---
title: "Psalms 78:1-72 KJV - \"Give ear, O my people, to my law: incl...\" | Real Bible Believers"
description: "\"Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark\" — Read Psalms 78:1-72 in the King James Version (KJV) with commentary, cross references, and Greek/Hebrew lexicon."
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url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/kjv/psalms/78/1-72"
---

[ Read](/kjv/psalms/78)[ Commentary](/study/psalms/78)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/psalms/78) Audio

## Psalms 78:1-72 in Context (Verses 1–72 KJV)
 
 [1 ](/kjv/psalms/78/1) Give ear, O my people, *to* my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.*
 
 [2 ](/kjv/psalms/78/2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
 
 [3 ](/kjv/psalms/78/3) Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
 
 [4 ](/kjv/psalms/78/4) We will not hide *them* from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
 
 [5 ](/kjv/psalms/78/5) 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 children:
 
 [6 ](/kjv/psalms/78/6) That the generation to come might know *them, even* the children *which* should be born; *who* should arise and declare *them* to their children:
 
 [7 ](/kjv/psalms/78/7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
 
 [8 ](/kjv/psalms/78/8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation *that* set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.*
 
 [9 ](/kjv/psalms/78/9) The children of Ephraim, *being* armed, *and* carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.*
 
 [10 ](/kjv/psalms/78/10) They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
 
 [11 ](/kjv/psalms/78/11) And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
 
 [12 ](/kjv/psalms/78/12) Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, *in* the field of Zoan.
 
 [13 ](/kjv/psalms/78/13) He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
 
 [14 ](/kjv/psalms/78/14) In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
 
 [15 ](/kjv/psalms/78/15) He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave *them* drink as *out of* the great depths.
 
 [16 ](/kjv/psalms/78/16) He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
 
 [17 ](/kjv/psalms/78/17) And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
 
 [18 ](/kjv/psalms/78/18) And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
 
 [19 ](/kjv/psalms/78/19) Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?*
 
 [20 ](/kjv/psalms/78/20) 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 ](/kjv/psalms/78/21) Therefore the LORD heard *this*, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
 
 [22 ](/kjv/psalms/78/22) Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
 
 [23 ](/kjv/psalms/78/23) Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
 
 [24 ](/kjv/psalms/78/24) And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
 
 [25 ](/kjv/psalms/78/25) Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.*
 
 [26 ](/kjv/psalms/78/26) He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.*
 
 [27 ](/kjv/psalms/78/27) He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:*
 
 [28 ](/kjv/psalms/78/28) And he let *it* fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
 
 [29 ](/kjv/psalms/78/29) So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
 
 [30 ](/kjv/psalms/78/30) They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat *was* yet in their mouths,
 
 [31 ](/kjv/psalms/78/31) The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen *men* of Israel.**
 
 [32 ](/kjv/psalms/78/32) For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
 
 [33 ](/kjv/psalms/78/33) Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
 
 [34 ](/kjv/psalms/78/34) When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
 
 [35 ](/kjv/psalms/78/35) And they remembered that God *was* their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
 
 [36 ](/kjv/psalms/78/36) Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
 
 [37 ](/kjv/psalms/78/37) For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
 
 [38 ](/kjv/psalms/78/38) 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.
 
 [39 ](/kjv/psalms/78/39) For he remembered that they *were but* flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
 
 [40 ](/kjv/psalms/78/40) How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, *and* grieve him in the desert!*
 
 [41 ](/kjv/psalms/78/41) Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
 
 [42 ](/kjv/psalms/78/42) They remembered not his hand, *nor* the day when he delivered them from the enemy.*
 
 [43 ](/kjv/psalms/78/43) How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:*
 
 [44 ](/kjv/psalms/78/44) And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
 
 [45 ](/kjv/psalms/78/45) He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
 
 [46 ](/kjv/psalms/78/46) He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
 
 [47 ](/kjv/psalms/78/47) He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.**
 
 [48 ](/kjv/psalms/78/48) He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.**
 
 [49 ](/kjv/psalms/78/49) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels *among them*.
 
 [50 ](/kjv/psalms/78/50) He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;**
 
 [51 ](/kjv/psalms/78/51) And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of *their* strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
 
 [52 ](/kjv/psalms/78/52) But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
 
 [53 ](/kjv/psalms/78/53) And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.*
 
 [54 ](/kjv/psalms/78/54) And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, *even to* this mountain, *which* his right hand had purchased.
 
 [55 ](/kjv/psalms/78/55) He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
 
 [56 ](/kjv/psalms/78/56) Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
 
 [57 ](/kjv/psalms/78/57) But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
 
 [58 ](/kjv/psalms/78/58) For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
 
 [59 ](/kjv/psalms/78/59) When God heard *this*, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
 
 [60 ](/kjv/psalms/78/60) So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent *which* he placed among men;
 
 [61 ](/kjv/psalms/78/61) And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.
 
 [62 ](/kjv/psalms/78/62) He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
 
 [63 ](/kjv/psalms/78/63) The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.*
 
 [64 ](/kjv/psalms/78/64) Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
 
 [65 ](/kjv/psalms/78/65) Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, *and* like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
 
 [66 ](/kjv/psalms/78/66) And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
 
 [67 ](/kjv/psalms/78/67) Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
 
 [68 ](/kjv/psalms/78/68) But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
 
 [69 ](/kjv/psalms/78/69) And he built his sanctuary like high *palaces*, like the earth which he hath established for ever.*
 
 [70 ](/kjv/psalms/78/70) He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
 
 [71 ](/kjv/psalms/78/71) From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.*
 
 [72 ](/kjv/psalms/78/72) So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
 
[Psalms 77](/kjv/psalms/77) [Psalms 79](/kjv/psalms/79)

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