1

Behold, the things of ancient days,
Which were of old conceal'd,
The ways of God, in songs of praise,
Are clearly here reveal d!
They were ensamples unto us,
(For God is still the same,)
Who occupy'd our Father's house
In days of ancient fame.

ATTEND, my people, to my law;
Thereto give thou an ear;

The words that from my mouth proceed
Attentively do hear.

12 My mouth shall speak a parable,
And sayings dark of old;

3 The same which we have heard and known, And us our fathers told.

4 We also will them not conceal From their posterity;

Them to the generation

To come declare will we:
The praises of the Lord our God,
And his almighty strength,

The wond'rous works that he hath done,
We will shew forth at length.

5 His testimony and his law
In Isr'el he did place,

And charg'd our fathers it to show
To their succeeding race;

6 That so the race which was to come
Might well them learn and know;
And sons unborn, who should arise,
Might to their sons them show:

7 That they might set their hope in God,
And suffer not to fall

His mighty works out of their mind,
But keep his precepts all:

8 And might not, like their fathers, be
A stiff rebellious race;

A race not right in heart; with God
Whose sp'rit not stedfast was.

9 The sons of Ephraim, who nor bows
Nor other arms did lack,
When as the day of battle was,
They faintly turned back.

10 They brake God's cov'nant, and refus'd In his commands to go;

11 His works and wonders they forgot,
Which he to them did show.

12 Things marvellous he brought to pass;
Their fathers them beheld
Within the land of Egypt done,
Yea, ev'n in Zoan's field.

13 By him divided was the sea,

He caus'd them through to pass :
And made the waters so to stand,
As like an heap it was.

14 With cloud by day, with light of fire
All night, he did them guide.

15 In desert rocks he clave, and drink, As from great depths, supply'd.

16 He from the rock brought streams, like Made waters to run down.

17 Yet sinning more, in desert they Provok'd the highest One.

18 For in their heart they tempted God, And, speaking with mistrust,

They greedily did meat require

To satisfy their lust.

19 Against the Lord himself they spake, And, murmuring, said thus,

A table in the wilderness

Can God prepare for us?

[floods

20 Behold he smote the rock, and thence Came streams and waters great; But can he give his people bread? And send them flesh to eat?

21 The Lord did hear, and waxed wroth ; So kindled was a flame 'Gainst Jacob, and 'gainst Israel Up indignation came.

22 For they believ'd not God, nor trust In his salvation had;

23 Though clouds above he did command,' And heav'n's doors open made.

24 And manna rain'd on them, and gave Them corn of heav'n to eat.

25 Man angels' food did eat; to them
He to the full sent meat.

26 And in the heaven he did cause
An eastern wind to blow;
And by his power he let out
The southern wind to go.

27 Then flesh as thick as dust he made
To rain down them among;
And feather'd fowls, like as the sand
Which li'th the shore along.

28 At his command amidst their camp
These show'rs of flesh down fell,
All round about the tabernacles
And tents where they did dwell.
29 So they did eat abundantly,
And had of meat their fill;
For he did give to them what was
Their own desire and will.

30 They from their lust had not estrang'd Their heart and their desire;

But while the meat was in their mouths,
Which they did so require.

31 God's wrath upon them came, and slew

The fattest of them all;

So that the choice of Israel,
O'erthrown by death, did fall.

32 Yet, notwithstanding of all this,
They sinned still the more;

And though he had great wonders wrought,
Believ'd him not therefore:

33 Wherefore their days in vanity
He did consume and waste;

And by his wrath their wretched years
Away in trouble past.

34 But when he slew them, then they did
To seek him shew desire:

Yea, they return'd, and after God
Right early did enquire.

35 And that the Lord had been their Rock
They did remember then;

Ev'n that the high almighty God
Had their Redeemer been.

36 Yet with their mouth they flatter'd him,
And spake but feignedly;

And they unto the God of truth

With their false tongues did lie. 37 For though their words were good, their heart With him was not sincere ; Unsteadfast and perfidious

They in his cov'nant were..

38 But, full of pity, he forgave

Their sin, them did not slay;

Nor stirr'd up all his wrath, but oft
His anger turn'd away.

39 For that they were but fading flesh
To mind he did recal;

A wind that passeth soon away,
And not returns at all.

40 How often did they him provoke
Within the wilderness!

And in the desert did him grieve
With their rebelliousness!

41 Yea, turning back, they tempted God,
And limits set upon

Him, who in midst of Isr'el is

The only Holy One.

42 They did not call to mind his pow'r:
Nor yet the day when he
Deliver'd them out of the hand
Of their fierce enemy;

43 Nor how great signs in Egypt land
He openly had wrought;

What miracles in Zoan's field
His hand to pass had brought.

44 How lakes and rivers ev'ry where
He turned into blood;

So that nor man nor beast could drink
Of standing lake or flood.

45 He brought among them swarms of flies,
Which did them sore annoy;
And divers kinds of filthy frogs
He sent them to destroy.

46 He to the caterpillar gave
The fruits of all their soil;
Their labours he deliver'd up
Unto the locusts' spoil.

47 Their vines with hail, their sycamores
He with the frost did blast:

48 Their beasts to hail he gave; their flocks Hot thunderbolts did waste.

49 Fierce burning wrath he on them cast,
And indignation strong,

And troubles sore, by sending forth
Ill angels them among.