Psalms 78:14-33

78:14 He led them with a cloud by day,

and with the light of a fire all night long.

78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,

and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea. ¹ 

78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock,

and made the water flow like rivers.

78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,

and rebelled against the sovereign One ²  in the desert.

78:18 They willfully challenged God ³ 

by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.

78:19 They insulted God, saying, ⁴ 

“Is God really able to give us food ⁵  in the wilderness?

78:20 Yes, ⁶  he struck a rock and water flowed out,

streams gushed forth.

But can he also give us food?

Will he provide meat for his people?”

78:21 When ⁷  the Lord heard this, he was furious.

A fire broke out against Jacob,

and his anger flared up ⁸  against Israel,

78:22 because they did not have faith in God,

and did not trust his ability to deliver them. ⁹ 

78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,

and opened the doors in the sky.

78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;

he gave them the grain of heaven. ¹⁰ 

78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. ¹¹ 

He sent them more than enough to eat. ¹² 

78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,

and by his strength led forth the south wind.

78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,

birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores. ¹³ 

78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,

all around their homes.

78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; ¹⁴ 

he gave them what they desired.

78:30 They were not yet filled up, ¹⁵ 

their food was still in their mouths,

78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.

He killed some of the strongest of them;

he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.

78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,

and did not trust him to do amazing things. ¹⁶ 

78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied ¹⁷ 

and filled with terror. ¹⁸ 

[78:15]  ¹ tn Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”

[78:17]  ¹ tn Heb “rebelling [against] the Most High.”

[78:18]  ¹ tn Heb “and they tested God in their heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the center of their volition.

[78:19]  ¹ tn Heb “they spoke against God, they said.”

[78:19]  ² tn Heb “to arrange a table [for food].”

[78:20]  ¹ tn Heb “look.”

[78:21]  ¹ tn Heb “therefore.”

[78:21]  ² tn Heb “and also anger went up.”

[78:22]  ¹ tn Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”

[78:24]  ¹ sn Manna was apparently shaped like a seed (Exod 16:31), perhaps explaining why it is here compared to grain.

[78:25]  ¹ sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[78:25]  ² tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”

[78:27]  ¹ tn Heb “and like the sand of the seas winged birds.”

[78:29]  ¹ tn Heb “and they ate and were very satisfied.”

[78:30]  ¹ tn Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”

[78:32]  ¹ tn Heb “and did not believe in his amazing deeds.”

[78:33]  ¹ tn Heb “and he ended in vanity their days.”

[78:33]  ² tn Heb “and their years in terror.”