Passage:
14 He led them with a cloud by day
and with a fiery light throughout the night.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.
16 He brought streams out of the stone
and made water flow down like rivers.
17 But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18 They deliberately tested God,
demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying,
“Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?
20 Look! He struck the rock and water gushed out;
torrents overflowed.
But can he also provide bread
or furnish meat for his people? ”
21 Therefore, the Lord heard and became furious;
then fire broke out against Jacob,
and anger flared up against Israel
22 because they did not believe God
or rely on his salvation.
23 He gave a command to the clouds above
and opened the doors of heaven.
24 He rained manna for them to eat;
he gave them grain from heaven.
25 People ate the bread of angels.
He sent them an abundant supply of food.
26 He made the east wind blow in the skies
and drove the south wind by his might. -- Psalm 78:14-26 (CSB)
Song:
Psalm 78 by Poor Bishop Hooper
Lyrics:
O people, listen, incline your ear
To the mysteries, to the teaching here
Things that we have heard, things that we have known
Parables our fathers told, oh no, we won't hide them
We'll let the children hear
He divided the sea and let them pass through it
Made the waters stand there as a heap
In the day He led by cloud, but with firе in the night
He split the rock for watеr so they could drink
He opened up the skies, the very doors of Heaven
Poured the bread of angels there to eat
By His very might, on the wind He fulfilled every hungering
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
In spite of all of this they rebelled again
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
He had made the river blood, sent the swarms to devour
He gave the crops to beasts, the harvest of their labor
The hail destroyed the vine, the flocks by lighted sky
Amidst the thundercloud
He let loose His anger by a company of angels
And when the path was made, from death He wouldn't save
Struck down the firstborn, first fruits of Egypt's strength
Then He led his people out
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
In spite of all of this they rebelled again
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
In spite of all of this they rebelled again
In spite of all of this they sinned, they sinned
So full of wrath, God rose
Against His own, laid low
The young men and the strong, they fell
He delivered up His glory
Into fire all-consuming
The women had no marriage song, the priests fell by the sword
The widows they made no lament
But then the Lord
Full of compassion
His anger was restrained
Yet full of compassion
He remembered them again
Yet full of compassion
With a pure heart and skillful hand
Yet full of compassion
He remembered them again
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, how can I obey and love you conditionally when you loved me unconditionally? You looked down from the cross and saw us betraying, denying, forsaking you, and yet you stayed. Help me to cling to you and obey you no matter what. Amen.
-Tim Keller
