1. My people, listen to my teaching. Pay attention to what I say.
2. I will open my mouth and tell stories. I will speak about things that were hidden. They happened a long time ago.
3. We have heard about them and we know them. Our people who lived before us have told us about them.
4. We won't hide them from our children. We will tell them to those who live after us. We will tell them about what the Lord has done that is worthy of praise. We will talk about his power and the wonderful things he has done.
5. He gave laws to the people of Jacob. He gave Israel their law. He commanded our people who lived before us to teach his laws to their children.
6. Then those born later would know his laws. Even their children yet to come would know them. And they in turn would tell their children.
7. Then they would put their trust in God. They would not forget what he had done. They would obey his commands.
8. They would not be like their people who lived before them. Those people were stubborn. They refused to obey God. Their hearts were not true to him. Their spirits were not faithful to him.
9. The soldiers of Ephraim were armed with bows. But they ran away on the day of battle.
10. They didn't keep the covenant God had made with them. They refused to live by his law.
11. They forgot what he had done. They didn't remember the wonders he had shown them.
12. He did miracles right in front of our people who lived long ago. At that time they were living in the land of Egypt, in the area of Zoan.
13. God parted the Red Sea and led them through it. He made the water stand up like a wall.
14. He guided them with the cloud during the day. He led them with the light of a fire all night long.
15. He broke the rocks open in the desert. He gave them as much water as there is in the oceans.
16. He brought streams out of a rocky cliff. He made water flow down like rivers.
17. But they continued to sin against him. In the desert they refused to obey the Most High God.