Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 78
Psalm 78:4We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
This verse acts as the psalm's mission statement, establishing that the purpose of recounting history is to declare God's praiseworthy deeds to future generations.Psalm 78:38-39Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
Here we see the heart of God. Despite Israel's constant rebellion, His response is rooted in compassion, forgiveness, and a tender understanding of human weakness.Psalm 78:70-72He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.
The psalm concludes on a hopeful note, showing that despite human failure, God sovereignly chooses a humble shepherd, David, to lead His people with integrity and skill.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Call to Listen and Learn from History
The psalm opens not with a song of praise or a cry of lament, but with a call to attention, like a wise teacher gathering his students. Asaph, the psalmist, urges the people of Israel to listen closely to a 'parable' or a lesson drawn from their shared history. He makes it clear that this is not merely a history lesson for its own sake. It is a story with a purpose. The goal is to pass down the truth about God's power and works from one generation to the next, so that the children will learn to trust and obey Him.
A Story of God's Faithfulness and Israel's Forgetfulness
After setting the stage, Asaph launches into a long, detailed narrative of Israel's past. He covers the epic events of the Exodus from Egypt, the miraculous provision in the desert, and the conquest of the Promised Land. However, this retelling is brutally honest. It contrasts God's incredible, repeated acts of salvation and care with Israel's equally repeated acts of rebellion, grumbling, and idolatry. This historical review forms the evidence for the lesson Asaph wants to teach: God is faithful even when His people are not.
A Historical Lesson on Faithfulness and Forgetting
Psalm 78 unfolds as a grand historical epic, a teaching tool designed to be passed down through generations. Asaph begins in verses 1-8 by establishing his purpose: to tell the old stories so that the young will learn to hope in God. The psalm then journeys through Israel's history, from their miraculous escape from Egypt to the establishment of David's kingdom, using each episode as a case study in the contrast between God's enduring grace and humanity's recurring failure to trust Him.
The Teacher's Introduction (Psalm 78:1-8)
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Commentary:
A teacher calls his people to learn from their history to build a faithful future.
Related Verse Analysis
Rebellion and Provision in the Wilderness (Psalm 78:9-39)
9 The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.
12 marvelously he led them through the deep, as through a desert.
13 He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.
14 In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16 He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
17 Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
20 He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”
21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven.
24 and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 He rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
29 So they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.
30 They were not estranged from their craving; yet while their food was still in their mouths,
31 The anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 Therefore, their days were consumed like a breath, and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
Commentary:
Despite God's miraculous care in the desert, the people constantly complained and forgot His power.
Forgetting the God of the Exodus (Psalm 78:40-55)
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!
41 They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan.
44 Yet he gave them his attention when he heard their cry.
45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave their crops to the destroying locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost.
48 he gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels.
50 He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.
51 He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.
55 He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
Commentary:
The people forgot the plagues and the powerful rescue from Egypt, failing to trust the God who saved them.
Idolatry and Judgment in the Land (Psalm 78:56-66)
56 Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies,
57 But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.
59 When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61 and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.
62 He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song.
64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66 And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.
Commentary:
In the Promised Land, the people turned to idols, leading God to abandon His dwelling at Shiloh.
A New Beginning with David (Psalm 78:67-72)
67 Then he rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves.
69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.
Commentary:
God chooses Judah, Zion, and David the shepherd to lead His people forward in faithfulness.
Core Truths from Israel's Story
God's Steadfast Compassion
Throughout the psalm, God's faithfulness is the one constant in the story. Even when faced with rebellion that warrants His anger, He is described as compassionate, atoning for iniquity, and restraining His wrath because He remembers that people are fragile and temporary.
The Danger of Forgetting
The root cause of Israel's repeated sin is a failure to remember. They forgot God's works, His power, and the day He redeemed them. This psalm teaches that spiritual amnesia leads directly to disobedience and a lack of trust in God's provision.
The Responsibility of Generational Teaching
The entire psalm is framed as a lesson to be passed down. It highlights the sacred duty of parents and elders to tell the stories of God's works to their children, so that the next generation can learn to place their hope in God and not repeat the failures of the past.
God's Sovereign Choice
Despite the repeated failures of the people and their leaders, God's plan is not thwarted. The psalm shows that God is sovereign over history, ultimately choosing Judah, Zion, and David to carry His redemptive purposes forward, demonstrating that His grace, not human merit, is what truly matters.
Lessons from an Ancient Story for Today
Psalm 78 reveals that God is both a righteous judge and a compassionate father. He takes sin and rebellion seriously, as seen in His anger (v. 59), but His dominant characteristic is mercy. He is patient with our weaknesses, quick to forgive, and always working to bring about His good purposes, even when we fail.
You can apply this by intentionally creating space to remember what God has done. This could mean keeping a journal of answered prayers, regularly sharing stories of God's faithfulness with friends or family, or taking time to reflect on His work in Scripture. As verse 7 shows, remembering God's works is the foundation for setting your hope in Him.
In today's terms, being 'stubborn and rebellious' (v. 8) might look like experiencing God's goodness on Sunday but living in doubt and anxiety by Monday. It's about knowing God's promises but choosing to trust in your own strength or worrying instead of praying. It's a heart that, despite all evidence of God's love, remains unsteady and uncommitted.
Remembering God's Story, Renewing Our Hope
Psalm 78 is a powerful reminder that our faith is built on the foundation of a true story. It teaches that God has consistently acted with power and mercy throughout history, even when His people have been forgetful and rebellious. The message is both a warning and an encouragement: by learning from the failures of the past, we can anchor our hope firmly in the God who has always been, and will always be, faithful.
What This Means for Us Today
Psalm 78 is an invitation to pull up a chair and listen to our family story - the story of God and His people. It calls us to be honest about the failures of our ancestors, and our own, while celebrating the God whose compassion never fails. We are called to be a generation that remembers, so we can be a generation that hopes.
- What part of Israel's story in this psalm resonates most with your own spiritual journey?
- Who in your life needs to hear a story about God's faithfulness this week?
- How can you better remember God's past works to strengthen your trust in Him for the future?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This preceding psalm is a personal lament that finds its resolution in remembering God's mighty deeds of the past, setting the stage for Psalm 78's detailed historical account.
Following the historical lesson, this psalm is a communal lament over the destruction of Jerusalem, a tragic outcome of the very rebellion warned against in Psalm 78.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage gives the command to diligently teach God's laws to the next generation, a principle that Psalm 78 puts into poetic and narrative practice.
The Apostle Paul references the same wilderness stories of rebellion as examples and warnings for the early church, showing the timeless relevance of learning from Israel's history.
This passage also reflects on the wilderness generation's unbelief as a solemn warning to believers today not to harden their hearts against God's voice.
Discussion Questions
- Psalm 78 was written to be passed down through generations. What are some practical ways we can share the story of God's faithfulness with younger people in our lives today?
- The Israelites quickly forgot God's miracles and began to complain. What makes us prone to forget God's goodness, and how can we cultivate a more grateful and remembering heart?
- The psalm ends by highlighting God's choice of David, a shepherd, to lead His people. What does this tell us about the qualities God values in leadership, both then and now?
Glossary
places
Egypt
The powerful nation in North Africa where the Israelites were enslaved before God rescued them in the Exodus.
Shiloh
An early center of Israelite worship where the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant were kept before Jerusalem.
Mount Zion
A hill in Jerusalem that became symbolic of the city and the location of God's holy temple.
Zoan
An ancient and prominent city in the Nile delta region of Egypt, mentioned as a site of God's marvels.
events
figures
Asaph
A prominent Levite musician and seer appointed by King David to lead worship; credited with writing this and other psalms.
Jacob
The patriarch whose name was changed to Israel; his descendants became the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ephraim
A major tribe of northern Israel, often used in the Old Testament to represent the entire northern kingdom.
David
Israel's second king, chosen by God as a shepherd to lead His people with an upright heart.