Dangerous Loss of Memory

^[1]A maskil of Asaph. My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. ^[2] I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old- ^[3] things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. ^[4] We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. ^[5] He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, ^[6] so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. ^[7] Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. ^[8] They would not be like their ancestors- a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. ^[9] The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; ^[10] they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. ^[11] They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. ^[12] He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. ^[13] He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. ^[14] He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. ^[15] He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; ^[16] he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. ^[17] But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. ^[18] They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. ^[19] They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? ^[20] True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” ^[21] When the LORD heard them, he was furious; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, ^[22] for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. ^[23] Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; ^[24] he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. ^[25] Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. ^[26] He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow. ^[27] He rained meat down on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. ^[28] He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. ^[29] They ate till they were gorged- he had given them what they craved. ^[30] But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, ^[31] God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel. ^[32] In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. ^[33] So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. ^[34] Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. ^[35] They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. ^[36] But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; ^[37] their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. ^[38] Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. ^[39] He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.