1 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 aparable; I will utter1 dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.
4aWe will not hide them from their children, bTelling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For aHe established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That bthey should make them known to their children;
6aThat the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,
7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;
8 And amay not be like their fathers, bA stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation cthat did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.
10aThey did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law,
11 And aforgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.
12aMarvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, bin the field of Zoan.
13aHe divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And bHe made the waters stand up like a heap.
14aIn the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.
15aHe split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
16 He also brought astreams out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 But they sinned even more against Him By arebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
18 And athey tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.
19aYes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20aBehold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?”
21 Therefore the Lord heard this and awas furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,
22 Because they adid not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, aAnd opened the doors of heaven,
24aHad rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the1 bread of bheaven.
25 Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to1 the full.
26aHe caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind.
27 He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;
Give ear, O my people - This is not an address of God, but an address of the king or ruler of the people, calling their attention to an important subject; to wit, his right to rule over them, or showing why the power had been vested in him.
To my law - The word law here seems to mean what he would say, as if what he should choose to say would have the force and authority of law. What follows is not exactly law in the sense that it was a rule to be obeyed; but it is something that is authoritatively said, and should have the force of law.
Incline your ears ... - Be attentive. What is to be said is worthy of your particular regard. Compare the notes at Psalms 5:1.
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