Psalm 78
Psalm 78 is a historical psalm, recounting Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, emphasizing their repeated rebellion and God’s faithfulness. It serves as a reminder to future generations not to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. The psalm urges people to learn from history and trust in God's providence, displaying both His justice and mercy.
Psalm 78:1-10 (NKJV)
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 parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children,
Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,
And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers,
That they should make them known to their children;
6 That 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 may not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that 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.
10 They did not keep the covenant of God;
They refused to walk in His law.
This section introduces the call to pay attention to God's teachings and remember the lessons passed down through generations. It highlights the responsibility of teaching children about God’s deeds so they can trust Him. The psalmist emphasizes that Israel’s ancestors were rebellious, serving as a cautionary tale. The reference to Ephraim turning back in battle symbolizes a lack of trust in God's power despite being equipped for victory. This introduction sets the theme: faithfulness to God versus rebellion.
Psalm 78:11-20 (NKJV)
11 And forgot His works
And His wonders that He had shown them.
12 Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers,
In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,
And all the night with a light of fire.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
16 He also brought streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 But they sinned even more against Him
By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.
19 Yes, they spoke against God:
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, 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?”
Despite witnessing God’s miracles, such as parting the Red Sea and providing water from the rock, Israel still doubted His ability to provide for them. This section recounts their ingratitude and rebellion in the wilderness, where they questioned whether God could meet their needs. Their lack of faith shows how quickly people can forget God's past works and doubt His future provision.
Psalm 78:21-31 (NKJV)
21 Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious;
So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against Israel,
22 Because they did not believe in God,
And did not trust in His salvation.
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
And opened the doors of heaven,
24 Had rained down manna on them to eat,
And given them of the bread of heaven.
25 Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to the full.
26 He 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;
28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp,
All around their dwellings.
29 So they ate and were well filled,
For He gave them their own desire.
30 They were not deprived of their craving;
But while their food was still in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came against them,
And slew the stoutest of them,
And struck down the choice men of Israel.
Although God provided manna and quail in abundance, the people’s persistent unbelief angered Him. Their rebellion led to God's judgment, even while they indulged in the blessings He provided. This section highlights how greed and faithlessness can provoke divine discipline. Even when God satisfies human desires, rebellion has consequences.
Psalm 78:32-39 (NKJV)
32 In spite of this they still sinned,
And did not believe in His wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility,
And their years in fear.
34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
35 Then they remembered that God was their rock,
And the Most High God their Redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth,
And they lied to Him with their tongue;
37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him,
Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,
And did not stir up all His wrath;
39 For He remembered that they were but flesh,
A breath that passes away and does not come again.
Despite their continued sin, God repeatedly showed compassion. Whenever judgment came, the people would turn back to God, but their repentance was often shallow. God’s patience and forgiveness demonstrate His mercy, knowing humanity’s frailty. This section underscores the tension between human unfaithfulness and divine compassion.
Psalm 78:40-55 (NKJV)
40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert!
41 Yes, again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember His power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,
43 When He worked His signs in Egypt,
And His wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 Turned their rivers into blood,
And their streams, that they could not drink.
45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
And frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,
And their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
And their sycamore trees with frost.
48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail,
And their flocks to fiery lightning.
49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
By sending angels of destruction among them.
50 He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare their soul from death,
But gave their life over to the plague,
51 And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt,
The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 But He made His own people go forth like sheep,
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And He brought them to His holy border,
This mountain which His right hand had acquired.
55 He also drove out the nations before them,
Allotted them an inheritance by survey,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
This section recalls how Israel repeatedly tested God in the wilderness by doubting His power. The psalmist recounts the miracles God performed to redeem Israel from Egypt, including the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. Despite God’s overwhelming acts of deliverance, Israel's faith was fleeting. The focus shifts to how God faithfully guided them to the Promised Land, driving out the nations and giving them an inheritance. It emphasizes God’s provision and leadership despite their rebellion.
Psalm 78:56-64 (NKJV)
56 Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
And did not keep His testimonies,
57 But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
59 When God heard this, He was furious,
And greatly abhorred Israel,
60 So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men,
61 And delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 He also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men,
And their maidens were not given in marriage.
64 Their priests fell by the sword,
And their widows made no lamentation.
Despite God’s continued blessings, Israel returned to idolatry, provoking Him with false worship. Their rebellion led to God's judgment, symbolized by the forsaking of Shiloh, where the tabernacle once stood. This resulted in Israel’s defeat, the captivity of the Ark of the Covenant, and the death of priests and warriors. The psalmist portrays these events as consequences of disobedience, illustrating how rebellion brings ruin.
Psalm 78:65-72 (NKJV)
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
66 And He beat back His enemies;
He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved.
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has established forever.
70 He also chose David His servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him,
To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
The chapter concludes with God’s intervention to save His people despite their failures. God rejected the tribe of Ephraim and chose Judah and Mount Zion as central to His purposes, showing a shift in leadership and favor. The selection of David as king symbolizes God’s grace and intention to lead His people with integrity. David, a shepherd by trade, becomes the shepherd of Israel, guiding the nation under God’s hand. This ending emphasizes hope and restoration, pointing to God’s sovereignty in choosing leaders who align with His will.