Prayer Psalm of the Week (78)

PRAYER PSALM 78

Baruch Ata, YHVH, Elohey Yisrael, Avi.
O Abba Ba’sha’ma’yim (Father in Heaven), may I not be like my fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright; and whose spirit was not faithful to You, Elohey Tzva’ot (God of the Armies).  It is especially true of the children of Ephraim, who though armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  They did not keep Your covenant; they refused to walk in Your Torah; and forgot Your works and Your wonders that You had shown them.
 
Therfore I have no excuse, for these examples have all been recorded in Your written Torah; the marvelous things which You, Elohey Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’acov (God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), did in the sight of Avotey’nu (our Fathers), in the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), in the field of Tzo’an.  You, M’gee’nee (my Protector/Shield), divided the sea and caused us to pass through it.  You made the waters stand up like a heap.  In the daytime, You led us with the cloud and all the night with a light of fire.  You split the rocks in the wilderness and gave us drink in abundance like the depths.  You also brought streams out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.  But we sinned even more against You, El Elyon (God Most High), by rebelling against You in the wilderness.
O, YHVH - Moshi’ee (my Savior/Deliverer), how often we provoked You in the wilderness and grieved You in the desert!  Yes, again and again we tempted You and limited what You, the Kadosh (Holy/Set-apart) One of Yisrael, wanted to do for us.  We did not remember Your power from the day when You redeemed us from the enemy, when You worked Your signs in Egypt and Your wonders in the field of Tzo’an.  You turned our slave masters’ rivers and streams into blood so that they could not drink.  You, Elohey Yisrael (God of Israel), made a path for Your anger and sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. You also gave their crops to the caterpillar and their labor to the locust.  You destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost.  You also gave up their cattle to the hail and their flocks to fiery lightning.  You cast on them the fierceness of Your anger, wrath, indignation and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them.  You did not spare their souls from death but gave their life over to the plague and destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, the first of their strength in the tents of Ham.

(Bless You, YHVH - Elohim of Israel, my Father)

We tested You, Ro’eh Yisrael (Shepherd of Israel), in our hearts by asking for food according to our own desires.  But we went beyond that by murmuring and speaking against You, saying, "Can YHVH prepare a table in the wilderness?  Behold, He struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed; but can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for us, His people?"

Therefore, when You, El Shaddai (Almighty), heard this You became annoyed and kindled a fire against Your people, Ya’acov.  Your judgments also came up against Yisrael, because we did not believe in You, Yeshua’teynu (our Salvation), nor did we put our trust in Your salvation.  Yet You, El Ra’chum (Compassionate God), commanded the clouds above; and You opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna on us.  You gave us to eat of the bread of heaven.  We, mere men, ate angels’ food that You sent in abundance to satisfy us.  If that were not enough, You caused an east wind to blow in the heavens, and by Your power You brought in the south wind.  As a result it rained meat on us like the dust; feathered fowl like the sand of the seas fell in the midst of our camp, all around our dwellings.  Our forefathers ate and were well filled, for You, El Ro’eh (God Who Sees and Provides), gave us of our own desire.  We were not deprived of our craving, but while our food was still in our mouths Your wrath, Shofet Tzedek (Judge of Righteousness), came against us; and You slew the stoutest among us and struck down the choicest men of Yisrael.  In spite of this, we still sinned and did not believe in Your wondrous works.

Therefore our days You consumed in futility and our years in fear.  After You slew some of us, then we returned and sought You earnestly.  We remembered You, Tzur Ma’oz (Rock of Strength), for You are our rock and El Elyon (God Most High), Go’aleynu (our Redeemer).

Nevertheless, we tried to flatter You, Abba, with our mouths; and then on top of that we lied to You with our tongues; our hearts were not steadfast with You, El Ne’eman (Faithful God), nor were we faithful to Your covenant.  But to our amazement, You, El Ra’chum (Compassionate God), were full of compassion and forgave our iniquity.  Yes, many a time You turned Your anger away and did not stir up all of Your wrath to destroy us. You, Elohey Chesed (God of Mercy), remembered that we were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again.

But You, YHVH - Ro’eh Yisrael (Shepherd of Israel), made us, Your people, go forth like sheep and guided us in the wilderness like a flock and led us on safely, so that we did not fear.  But as far as our enemies were concerned, the sea overwhelmed them.  Ultimately You brought us to Your kadosh (holy/set-apart) border, this mountain, which Your right hand had acquired.  You also drove out the nations before us, allotted us an inheritance by a line and made all of the tribes of Yisrael dwell in their tents.

Yet we tested and provoked You, El Elyon (God Most High), and did not keep Your testimonies but turned back and acted unfaithfully just like our fathers.  We, just like them, turned aside like a deceitful bow and provoked You, Elohey Tziyon (God of Zion), to anger with our high places and moved You to jealousy with our carved images.  When You heard this, Elohey Tzedek (God of Righteousness), You were furious and greatly abhorred Yisrael; so much so, that You forsook the tabernacle of Shee’lo (Shiloh), the tent You had placed among men and delivered Your strength into captivity and Your glory into the enemy's hand.  You also gave us, Your people, over to the sword and were furious with Your inheritance.  The fire consumed our young men, and our maidens were not given in marriage.  Our priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

Then suddenly, You, Elohey Tzva’ot (God of the Armies), awoke as from sleep, like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.  You beat back Your enemies and put them to a perpetual reproach.  Moreover, You rejected the tent of Yoseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Yehuda, Mount Tziyon which You loved.  You built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth, which You, Boreh Olam (Creator of the Universe), have established forever.  You also chose David, Your servant and took him from the sheepfolds, from following the ewes that had young; and You brought him to shepherd Ya’acov Your people, and Yisrael Your inheritance.  So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

O Elohey Yisrael (God of Israel), You have established this testimony in Ya’acov and appointed Your Torah in Yisrael, which You commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born; that they may arise and declare them to their children; that they may set their hope in You, El Tikvatey’nu (our Hope), and not forget the works that You have done, but keep Your commandments.

For thus says YHVH – Elohey Yisrael (God of Israel): “Give ear, O My people to My Torah and incline your ears to the words of My mouth.  I shall open My mouth in a parable; I shall utter dark sayings of old, which you have heard and known and your fathers have told you.  Do not hide them from your children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of your Elohim, and talk of My strength and the wonderful works that I have done.”

Hallelu-Yah!!!  For You, YHVH, are Elohim.  You are Elohey Yisrael, Elohey Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’acov.  Avi the Almighty reigns!