78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,
and rebelled against the sovereign One in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God
by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying,
“Is God really able to give us food in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God,
and did not trust his ability to deliver them.
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,
and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them the grain of heaven.
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones.
He sent them more than enough to eat.
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,
and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,
birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores.
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,
all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed;
he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up,
their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed some of the strongest of them;
he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,
and did not trust him to do amazing things.
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied
and filled with terror.
78:34 When he struck them down, they sought his favor;
they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector,
and that the sovereign God was their deliverer.
78:36 But they deceived him with their words,
and lied to him.
78:37 They were not really committed to him,
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury.
78:39 He remembered that they were made of flesh,
and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,
and insulted him in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God,
and offended the Holy One of Israel.
78:42 They did not remember what he had done,
how he delivered them from the enemy,