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 dark sayings of old:
3. Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wondrous works that he hath 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 children:
6. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and tell them to their children:
7. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
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. The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11. And they forgat his doings, and his wondrous works that he had shewed them.
12. Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13. He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14. In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.