuves ne pleurèrent pas.
65 Alors le Seigneur s'éveilla comme un homme qui dort, comme un guerrier à qui le vin fait jeter des cris.
66 Il refoula ses adversaires; il les chargea d'un opprobre éternel.
67 Mais il rejeta la tente de Joseph, et ne choisit pas la tribu d'Éphraïm.
68 Il choisit la tribu de Juda, la montagne de Sion qu'il aime.
69 Il bâtit son sanctuaire comme les lieux très hauts, comme la terre qu'il a fondée pour toujours.
70 Il choisit David son serviteur, et le prit des parcs des brebis.
71 Il l'amena d'auprès de celles qui allaitent, pour paître Jacob, son peuple, et Israël, son héritage.
72 Alors David les fit paître suivant l'intégrité de son cœur, et les conduisit par la sagesse de ses mains.