Psalm 78 Poem by Frank McEleny

I will utter dark sayings of old
Listen to me tell the story
Of the Lord and all HIs works
Of our God and all His glory

Tell this story to your children
Let them know right from the start
To set their hope upon the Lord
To usher Him into their heart

Long ago and times gone past
God's people lay under the heel
Of a cruel and Godless people
Who whipped them till they could not feel

And they cried out to God in affliction
God came down and He set them free
He caused them to pass through the waters
And their enemies God drowned in the sea

He led them by a cloud in the daytime
And the night was lit up by fire
Yet in the hearts they were never thankful
And were led by their own desire

Still daily God fed them from heaven
With manna that rained from above
He opened the rocks to quench their thirst
And only required their love

Yet they foolishly said ' is this all there is? '
Slapping our Lord in the face
A stiff-necked people ungrateful in heart
Destined to die in that place

And so He gave them the desires of their heart
Yet sent leanness into their soul
And while the food was still yet in their mouths
Death came quickly and swallowed them whole

And in the midst of death they sought Him
And remembered that God was their Rock
'You are our most high God and redeemer, ' they said
But it turns out it was all just talk

They flattered the Lord with their lips
But their hearts were far away
And the moment a time of testing came
They fell down then rose up to play

With skill they created their idols
And danced and fell on their faces
Forgetting the God who delivered them
They worshipped Baal in all their high places

So God forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh
And the ark was given away
The men were destroyed in battle
Thousands were killed in the fray

Then at a time of His choosing
God awoke from what seemed like a sleep
He destroyed the enemies of His people
His covenant forever to keep

And Judah was chosen, not Joseph
And in Zion His glory would fall
The people's king was rejected
And David answered the call

The young shepherd would shepherd the sheep
And from his lineage the King would arise
Just as fire falls down from heaven
So Christ's glory would rise to the skies