Oremus for Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Psalm 78 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uq2kpk3)
1  Hear my law, O my people *
 incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.
2  I will open my mouth in a parable *
 I will declare hard sentences of old;
3  Which we have heard and known *
 and such as our fathers have told us;
4  That we should not hide them
from the children of the generations to come *
but to shew the honour of the Lord,
his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done.
5  He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave Israel a law *
 which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children;
6  That their posterity might know it *
 and the children which were yet unborn;
7  To the intent that when they came up *
 they might shew their children the same;
8  That they might put their trust in God *
 and not to forget the works of God, but to keep his commandments;
9  And not to be as their forefathers,
a faithless and stubborn generation *
 a generation that set not their heart aright,
and whose spirit cleaveth not stedfastly unto God;
10  Like as the children of Ephraim *
 who being harnessed, and carrying bows,
turned themselves back in the day of battle.
11  They kept not the covenant of God *
 and would not walk in his law;
12  But forgat what he had done *
 and the wonderful works that he had shewed for them.
13  Marvellous things did he in the sight of our forefathers,
in the land of Egypt *
 even in the field of Zoan.
14  He divided the sea, and let them go through *
 he made the waters to stand on an heap.
15  In the day-time also he led them with a cloud *
 and all the night through with a light of fire.
16  He clave the hard rocks in the wilderness *
 and gave them drink thereof, as it had been out of the great depth.
17  He brought waters out of the stony rock *
 so that it gushed out like the rivers.
18  Yet for all this they sinned more against him *
 and provoked the most Highest in the wilderness.
19  They tempted God in their hearts *
 and required meat for their lust.
20  They spake against God also, saying *
 Shall God prepare a table in the wilderness?
21  He smote the stony rock indeed,
that the water gushed out, and the streams flowed withal *
 but can he give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?
22  When the Lord heard this, he was wroth *
 so the fire was kindled in Jacob,
and there came up heavy displeasure against Israel;
23  Because they believed not in God *
 and put not their trust in his help.
24  So he commanded the clouds above *
 and opened the doors of heaven.
25  He rained down manna also upon them for to eat *
 and gave them food from heaven.
26  So man did eat angels’ food *
 for he sent them meat enough.
27  He caused the east-wind to blow under heaven *
 and through his power he brought in the south-west-wind.
28  He rained flesh upon them as thick as dust *
 and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.
29  He let it fall among their tents *
 even round about their habitation.
30  So they did eat, and were well filled;
for he gave them their own desire *
 they were not disappointed of their lust.
31  But while the meat was yet in their mouths,
the heavy wrath of God came upon them,
and slew the wealthiest of them *
 yea, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.
32  But for all this they sinned yet more *
 and believed not his wondrous works.
33  Therefore their days did he consume in vanity *
 and their years in trouble.
34  When he slew them, they sought him *
 and turned them early, and enquired after God.
35  And they remembered that God was their strength *
 and that the high God was their redeemer.
36  Nevertheless, they did but flatter him with their mouth *
 and dissembled with him in their tongue.
37  For their heart was not whole with him *
 neither continued they stedfast in his covenant.
38  But he was so merciful, that he forgave their misdeeds *
 and destroyed them not.
39  Yea, many a time turned he his wrath away *
 and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise.
40  For he considered that they were but flesh *
 and that they were even a wind that passeth away,
and cometh not again.
41  Many a time did they provoke him in the wilderness *
 and grieved him in the desert.
42  They turned back, and tempted God *
 and moved the Holy One in Israel.
43  They thought not of his hand *
 and of the day when he delivered them from the hand of the enemy;
44  How he had wrought his miracles in Egypt *
 and his wonders in the field of Zoan.
45  He turned their waters into blood *
 so that they might not drink of the rivers.
46  He sent lice among them, and devoured them up *
 and frogs to destroy them.
47  He gave their fruit unto the caterpillar *
 and their labour unto the grasshopper.
48  He destroyed their vines with hail-stones *
 and their mulberry-trees with the frost.
49  He smote their cattle also with hail-stones *
 and their flocks with hot thunderbolts.
50  He cast upon them the furiousness of his wrath,
anger, displeasure, and trouble *
 and sent evil angels among them.
51  He made a way to his indignation,
and spared not their soul from death *
 but gave their life over to the pestilence;
52  And smote all the first-born in Egypt *
 the most principal and mightiest in the dwellings of Ham.
53  But as for his own people, he led them forth like sheep *
 and carried them in the wilderness like a flock.
54  He brought them out safely, that they should not fear *
 and overwhelmed their enemies with the sea.
55  And brought them within the borders of his sanctuary *
 even to his mountain which he purchased with his right hand.
56  He cast out the heathen also before them *
 caused their land to be divided among them for an heritage,
and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
57  So they tempted, and displeased the most high God *
 and kept not his testimonies;
58  But turned their backs, and fell away like their forefathers *
 starting aside like a broken bow.
59  For they grieved him with their hill altars *
 and provoked him to displeasure with their images.
60  When God heard this, he was wroth *
 and took sore displeasure at Israel.
61  So that he forsook the tabernacle in Silo *
 even the tent that he had pitched among men.
62  He delivered their power into captivity *
 and their beauty into the enemy’s hand.
63  He gave his people over also unto the sword *
 and was wroth with his inheritance.
64  The fire consumed their young men *
 and their maidens were not given to marriage.
65  Their priests were slain with the sword *
 and there were no widows to make lamentation.
66  So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep *
 and like a giant refreshed with wine.
67  He smote his enemies in the hinder parts *
 and put them to a perpetual shame.
68  He refused the tabernacle of Joseph *
 and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
69  But chose the tribe of Judah *
 even the hill of Sion which he loved.
70  And there he built his temple on high *
 and laid the foundation of it like the ground
which he hath made continually.
71  He chose David also his servant *
 and took him away from the sheep-folds.
72  As he was following the ewes great with young ones he took him *
 that he might feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
73  So he fed them with a faithful and true heart *
 and ruled them prudently with all his power.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 78 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-78-KH.mp3)
Listen, listen, listen, O my people

Listen, my people, to instruction;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
and utter dark sayings of old,
Which we have heard and known,
our fathers passed on to us.
Not hiding them from their children,
but telling generations to come
The praise of the LORD and his strength,
the wonderful works he has done.
He established a witness in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel,
Which he commanded our fathers,
to teach them to their children,
that ages to come might know,
even children yet to be born,

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

They’d rise to tell their children,
to fix their hearts upon God
And not to forget the works of God,
but keep all his commands,
And not be like their fathers,
a stubborn rebellious age,
who would not prepare its heart,
with spirits unfaithful to God.
Ephraim’s sons were archers with bows,
but left in the day of battle.
Not keeping God’s covenant,
refusing to walk in his law;
forgetting about his deeds,
his miracles that he showed them.
His wonders before their fathers,
in Egypt and Zoan’s field.

Listen, listen, listen, O My people

Dividing the sea so they passed through,
making the waters stand in a heap.
Leading with cloud by day,
with a light of fire by night.
He split the rocks in the wilderness,
gave drink in full like the ocean depths.
He brought a stream from the rock,
made waters run down like rivers.
Yet they persisted in sin in the desert
against the Most high.
In their heart putting God to the test,
by asking for food they desired.
Against their God they grumbled,
in deserts will God set table?
He struck the rock so that waters,
gushed forth in flowing streams.

Listen, listen, listen, O My people

Then can he also give bread to us?
Can he give meat for his people?”
Therefore the LORD God heard them,
and then he was full of wrath;
A fire was kindled in Jacob,
and anger then burned against Israel,
For they did not have faith in God,
refusing to trust his salvation.
Yet he called the clouds above,
and opened the doors of heaven;
Rained manna down for them to eat,
and gave them food from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels;
He sent them food in abundance.
The east winds blew in the heavens,
and with power he called the south wind.

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

Like dust he rained down meat,
winged fowl like sands of the sea,
within their camp he let them fall,
round about all their dwellings.
They ate and were well filled,
He gave to them their desire.
But before their longing was filled,
while the food was still in their mouths,
God’s anger rose up against them,
killing the strong and choice ones.
Yet still they remained in their sin,
disbelieving his wonderful works.
Their days he ended in vanity,
their years in sudden terror.
But when he struck they sought him,
they returned to seek after God;

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

Then they remembered their rock was God,
the Most high God their Redeemer.
But they deceived with their mouth,
they lied to him with their tongue.
Their heart was never steadfast to him,
nor would they be faithful in covenant.
But He, in loving compassion,
forgave and did not destroy;
He often restrained his anger,
His wrath he did not arouse.
Remembering they were but flesh,
fleeting wind that does not return.
They often rebelled in the wilderness,
and grieved him in the desert!
Again and again they tested God,
grieving the Holy One of Israel.

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

They did not remember his power,
the day when he saved from their enemies,
in Egypt he showed his miracles,
His signs in the field of Zoan,
He turned their rivers to blood,
so they could not drink of their streams.
Sending out flies that devoured,
and frogs that brought on corruption.
He gave their crops to locusts,
the fruit of their toil to swarms.
Destroying their vines with his hail,
their sycamores all with his frost.
He gave their cattle to hailstones,
their herds to bolts of lightning.
He loosed his burning anger,
with fury and rage and anguish

Listen, listen, listen, O My people

With a band of destroying angels,
He leveled a path for his anger;
He did not spare their soul from death,
but gave their life to the plague,
And smote the firstborn in Egypt,
the firstborn of strength in the tents of Ham.
Like sheep he led his own people,
a flock he led through the wilderness;
In safety he led with no fear;
as waters then covered their foes.
He brought them to his holy land,
to the mountain his right hand had gained.
Expelling the nations he split the land,
the tribes of Isr’el lived in their tents.
But grumbling and testing the Most high God,
they would not keep his witness,

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

Just like their fathers turned traitor;
they turned like a treacherous bow.
Provoking him with their high places,
His jealousy with graven idols.
When God heard this he was filled
with wrath, and greatly detested Israel;
He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
the tent which he pitched among men,
He gave his strength to captivity,
His glory to the hand of the enemy.
His people he gave to the sword,
His wrath burned against his inheritance.
Fire devoured his young men,
His virgins had no wedding songs.
His priests then fell by the sword,
and his widows could not even weep.

Listen, listen, listen, O my people

The Lord then awoke from his slumber,
like a warrior rejoicing from wine.
He drove away all his enemies;
He heaped on lasting reproach.
He left the tents of Joseph,
not choosing the tribe of Ephraim,
But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which he loved.
He built on high his Holy Place,
as earth was founded forever.
He also chose David his servant,
taking him from the sheepfolds;
From ewes and lambs he brought him,
to shepherd his people and heritage.
He shepherded with deep integrity,
and led them with skillful hands.

Listen, listen, listen, O my people