1 Hino de Asaf. Escuta, ó meu povo, minha doutrina; às palavras de minha boca presta atenção.2 Abrirei os lábios, pronunciarei sentenças, desvendarei os mistérios das origens.3 O que ouvimos e aprendemos, através de nossos pais,4 nada ocultaremos a seus filhos, narrando à geração futura os louvores do Senhor, seu poder e suas obras grandiosas.5 Ele promulgou uma lei para Jacó, instituiu a legislação de Israel, para que aquilo que confiara a nossos pais, eles o transmitissem a seus filhos,6 a fim de que a nova geração o conhecesse, e os filhos que lhes nascessem pudessem também contar aos seus.7 Aprenderiam, assim, a pôr em Deus sua esperança, a não esquecer as divinas obras, a observar as suas leis;8 e a não se tornar como seus pais, geração rebelde e contumaz, de coração desviado, de espírito infiel a Deus.9 Os filhos de Efraim, hábeis no arco, voltaram as costas no dia do combate.10 Não guardaram a divina aliança, recusaram observar a sua lei.11 Eles esqueceram suas obras, e as maravilhas operadas ante seus olhos.12 Em presença de seus pais, ainda em terras do Egito, ele fez grandes prodígios nas planícies de Tanis.13 O mar foi dividido para lhes dar passagem, represando as águas, verticais como um dique;14 De dia ele os conduziu por trás de uma nuvem, e à noite ao clarão de uma flama.15 Rochedos foram fendidos por ele no deserto, com torrentes de água os dessedentara.16 Da pedra fizera jorrar regatos, e manar água como rios.17 Entretanto, continuaram a pecar contra ele, e a se revoltar contra o Altíssimo no deserto.18 Provocaram o Senhor em seus corações, reclamando iguarias de suas preferências.19 E falaram contra Deus: Deus será capaz de nos servir uma mesa no deserto?20 Eis que feriu a rocha para fazer jorrar dela água em torrentes. Mas poderia ele nos dar pão e preparar carne para seu povo?21 O Senhor ouviu e se irritou: sua cólera se acendeu contra Jacó, e sua ira se desencadeou contra Israel,22 porque não tiveram fé em Deus, nem confiaram em seu auxílio.23 Contudo, ele ordenou às nuvens do alto, e abriu as portas do céu.24 Fez chover o maná para saciá-los, deu-lhes o trigo do céu.25 Pôde o homem comer o pão dos fortes, e lhes mandou víveres em abundância,26 depois fez soprar no céu o vento leste, e seu poder levantou o vento sul.27 Fez chover carnes, então, como poeira, numerosas aves como as areias do mar,28 As quais caíram em seus acampamentos, ao redor de suas tendas.29 Delas comeram até se fartarem, e satisfazerem os seus desejos.30 Mas apenas o apetite saciaram, estando-lhes na boca ainda o alimento,31 desencadeia-se contra eles a cólera divina, fazendo perecer a sua elite, e prostrando a juventude de Israel.32 Malgrado tudo isso, persistiram em pecar, não se deixaram persuadir por seus prodígios.33 Então, Deus pôs súbito termo a seus dias, e seus anos tiveram repentino fim.34 Quando os feria, eles o procuravam, e de novo se voltavam para Deus.35 E se lembravam que Deus era o seu rochedo, e que o Altíssimo lhes era o salvador.36 Mas suas palavras enganavam, e lhe mentiam com a sua língua.37 Seus corações não falavam com franqueza, não eram fiéis à sua aliança.38 Mas ele, por compaixão, perdoava-lhes a falta e não os exterminava. Muitas vezes reteve sua cólera, não se entregando a todo o seu furor.39 Sabendo que eles eram simples carne, um sopro só, que passa sem voltar.40 Quantas vezes no deserto o provocaram, e na solidão o afligiram!41 Recomeçaram a tentar a Deus, a exasperar o Santo de Israel.42 Esqueceram a obra de suas mãos, no dia em que os livrou do adversário,43 quando operou seus prodígios no Egito e maravilhas nas planícies de Tânis;44 quando converteu seus rios em sangue, a fim de impedi-los de beber de suas águas;45 quando enviou moscas para os devorar e rãs que os infestaram;46 quando entregou suas colheitas aos pulgões, e aos gafanhotos o fruto de seu trabalho;47 quando arrasou suas vinhas com o granizo, e suas figueiras com a geada;48 quando extinguiu seu gado com saraivadas, e seus rebanhos pelos raios;49 quando descarregou o ardor de sua cólera, indignação, furor, tribulação, um esquadrão de anjos da desgraça.50 Deu livre curso à sua cólera; longe de preservá-los da morte, ele entregou à peste os seres vivos.51 Matou os primogênitos no Egito, os primeiros partos nas habitações de Cam,52 enquanto retirou seu povo como ovelhas, e o fez atravessar o deserto como rebanho.53 Conduziu-o com firmeza sem nada ter que temer, enquanto aos inimigos os submergiu no mar.54 Ele os levou para uma terra santa, até os montes que sua destra conquistou.55 Ele expulsou nações diante deles, distribuiu-lhes as terras como herança, fez habitar em suas tendas as tribos de Israel.56 Mas ainda tentaram a Deus e provocaram o Altíssimo, e não observaram os seus preceitos.57 Transviaram-se e prevaricaram como seus pais, erraram o alvo, como um arco mal entesado.58 Provocaram-lhe a ira com seus lugares altos, e inflamaram-lhe o zelo com seus ídolos.59 À vista disso Deus se encolerizou e rejeitou Israel severamente.60 Abandonou o santuário de Silo, tabernáculo onde habitara entre os homens.61 Deixou conduzir cativa a arca de sua força, permitiu que a arca de sua glória caísse em mãos inimigas.62 Abandonou seu povo à espada, e se irritou contra a sua herança.63 O fogo devorou sua juventude, suas filhas não encontraram desponsório.64 Seus sacerdotes pereceram pelo gládio, e as viúvas não choraram mais seus mortos.65 Então, o Senhor despertou como de um sono, como se fosse um guerreiro dominado pelo vinho.66 E feriu pelas costas os inimigos, infligindo-lhes eterna igomínia.67 Rejeitou o tabernáculo de José, e repeliu a tribo de Efraim.68 Mas escolheu a de Judá e o monte Sião, monte de predileção.69 Construiu seu santuário, qual um céu, estável como a terra, firmada para sempre.70 Escolhendo a Davi, seu servo, e o tomando dos apriscos das ovelhas.71 Chamou-o do cuidado das ovelhas e suas crias, para apascentar o rebanho de Jacó, seu povo, e de Israel, sua herança.72 Davi foi para eles um pastor reto de coração, que os dirigiu com mão prudente.

1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter enigmas of old,3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.4 We will not hide [them] from their sons, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD and his strength and his wonderful works that he has done.5 For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their sons:6 That the generation to come might know [them], [even] the sons [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their sons7 that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments8 and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation [that] did not set their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.9 The sons of Ephraim, [being] armed [and] carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.10 They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in his law11 and forgot his works and his wonders that he had showed them.12 He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan.13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and he made the waters to stand as a heap.14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud and all the night with a light of fire.15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths.16 He brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.18 And they tempted God in their heart [by] asking for food according to the desires of their soul.19 And they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?20 Behold, he smote the rock that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?21 Therefore the LORD heard [this] and was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel22 because they had not believed God, nor had they trusted in his saving health;23 and he commanded the clouds of above and opened the doors of the heavens24 and caused manna to rain upon them to eat and gave them wheat of the heavens.25 Man did eat the food of the strong; he sent them food to the full.26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind.27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:28 And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.29 So they did eat and were well filled; for he gave them their own desire;30 they were not estranged from their lust. But while their food [was] yet in their mouths,31 the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them and smote down the chosen of Israel.32 For all this they sinned still and did not give him credit for his wondrous works.33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity and their years in tribulation.34 When he slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God.35 And they remembered that God [was] their rock and the high God their redeemer.36 Nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.38 But he, [being] full of compassion, forgave [their] iniquity and did not destroy [them]; many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath.39 For he remembered that they [were but] flesh: a wind that passes away and does not come again.40 How often did they provoke him in the wilderness [and] grieve him in the desert!41 And they turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel.42 They did not remember his hand, [nor] the day when he ransomed them from anguish.43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan44 and had turned their rivers into blood and their floods, that they could not drink.45 He sent swarms [of flies] among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.46 He gave also their fruits unto the caterpillar and their works unto the locust.47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their [wild] fig trees with stones.48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail and their flocks to [thunderbolts of] fire.49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble by sending evil angels [among them].50 He made a way to his anger; he did not spare their soul from death but gave their life over to the pestilence51 and smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of [their] strength in the tents of Ham:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.54 And he brought them into the borders of his holiness, into this mountain, [which] his right hand had purchased.55 He cast out the Gentiles also before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their habitations.56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God and did not keep his testimonies:57 But turned back and rebelled like their fathers; they became like a deceitful bow.58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.59 God heard [this] and was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel:60 For this reason he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [in which] he dwelt among men61 and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemy's hand.62 He gave his people over also unto the sword and was wroth with his inheritance.63 The fire consumed their young men; and their virgins were not honored [in marriage] songs.64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep [and] like a mighty man that shouts [by reason] of wine.66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach.67 Moreover he refused the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim:68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.69 And he built his sanctuary in preeminence like the earth which he has established for ever.70 He chose David also his servant and took him from the sheepfolds,71 from following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance.72 So he fed them out of the integrity of his heart and guided them by the intelligence of his hands.: