Psalms 78

“Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.” Naming Give keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:” The line’s distinctive content terms include dark, mouth, open. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.” The line’s distinctive content terms include fathers, known, told. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD , and his…” The line’s distinctive content terms include children, generation, hide. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them…” The line’s distinctive content terms include children, arise, born. Its relationship to verses 5 and 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.” Naming Ephraim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include forgat, shewed, wonders. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.” Naming Egypt and Marvellous keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.” The line’s distinctive content terms include caused, divided, heap. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.” The line’s distinctive content terms include cloud, daytime, fire. Its relationship to verses 13 and 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.” The line’s distinctive content terms include clave, depths, drink. Its relationship to verses 14 and 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.” The line’s distinctive content terms include caused, rivers, rock. Its relationship to verses 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.” Naming High keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.” The line’s distinctive content terms include corn, heaven, manna. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.” Naming Man keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.” The line’s distinctive content terms include wind, blow, caused. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:” The line’s distinctive content terms include dust, feathered, flesh. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.” The line’s distinctive content terms include camp, fall, habitations. Its relationship to verses 27 and 29 shows what work it does in this passage.

“So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,” The line’s distinctive content terms include estranged, lust, meat. Its relationship to verses 29 and 31 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.” Naming Nevertheless keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger…” The line’s distinctive content terms include anger, compassion, destroyed. Its relationship to verses 37 and 39 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!” The line’s distinctive content terms include desert, grieve, provoke. Its relationship to verses 39 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.” The line’s distinctive content terms include delivered, enemy, hand. Its relationship to verses 41 and 43 shows what work it does in this passage.

“How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:” Naming Egypt and Zoan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.” The line’s distinctive content terms include blood, drink, floods. Its relationship to verses 43 and 45 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include destroyed, devoured, divers. Its relationship to verses 44 and 46 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.” The line’s distinctive content terms include caterpiller, gave, increase. Its relationship to verses 45 and 47 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.” The line’s distinctive content terms include destroyed, frost, hail. Its relationship to verses 46 and 48 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.” The line’s distinctive content terms include cattle, flocks, gave. Its relationship to verses 47 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include angels, anger, evil. Its relationship to verses 50 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;” The line’s distinctive content terms include anger, death, gave. Its relationship to verses 49 and 51 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:” Naming Egypt and Ham keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.” The line’s distinctive content terms include flock, guided, people. Its relationship to verses 51 and 53 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.” The line’s distinctive content terms include enemies, feared, overwhelmed. Its relationship to verses 52 and 54 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.” The line’s distinctive content terms include border, hand, mountain. Its relationship to verses 53 and 55 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:” Naming Yet keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.” The line’s distinctive content terms include turned, aside, back. Its relationship to verses 58 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.” The line’s distinctive content terms include captivity, delivered, enemy’s. Its relationship to verses 60 and 62 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.” The line’s distinctive content terms include gave, inheritance, people. Its relationship to verses 61 and 63 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.” The line’s distinctive content terms include consumed, fire, maidens. Its relationship to verses 62 and 64 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.” Naming Their keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.” The line’s distinctive content terms include enemies, hinder, parts. Its relationship to verses 65 and 67 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:” Naming Ephraim and Joseph keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.” Naming Judah and Zion keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.” The line’s distinctive content terms include built, earth, established. Its relationship to verses 68 and 70 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.” Naming Israel and Jacob keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.