Bible Commentaries
Psalms 78

Verses 1-4

Introduction

Psalm 78 works out what the last verse of Psalm 77 says: “You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron” (Psalms 77:20). The history of the people of Israel is used as an illustration to teach according to the ways of God with His people in the past. The goal is for the faithful remnant of Israel – the maskilim, the wise or understanding – to learn lessons from it. The journey of the people of Israel out of Egypt to the promised land is a type or example of the return of the ten tribes to Israel in the future, after the great tribulation (cf. Isaiah 11:16; Isaiah 51:9-1 Kings :; Jeremiah 16:14; Jeremiah 16:15; Ezekiel 20:34-Zephaniah :; Matthew 24:31). The history and also the plagues in this psalm are not described chronologically, but thematically, in a spiritual order.

Psalms 73-77 asked questions about the incomprehensible way God is going with His people Israel. Psalm 78 answers them. The psalmist-prophet Asaph shows from history both the unfaithfulness of the people and the faithfulness of God as reasons why God has chosen the way He has gone with His people. The history of God’s people reveals their continuing unfaithfulness. God’s response shows His gracious election, through which He still carries out His plans of blessing for them. God loves and protects His people, which includes punishing and disciplining them when they deviate from Him.

The purpose of the psalm is to teach us lessons from the past. A mirror is held up to us in the history of God’s earthly people to show us what we are capable of (cf. James 1:22-Jeremiah :). This is to warn us not to fall into the same mistakes (1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians 10:11). It is also to show us in this history what God is capable of despite our failures.

A division of the psalm:
Psalms 78:1-Numbers : Core message: call to wisdom.
Psalms 78:5-Ruth : Call to pass on from generation to generation.
Psalms 78:9-Nehemiah : Rebellion of man in contrast with the caring hand of God.
Psalms 78:17-Obadiah : The failure of Israel and the faithfulness of God.
Psalms 78:32-Haggai : Superficial repentance.
Psalms 78:38-3 John : The judgment on the nations and on Israel.
Psalms 78:65-Baruch : The answer of God: David as the type of the Lord Jesus, the Son of David.

Passing On What God Has Done

This is the tenth of a total of thirteen psalms that are “a maskil” (Psalms 78:1), the so-called maskil-psalms (Psalms 32; 42, 44; 45; 52; 53; 54; 55; 74; 78; 88; 89; 142). Maskil-psalms involve teaching or instruction for the faithful remnant of Israel in the end times. See further at Psalm 32:1.

For “of Asaph” see at Psalm 50:1.

Asaph addresses God’s people as “my people” (Psalms 78:1). With this he indicates that he is not outside of them, but part of them. He asks them to “listen” to his “instruction”, for he has important things to say to them (cf. Deuteronomy 4:1; Isaiah 1:2). It is similar to what Moses did in Deuteronomy 32, where he uses the history of Israel through his song to teach the people (Deuteronomy 32:5-Job :). Moses, like Asaph, begins with the call to hear “the words of my mouth” (Deuteronomy 32:1-Exodus :). Moses says this to heaven and earth, to be witnesses. Asaph says it to God’s people.

They must also not only listen, but incline their “ears to the words of my mouth”. This refers to a mind to listen attentively with a willingness to do what is said.

After the first verse has called for attention, the second verse reflects the desire to make it clear to the listener/reader that the literal sense has a higher or deeper meaning. This can only be understood by those who delve into the psalm. There is a desire in Asaph to serve his people with “a parable” (Psalms 78:2; cf. Proverbs 1:6). The word for “parable” is mashal, which means teaching by comparison. It refers to “dark sayings of old” that are brought into light by him to teach a new generation. These hidden things are a rich treasure, which he will utter for them.

The distinctive feature of the mashal, the parable, in Psalm 78 is that the psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, uses the ancient history of Israel as a parable to learn lessons from it. In other cases, a fictional story is usually used as a parable, whereas here it is a really happened story, the history of redemption in the past.

The Lord Jesus fulfills this word of Asaph by using parables. God’s Spirit refers to this verse in Matthew 13 when He says of the Lord Jesus: “All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. [This was] to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD“ (Matthew 13:34-Habakkuk :). In Matthew 13, the Lord places “things hidden” into the light in a new way and does so by using parables or comparisons. We also see in this quotation that Asaph is called a “prophet”.

The psalmist-prophet Asaph passes on the history of Israel from God’s perspective. For this he draws on what he has heard from “our fathers” (Psalms 78:3). Again he emphasizes his connection with his people, now by speaking of their common fathers, “our fathers”. He and they have heard it and know it. They are aware of it. Their fathers have told “us”, that is him and his contemporaries,.

It is an important instruction for parents today to pass on to their children and grandchildren what they have learned from the Word of God in their dealings with God (cf. Exodus 12:26-Daniel :; Exodus 13:14-Nehemiah :). Passing it on makes it great again for the parents. They will continually praise and magnify God for it.

It places on all who have heard it the responsibility not to hide what they have heard “from their children”, that is, all who belong to God’s people (Psalms 78:4). The command is to “tell the generation to come” of God’s deeds. These deeds he calls “the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done”.

It is a joy to pass on all the various acts of God to those who come after us. God is worthy to be believed and praised because of all His deeds. They are rightly ‘praiseworthy deeds’ or ‘deeds to be praised’. God reveals His power in those deeds. The wonders He has performed also bring His people to praise Him. Everything in which God reveals Himself, has this effect on those who have an eye for it.

Speaking to our children and grandchildren about this is not always easy in practical terms. What is especially important is that they see with us that faith is not a rational matter for us, but that it permeates our entire life. Our life of faith must be fresh, just like the manna that was freshly laid out each morning. Lambs cannot live on old grass, but on young, fresh grass shoots.

Verses 5-8

Passing On What God Has Said

God has revealed Himself in His power and in His wonders. He has also revealed Himself in “a testimony” and “a law” which He has given to His people (Psalms 78:5). ‘Testimony’ is more directed to the people, to whom God’s law comes, for whom God’s law is intended. ‘Law’ is more concerned with God, Who has given the law, the authority of the law as coming from Him.

Everything God’s people do has its origin in God’s Word. It is not experience that determines our lives, but what God has “established” and “appointed”. The testimony is “established in Jacob”. This refers to the practice of the people, how the people can be a testimony of God to the nations around them. The law is “appointed … in Israel”. That refers to the position of the people, what the people mean to God, what He has made of them. It follows that they must live in accordance with it in order to be a joy to Him.

These two aspects were commanded by God to “our fathers that they should teach them to their children” (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7; Deuteronomy 4:9). The children are to learn how to testify of God and live to the glory of God and then pass this on to their children (Psalms 78:6). This is only possible by teaching them God’s Word.

Passing on God’s Word to the next generation is also an important task for us. Timothy, as a spiritual child of Paul, not only receives confirmation that what he has heard from Paul is the truth, but he is also to pass on that truth unchanged himself (2 Timothy 2:2). This is the ordinary way of passing on the truth.

Paul does not give Timothy any particular authority to preach. That authority is given by the Lord Himself (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:9). Nor does Paul ordain him in any special way. The Bible has no such thing as an official right to preach, something that should only be done by people with theological training. Passing on the truth of God’s Word is the responsibility of every believer. This is especially true for parents towards their children and for grandparents towards their grandchildren.

Parents, by their example and teaching, must teach their children to “put their confidence in God” (Psalms 78:7; cf. Proverbs 22:19) . What the children hear from parents sometimes sticks, sometimes does not; what they see from parents they will remember; what they experience with their parents in the exercise of faith they will understand and take to heart.

Those who put their hope in anything or anyone other than God are asking for misery. We avoid this when we do “not forget the works of God”. God’s works testify that hoping in Him never disappoints. Directly related to this is to “keep His commandments”. Hope or trust in God is justified only for those who listen to Him with the desire to do what He says.

By keeping God and His works and His commandments in mind, the children will be preserved from becoming like their fathers (Psalms 78:8). Asaph holds up to the children how God judges their fathers: it is “a stubborn and rebellious generation”. The reason is that this generation “did not prepare its heart” and their “spirit was not faithful to God”.

The warning is taken from a clear example. He does not say: ‘That they should not be like the nations, who know not of God’, but: that they should “not be like their fathers”. Evil domestic examples are far more pernicious than those of strangers. Let us learn from these verses that it is not advisable to follow in the footsteps of the fathers in all things.

If there is no trust in God in heart and spirit, rebellion and disobedience is the result. If the heart is set on God, then idolatry will be put away (1 Samuel 7:3), including insubordination (1 Samuel 15:23). The “heart” is the governing body of all life (Proverbs 4:23). The “spirit” is meant to have fellowship with God. However, the spirit can become preoccupied with many things other than God, become unfaithful, and become defiled (2 Corinthians 7:1). Therefore, God’s people must be on guard with their spirit, which the prophet Malachi says twice and therefore emphatically (Malachi 2:15-Nehemiah :).

Verses 9-11

Disobedient and Forgetful

Despite God’s works and God’s law, “the sons of Ephraim” have departed from God (Psalms 78:9). The sons of Ephraim are the ten tribes. Beginning in Psalms 78:12, they are associated with all the people of Israel. In other words, Ephraim’s behavior represents the behavior of all the people. When Reuben forfeited the firstborn right because of his behavior, Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn, received that right. Ephraim, the son of Joseph, the superior of Manasseh (Genesis 48:17-Proverbs :), became the leader. When Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, it was under the leadership of Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim. When the ark of the covenant was given a resting place in the land, it was at Shiloh, which was in Ephraim.

Ephraim was the most privileged tribe, but he failed time and again. The sons of Ephraim were “archers equipped with bows”, but at the time when they should have used their weapons and skill, that is, “in the day of battle”, they had turned back and fled. It is not known which event is involved here. Nor is it important. What is important is that the interests of God were not on their minds. They placed more value on their own lives than they did in working for God and His people.

Their cowardly attitude in the day of battle was the result of a wrong mind of the heart. This was evident from the fact that they had not kept the covenant of God. This is evident from the accusation brought against them, that they “did not keep the covenant of God” (Psalms 78:10). When we do not keep something, it means that we become vulnerable to wrong choices or open ourselves up to calamity. ‘Not to keep’ also means ‘not to guard’, which means something can be damaged or taken away.

In addition to the culpable failure to observe God’s covenant, there was the deliberate refusal to “walk in His law”. The “law” here is “the teaching” of God. It is the same word as “maskil” in Psalms 78:1. Through teaching one learns to know the words of God and thereby His will.

Thus they had turned their backs on God; they had lost sight of Him and He was not in their hearts any longer. God was not their hope (Psalms 78:7), so they “forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them” (Psalms 78:11). In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses regularly holds up to the people what they had seen with their own eyes of God’s deeds and would yet see (Deuteronomy 4:3; Deuteronomy 4:9Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 7:19Deuteronomy 7:22; Deuteronomy 9:4Deuteronomy 10:21; Deuteronomy 11:7Deuteronomy 11:23).

God shows us His deeds and His miracles to confirm His Word and strengthen our faith. However, if there is no personal relationship with Him, His past deeds no longer have any effect on us because faith is lacking. Those who forget the miracle of the cleansing of their past sins become blind and shortsighted (2 Peter 1:9).

Verses 12-16

God Redeems and Cares

Asaph goes on to quote examples of what God “did before [the eyes of] their fathers” in terms of “wonders”. He begins with the wonders “in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan” (Psalms 78:12). Zoan or Tanis was the capital of Egypt in the time of Moses. The people of Israel lived in a suburb twenty miles from Zoan known as Avaris. The writer (TJ) visited Avaris and saw a cemetery of male babies. [Those interested can read about this in T. Mahoney’s book Patterns of evidence.] Asaph here recalls the wonder of deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. This is the great wonder of beginning, from which all subsequent wonders have sprung.

How clearly God intervened then by all the plagues He brought upon Egypt. What plagues were to Egypt, to God’s people were wonders of God (Exodus 3:20; Exodus 4:21Exodus 7:3; Exodus 11:9-2 Samuel :). Zoan is the name of the ancient capital of Egypt, the seat of wisdom (Isaiah 19:11). But that wisdom failed to stop any of God’s plagues on Egypt.

And how He devoted Himself to them afterwards. When they stood before the Red Sea and could not move, “He divided the sea and caused them to pass through” (Psalms 78:13). God divided the waters. The word “divide” indicates that God did a powerful act. As a result, there was a wall of water to the left and right of the people (Exodus 14:21-Song of Solomon :). God rules over all the elements of nature because He made them.

Once in the wilderness He led His people (Psalms 78:14). He did this “with the cloud by day” and “all night with a light of fire”. To lead them through the wilderness in this way is a great wonder. The cloud by day was not only a guidance, but also a kind of umbrella to protect against the heat of the sun. The shining fire was not lacking for a moment in the night. It was no ordinary light, but fire that spread light. This indicates that the God Who led His people in the night did so as a God Who also sees and judges sin in the darkness (Hebrews 12:29).

As easily as God divided the sea (Psalms 78:13), He “split the rocks” (Psalms 78:15). This is another wonder. The place of action is “the wilderness”. A wilderness is a barren place where death reigns and where there is a lack of water. God gave His people water from the split rock and “gave [them] abundant drink like the ocean depths”.

Out of the rock He brought forth “streams” and “caused waters to run down like rivers” (Psalms 78:16). Everything speaks of a tremendous, unceasing flow of water. That they always had water to drink, they owed to God’s care for them. God was able to give them that care because He was looking forward to the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ.

That is why in 1 Corinthians 10 it is said of this rock from which streams of water came: “And the rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). Christ is the source and foundation of blessing. Every blessing that God has ever bestowed and ever will bestow upon His people, He bestows only because Christ is the people’s Redeemer. He became that because, like the rock, He was smitten. He was smitten by God for the sins of His people (Isaiah 53:10; Zechariah 13:7).

For us, who live in the time after Christ’s coming and ascension, it is no different. We too owe every blessing to Christ and the work He accomplished. The water in abundance speaks of His Spirit, which He gives without measure to those who believe (John 7:38-Malachi :; John 3:34). The water also speaks of His Word, in which all blessings are displayed for us (Ephesians 5:26). It is the water of the Word that becomes alive by the working of the Holy Spirit. Living water in Hebrew is water that has been flowing.

At the Feast of Booths, a priest with a golden pitcher scooped water from the well of Siloam each day of the seven-day feast. With loud cheering (Isaiah 12:3), the water was poured out by the high priest into a silver basin next to the bronze altar of burnt offering, as a reminder of the water from the rock in the wilderness. On the eighth day of the feast the Lord Jesus indicated that He was the fulfillment of this prophetic shadowing (John 7:37-Malachi :).

Verses 17-22

The People Put God to the Test

The word “yet” (Psalms 78:17) indicates the contrast with the foregoing. God had abundantly proved His might and His provision. “Yet” it had no beneficial effect on the unfaithfulness of God’s people. It is a dramatic observation: “They still continued to sin against Him” (cf. Numbers 21:4-Judges :) and that, even though God had done so much good for them. This shows great ingratitude.

They rebelled “against the Most High in the desert”. It was not only ingratitude, but great insolence and audacity. They were in the desert, totally dependent on Him. Instead of humbling themselves before Him they were presumptuous against “the Most High”. By calling God that, Asaph shows the enormous contrast between man and God.

“In their heart” they “put” that most high God “to the test” (Psalms 78:18). They wanted Him to prove that He really cared for them. Then they would believe in Him and obey Him. He had to provide them with “food according to their desire”. After all the evidence God had given of His faithful care, this was not weakness, but rebellion.

They had come to dislike the manna and wanted food according to their own tastes (Numbers 11:5). In picture it means that they had enough of Christ and were longing for the food of the world. The manna is a picture of Christ (John 6:30-Micah :). When He no longer fills the heart, it is the beginning of decline in the spiritual life.

The people “spoke against God” (Psalms 78:19). They spoke from a rebellious, unbelieving heart. God did “prepare a table in the wilderness” for them all along the wilderness journey. And then they boldly asked if God could “prepare a table” in the wilderness! This is not doubting God, but denying God. This showed the hardness (cf. Mark 6:51-1 Thessalonians :) and apostasy of their hearts.

With respect to the wonder of the abundance of water He had given to them from the rock, we see the same thing. They knew it: “He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowing” (Psalms 78:20). Did that wonder and abundant provision have any effect on their trust in God? Not at all (cf. John 2:23-Lamentations :). On the contrary, they wondered if He could also give bread and provide meat for His people. Instead of trusting God after the redemption and care He showed, they challenged Him to show His power again.

The people’s reaction to past wonders shows that those wonders do not guarantee trust in God when new difficulties come. It is good that we remember wonders. That memory only has a beneficial effect on our faith if we believe and trust Him today in the new difficulties.

Relying on past experiences is counterproductive if we lack faith in the present difficulties. Experience can strengthen faith, but faith must be present in order to use this experience (cf. 2 Peter 1:6). If we are in difficulties and there is faith, then that faith is in God Who did not spare His own Son. This faith is expressed in the firm confidence that with His Son God will also grant us all things (Romans 8:31-Jonah :).

The LORD has heard all these haughty challenges to His address (Psalms 78:21). The name LORD is not used much in these psalms. That that Name is used here highlights the fact that the sin of the people is a sin against the covenant with the LORD. This deliberate denial of His performance in goodness in the past has incurred His wrath. As if the LORD would not keep His own covenant. It is not possible to be indifferent to this. The fire of His wrath, “was kindled against Jacob”. Jacob is again the name of God’s people seen in their practice (Psalms 78:5).

“His anger also mounted against Israel”. Israel is again (Psalms 78:5) the name for God’s people in what they have become through Him. Because they behaved so unworthily of their position, God’s wrath flared up against them (Numbers 11:1-Leviticus :). God is slow to anger, but His wrath flares up when there is persistence in sin. He will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). His wrath was manifested by fulfilling their lusts, the fulfillment of which was at the same time a judgment from God on their unbelief (Psalms 78:31).

The reason for the flare-up of God’s wrath was that they “did not believe in God” and “did not trust in His salvation” (Psalms 78:22). Instead of trusting the LORD because of the redemption and wonder signs He performed, the Israelites used these same wonder signs as an argument to doubt that God had the power to redeem.

Unbelief is a serious sin. From it come all other sins. Not believing in God means rejecting Him as not worth believing in. It is directly related to trusting Him. They did not trust in His promises to give them His salvation, that is, to bless them with His peace. And this while He had already given them His salvation in the rescue from slavery.

Verses 23-31

Bread, Meat and Gluttony

Once again Asaph points out, and now in more detail and impressively, how God provided His people in the wilderness with everything they needed. In beautiful, poetic language he speaks of how God had commanded “the clouds above” and “opened the doors of heaven” (Psalms 78:23). All the elements of nature are under His command. He has brought about the whole creation by the utterance of commands (Psalms 33:9). When necessary, He intervenes in the natural course of creation and commands the individual elements to do as He pleases (Joshua 10:12-1 Chronicles :).

Heaven is the storehouse of food for His people. He opened it and “rained down manna upon them to eat” (Psalms 78:24). The fact that God rained manna indicates that He gave His people life, blessed them, and did so in abundance. This manna was no ordinary bread either. Asaph calls it “food from heaven”. The manna was of heavenly origin, it was bread from heaven (Psalms 105:40; Exodus 16:4; John 6:31; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:3). By this the Israelites could know that heaven, that God Himself, cared for them. God wanted them to know that they were dependent on Him.

Of this heavenly food “man” ate, that is, all the people (Psalms 78:25). There was no lack, for God gave “in abundance”. He never gives meagerly; He does not ‘tip’. When He gives, it is always according to the riches of His grace. When God gives, the believer will always find that His cup will overflow (Psalms 23:5).

The food from heaven is called “the bread of angels” and “food”, or “provision”. ‘Bread of angels’ means that this food was given by them to God’s people. ‘Provision’ emphasizes that it was food eaten during a journey. It is a main part of the meal, not a side dish.

The wind is also under His command (Psalms 78:26). He makes use of it when He wills and determines from which side the wind must come. To give His people meat, He did not, as with the manna, open the doors of heaven. He used the wind. Here He caused “the east wind to blow in the heavens” and He directed “by His power … the south wind”.

As He did with the manna, “He rained meat upon them” (Psalms 78:27). He made meat rain down on them “like dust”. He sent “winged fowl like the sand of the seas”, that is, in such an immense quantity that they could eat themselves to death (Numbers 11:33). He also determined where the meat in the camp, which Asaph calls “their [literally His] camp”, ended up (Psalms 78:28). It fell “in the midst of His camp” and “around His dwellings”. God dwelt with His people.

The thought of His presence among them should have deterred them from following their lusts. There was no question of that, however. It also fell “around His dwellings”, that is, the tabernacle with its various rooms. When He dropped it there, would the people come to their senses?

But there was no thought of God with them. When they had received what they had desired, they attacked the food and “were filled” (Psalms 78:29). There was no thanks to God. With their stomachs full, they looked with covetous eyes at the stock of meat that was still there. Their stomachs were full, but still they were not satisfied, that is, their desire, their lust, was not satisfied (Psalms 78:30). They continued to insatiably wallow and chew on the last bit of meat they had been able to stuff into their mouths and had not yet swallowed.

While their food was in their mouths, “the anger of God rose against them” (Psalms 78:31; Numbers 11:33). Sometimes God waits a long time to express His anger. When He admonishes us to be “slow to anger” (James 1:19), He is admonishing us to show a feature of Himself. Here God was quick to show His anger because it was a sin of apostasy that revealed a long-standing aversion to His people.

God judged. His death sentence struck “some of their stoutest ones”. The “stoutest ones” are those who have indulged themselves the most, the most voracious. Another category affected by His judgment included “the choice men of Israel”, the most prominent, the most influential, the strongest and most responsible. Literally it says “the young men of Israel”. This is reminiscent of the admonition we receive to “flee from youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22).

Verses 32-39

Judgment, Compassion, Forgiveness

“In spite of all this”, that is, in spite of all His favors and in spite of His chastisements and in spite of His wonders, “they still sinned” (Psalms 78:32; cf. Revelation 16:8-1 Kings :). God left no stone unturned to keep His people faithful to Him, or to bring them back to faithfulness to Him. There was an inveterate heart with them that “did not believe in His wonderful works” (cf. John 12:37; Mark 8:16-Ecclesiastes :). The greatest wonders are of no avail if the will to believe is lacking.

As a result of their unbelief, “so”, for that reason, “He brought their days to an end in futility and their years in sudden terror” (Psalms 78:33). A life without involving God is “futile”, empty, and meaningless. There is nothing of lasting value. That’s what life has been like for most of God’s people in the wilderness. When God is driven out of life, it is empty. That emptiness is filled with terror, with fear. This is a judgment of God.

This severe dealing with them, even “killing” them, had the effect of causing them to return and earnestly seek God (Psalms 78:34). This is always the purpose of any disciplinary action God brings against His people. Discipline is an expression of His love and interest for them (Hebrews 12:5-1 Kings :). He wanted to bless them, which could only happen if they lived in obedience to Him. When they deviated, He disciplined them so that they would return to Him and seek Him.

Through the discipling “they remembered that God was their rock” (Psalms 78:35; cf. Deuteronomy 32:4; Deuteronomy 32:15Deuteronomy 32:31; Judges 3:15; Judges 4:3). They remembered that God was their only security and protection. They had forgotten that in following their own lusts. Through God’s discipling they were reminded of that again. It was not a vague reminder of God, but He stood tall before their attention again. He is the almighty “God”. He is “the Most High God”, the God Who is above all things and oversees all things. He was “their Redeemer”, Who had delivered them out of Egypt.

Their confession, however, was no more than a lip confession (Psalms 78:36). Their return to God was hypocrisy (cf. John 6:26). Asaph is clear about this: they flattered God and lied to Him. With their mouth and their tongue they said all sorts of things they did not mean. They promised all kinds of things that they did not keep. They used flattery and lies to manipulate God. As if they could deceive God. All they cared about was being released from His discipline.

Their lip confession came from a heart that was “not steadfast toward Him” (Psalms 78:37). They were saying with their mouths something very different from what was in their heart. They had no desire to be with Him and do His will. They were also “not faithful in His covenant”. He had entered into a covenant relationship with them. That was about faithfulness. He was faithful, but they were unfaithful and had followed other gods in their heart.

In spite of what God’s people had done, all of this aversion and unfaithfulness was followed by a Divine “but” (Psalms 78:38). Instead of judging His reluctant people, “He, being compassionate, forgave [their] iniquity”. His compassion consisted in forgiving [literally: covered over, atoned for] their iniquity. God is merciful, but He is also holy. Therefore, He must have a righteous basis for sparing His people. He has found this in the work of His Son on the cross of Calvary. There He atoned the iniquity.

By virtue of compassion and atonement, God did not destroy His people, but “often He restrained His anger”. God did not turn away His anger just once and did spare them, but He did so repeatedly. The people repeatedly provoked Him to anger in the wilderness, and just as repeatedly God did not pour out His full anger on them, but was compassionate. This is also how He still deals with us today.

God was able to act in this way because He foresaw the work of His Son (Romans 3:25). He did not turn His anger away from His Son, but brought it upon Him. Against His people He “did not arouse all His wrath”. He did arouse His full wrath against His Son in the hours when He was made sin by Him.

One proof of His compassion is that “He remembered that they were frail creatures” (Psalms 78:39; cf. Psalms 103:14; Matthew 26:41). This mercy did not alleviate the guilt of His people, but shows a God Who knew His people through and through. His people thought they were strong and did not need God. This high opinion of themselves proves how fragile they were. In their pride they were blind to the fact that they were no more than “a wind that passes and does not return” (cf. Isaiah 2:22).

Verses 40-51

God’s Strength in Salvation

Asaph returns to the behavior of the people in the wilderness (Psalms 78:40). It is as if rebellion was the hallmark of the entire wilderness journey. They taunted Him by repeatedly criticizing and questioning His love and faithfulness. His compassion (Psalms 78:38) was not appreciated.

By their disobedience and rebellion they grieved Him. All the sins of men, and especially of His people, grieve God. His anger rests upon them, and He will let His anger run free if a person persists in his sins. God is not insensitive to sin. Sin strikes Him, the Holy One, deep within His heart and causes pain and sorrow.

They tempted God “again and again”. They never learned. Again and again they kept challenging God to show if He was able to satisfy their lusts. It is like asking the sun to shine, while you are blinded by the sunlight.

With all their questioning – all arising from an unbelieving and rebellious heart – they “pained” – or “offended” or “provoked” – “the Holy One of Israel”. The limitation lay in the fact that, in spite of His proven redeeming power (Psalms 78:42), they considered Him incapable of satisfying their lusts. If they did consider Him capable, they would trust Him. He had abundantly proved that He could be trusted and was capable of everything. To force Him then to prove Himself showed that to them God was a narrow, limited God Who was not capable to give them what they wanted.

It is a most audacious attitude, for they had to do with none other than “the Holy One of Israel”. He, the Holy One of Israel, Who was their King (Psalms 89:18) and worthy of praise (Psalms 71:22). This Name of God is characteristic of the book of Isaiah. It is an indication of the fact that He is unique, comparable to no one.

The fact that they did not see this did not change the seriousness of their rebellion. They stood up against Him Who is “the Holy One”. The LORD has sanctified Himself on behalf of His own, that is Israel, and that is us. In His holiness He had bound “Israel” to Himself. This meant that they were sanctified by His presence among them and that they also had to behave in a holy way in order to experience the blessing of His presence among them. He said to His people then and says to His people now: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16; Leviticus 20:7).

Men also limited the Lord Jesus in His power when He hung on the cross. In their audacity and unbelief they said to Him: ‘If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe” (Matthew 27:39-Acts :). The same challenging language is still used today. You hear it in remarks like: ‘If God is love, let Him do something about the misery in the world.’

All their wrong thoughts about God came from no longer remembering “His power” (Psalms 78:42). God so often proved His power in their favor. Asaph takes the people back to “the day when He redeemed them from the adversary” (cf. Exodus 13:3). How often we too forget the great grace and power of God through which we have been delivered from the power of sin. This forgetfulness leads us to become unfaithful to God when we get into difficulties. Then we begin to doubt His power. If we do not repent soon, we become rebellious and accuse Him of being powerless to help us.

Asaph then describes in detail the power that God displayed on the day of their redemption. He points to God performing “His signs in Egypt and His marvels in the field of Zoan” (Psalms 78:43; cf. Psalms 78:12). God performed His signs in order to point His people to the purpose of redemption. That purpose was that He wanted to dwell with them, to celebrate with them and have fellowship with them (Exodus 5:1). God performed His wonders to encourage His people to entrust themselves to Him. His wonders show His power that He used in their favor against their oppressors. They denied and defied that power by their rebellious, unbelieving attitude against Him.

As the first of God’s signs and wonders, Asaph recalls that God “turned their rivers to blood, and their streams, they could not drink” (Psalms 78:44; Exodus 7:19-Ecclesiastes :). This is the first plague God brought upon Egypt. Water speaks of that which refreshes and gives life. Blood shed speaks of death. Life in the world of sin does not give life, but death. That was what God’s people returned to by turning away from God.

The second sign and wonder mentioned by Asaph is the “swarms of flies which devoured them” (Psalms 78:45; Exodus 8:24). This is the fourth plague that God brought upon Egypt, in which Goshen, and thus His people, were spared (Exodus 8:22-Isaiah :). The flies, possibly a mixture of all kinds of vermin, carried all kinds of diseases. As a result, the lives of the people were ruined.

As an application for our time we can think of all kinds of irritations, jealousy, bullying, bothering each other in all possible ways. These things spoil the atmosphere between people and can make life unbearable. Loud music at the neighbors, misbehavior in traffic, challenging behavior in the store and so many other things that can make you feel bad. We are reminded by Asaph that the flies will also do their work for us if we turn our backs on God. The flies are like “the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15).

The third sign and wonder is the “frogs which destroyed them” (Exodus 8:5-Joshua :). This is the second plague that God brought upon Egypt. Frogs are a picture of unclean spirits, especially sexual uncleanness (Revelation 16:13-Ezra :). This plague is sweeping over the world and is also invading the homes of Christians. Sometimes unsolicited through advertising flyers through the mailbox, but unfortunately also because people search for it in their homes on the internet. Uncleanness gets into the bedrooms, into the beds. The warning in Hebrews 13 is important and significant in this context (Hebrews 13:4).

The frogs came in the kneading bowls, which indicates that it was mixed with the food. The effect of the taking in, ‘eating’, through the mass media of uncleanness cannot be left out. Gay marriages and their consecration in the church have become practice. Those who are not practicing themselves are justifying it. Love is from God, isn’t it?

This uncleanness is the result of not acknowledging God. That is why He gives a plague like this. The application for our days is clear (Romans 1:24-Hosea :). Man who disregards God brings this plague upon himself. Man who does not acknowledge God dishonors himself. The lusts he seeks to satisfy spring from his abandonment of God. Return to Him is the only means that helps to drive out the plague.

The fourth sign and wonder are “the grasshopper” to which God gave “their crop”, and “the locust” to which God gave “the product of their labor” (Psalms 78:46; Exodus 10:12-Ezra :). This is the eighth plague that God brought upon Egypt. Because of an east wind, an unprecedented amount of locusts were brought upon Egypt. It was the army of the LORD (Joel 2:11; Joel 2:25). Everything that had not already been destroyed by previous judgments was eaten off. In all of Egypt there was not a green leaf left. The forsaking of God put an end to all prosperity.

The fifth sign and wonder is “the hailstones” (Psalms 78:47; Exodus 9:22-Lamentations :). This is the seventh plague that God brought upon Egypt. God sent down from “the storehouse of the hail” the hail which He kept therein “for a day of war and battle” (Job 38:22-Isaiah :). That day had arrived for Egypt.

The grape plants of the middle east, and even more so the wild fig trees, are sensitive to the cold. By hailstones “He destroyed their vines”. The wine is a picture of joy. God put an end to all earthly joy for those who sought joy without Him. By frost He destroyed “their sycamore trees”. The sycamore tree is a fig tree. The fig tree represent righteousness. The righteousness of the world does not last, but perishes at the hands of God’s judgments.

The hail struck not only the fruit of the land, but also the animals (Psalms 78:48). Their herds He gave over “to bolts of lightning” that accompanied the hail (Exodus 9:24). The world will be ravaged by many judgments, including that of a great hail (Revelation 16:21). The members of God’s people will escape these only if they take refuge with God (cf. Isaiah 32:2).

In all of these plagues, God “sent upon them His burning anger, fury and indignation and trouble” (Psalms 78:49). The combination of these words shows how filled with anger God had become by the rebellion and unruly nature of His people. He used “a band of destroying angels” to execute His burning anger. They brought the disasters upon Egypt at His command (cf. Exodus 12:23; Hebrews 11:28; Revelation 9:13-Nehemiah :).

Asaph mentions a sixth sign and wonder: the pestilence on the livestock (Psalms 78:50; Exodus 9:5-Joshua :). Asaph says of this sign that God thereby “leveled a path for His anger”. He no longer withheld His wrath, but gave it free rein. A sudden outbreak of pestilence was proof that God was at work. With it He struck the Egyptians in the means of their livelihood. “He did not spare their soul from death.”

The last sign and wonder mentioned by Asaph is the death of “all the firstborn in Egypt, the first [issue] of their virility in the tents of Ham” (Psalms 78:51; Psalms 136:10; Exodus 4:22-Isaiah :; Exodus 11:4-Deuteronomy :Exodus 12:29-Amos :). This is the tenth and final plague in Egypt. Egypt is descended from Ham (Genesis 10:6; Psalms 105:23). The firstborn is a symbol of strength (Genesis 49:3). The eldest son is the deepest pride of the Oriental. According to Eastern custom, the survival of the name, of the family, depends on the eldest son. He represents the strength of the whole family. The first-born son is more precious to him than his possessions and his health.

All the hope of the natural man is focused on the firstborn. Therefore God dashed all their hopes by smiting their firstborn. There was not a house in all of Egypt in which there was not a death. It was the final blow. God’s judgment was indiscriminate. It affected everyone from the highest to the lowest in society (Job 34:19-Proverbs :).

Verses 52-55

Guided in the Wilderness, Brought Into the Land

After this final judgment, Pharaoh let God’s people go. Asaph says here that God led forth His own like sheep (Psalms 78:52). Pharaoh is forced by God to release the people. God has continually devoted Himself to His people. That He led them forth “like sheep” indicates their vulnerability, their defenselessness, and that they were completely dependent on God’s protection and care.

They did not owe their deliverance to their own strength. Here God is the good Shepherd who led His sheep into freedom (cf. John 10:3). Further on, in Psalms 78:70-Sirach :, we see that He allowed David to act as shepherd for His people. In a prophetic sense, it speaks of God becoming Man in order to be the good Shepherd as the Son of David.

After they went away, He “guided them in the wilderness like a flock”. He made sure they stayed together and were not scattered. The wilderness is an area through which a person cannot pass without knowing the way or without a good guide. For the people it was a completely unknown way. Therefore, they were totally dependent on the guidance of God.

Asaph testifies that God “led them safely, so that they did not fear” (Psalms 78:53). God provided safety in the midst of all the dangers of “the great and terrible wilderness” (Deuteronomy 8:15; cf. Jeremiah 2:6). The enemy could no longer frighten them, for “the sea engulfed their enemies” (Exodus 14:27-Amos :). Slavery was behind them, as were the dead bodies of the slavers. During the wilderness journey, God provided as long as the journey lasted.

Thus He “brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained” (Psalms 78:54). Moses and the Israelites already mentioned this in the song they sang immediately after the redemption (Exodus 15:17). God brought His people “to His holy land”. The land He had chosen for them (Ezekiel 20:6), belongs to Him. It is holy because He is holy. What is His must correspond to Who and what He is.

By “this hill country” is meant the whole land (Exodus 15:17; Isaiah 57:13). “His right hand” has gained that country. The right hand represents power and honor. He demonstrated His power by driving out “the nations before them” (Psalms 78:55). Then He “apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement”. Historically, we have arrived at the book of Joshua. All the tribes were apportion the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:7; Joshua 14:1-Deuteronomy :; cf. Psalms 16:6).

Finally, He “made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents”. After the slavery in Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, the people had reached rest. Now they could enjoy all the blessings God had prepared for them in this land.

Verses 56-58

The Turning Back of the People

After the abundance of evidence of God’s faithfulness and care for His people, there follows a human “yet” (Psalms 78:56). Instead of being thankful, “they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God” (cf. Psalms 78:41). This is a greater sin than in the wilderness. In the wilderness everything was dry and dead. In the land, however, they were surrounded by blessings. Here we see that both difficulties and blessings make man unfaithful to God if he does not see that God is there for him both in the difficulties and in the blessings. Here we have arrived historically in the book of Judges.

The blessings did not make them grateful, but ungrateful. They were not satisfied with what God had given them. Again and again they leave Him, as we see in the book of Judges. They defied Him with their sinful ways, for they “did not keep His testimonies”. What God had said did not interest them.

The next step away from Him was that they “turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers” (Psalms 78:57). “They turned aside like a treacherous bow”, that is, they did not live up to the expectation. God wanted them to be a witness for Him to the nations around them, but they did not live up to that. They denied their calling.

Instead of honoring God, they began to worship idols (Psalms 78:58). “They provoked Him with their high places”, that is, they made altars to offer sacrifices to the idols (Judges 2:11-1 Chronicles :). This was a great affront to God, Who had led, nurtured and blessed them. Every right-minded person must understand that God was thereby aroused to anger. What person would consider such a great ingratitude for services rendered normal and accept it?

They “aroused His jealousy with their graven images”. This is a perfectly justifiable act of jealousy. What right-thinking man is not aroused to jealousy when he finds his wife falling in love with another man and becoming unfaithful to him (Proverbs 6:32-Nahum :)? God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14). He cannot sit back and do nothing when His people become unfaithful to Him and go after and follow other gods (Deuteronomy 32:16; Deuteronomy 32:21; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2-Leviticus :).

Verses 59-64

Delivered to Judgment

God has heard, that is, noticed, all the turning back and faithlessness of His people (Psalms 78:59). It is here about their words, and also about their deeds and the mind of their heart. They had not become obstinately turning back and unfaithful, but had first considered what they would do. These were conscious, deliberate, and thoughtful actions of turning back and unfaithfulness. God had therefore justifiably become “filled with wrath” about that.

In fact, history repeats itself. History teaches us that man learns nothing from history. Even in the wilderness journey the people provoked the LORD so much that He was full of wrath against them (Psalms 78:21). On the part of the people it is a repetition of moves, it follows a certain pattern.

His mind toward them was radically changed by their continued turning back. He “greatly abhorred” them. Abhorrence is an emotion evoked by a course of action that causes disgust. It did not stop there. It led to an action that expressed that abhorrence, and that is rejection. What is abhorred is rejected. It was not a matter of committing a sinful act once, but of living a life of debauchery. This had become the situation with His people.

We see this in the days when the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD at the tabernacle in Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:3). Hophni and Phinehas trampled on God’s rights in the crudest way, causing the people to reject the LORD’s sacrifice (1 Samuel 2:12-Esther :; 1 Samuel 2:22). Because priests and people despised God, God despised the people (1 Samuel 2:30). With that people, He could not continue to dwell.

The tabernacle at that time, since the days of Joshua, was in Shiloh (Joshua 18:1; Joshua 18:8; Judges 18:31; Judges 21:12Judges 21:19; 1 Samuel 1:3; 1 Samuel 1:241 Samuel 2:14; 1 Samuel 4:3-Numbers :). Shiloh was in the area of the tribe of Ephraim. Because of the scandalous behavior of Eli’s two sons, “so”, God “abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh” (Psalms 78:60). The tabernacle was “the tent which He had pitched among men”. This seemed to be the end of God’s purpose for redemption. This purpose was to dwell with His people.

He had done so until this moment. However, because of the continuing turning back of the people, He could no longer do that. To live means to have rest. Shiloh means rest. That rest had disappeared because of the people’s continued sin. God was, as it were, driven out of His dwelling place. This was a painful moment for God, and also for the people, although the people as a whole did not see the extent of it.

The ark was the visible testimony of the presence and power of God. The ark was also called “the ark of Your strength” (Psalms 132:8). When the sons of Eli wanted to use the ark as a mascot in battle against the Philistines, God “gave up His strength to captivity”, that is, He gave the ark into the hand of the Philistines (Psalms 78:61; 1 Samuel 4:17).

He gave “His glory into the hand of the adversary”, which means that the glory departed from Israel and ended up in the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:21-Song of Solomon :). The fact that God maintained His glory and demonstrated His power there as well is not the issue here. It is about the lessons the people must learn from the history of their faithlessness.

God also “delivered His people to the sword” of the Philistines (Psalms 78:62; 1 Samuel 4:2; 1 Samuel 4:10). “His inheritance”, that is, His land and His people, became the object of His anger. There was nothing attractive to Him in it anymore. So much had they by their deeds vexed and dishonored Him. Upon the land upon which His eye had first looked with favor, now rested His anger. We see that God did everything. He left His tabernacle, He gave up His strength and His glory, He delivered His people.

The “young men” were killed by the fire of judgment (Psalms 78:63). This happened in the battle against the Philistines. The consequence was that “His virgins had no wedding songs”. The meaning is that the young man could not sing a song for his young bride at their wedding. With the death of the young men, there were no more weddings possible. This meant the end of the nation.

The priests Hophni and Phinehas fell by the sword of the Philistines (Psalms 78:64; 1 Samuel 4:11). They, who were the link between the people and God, had been killed. Their widows had not wept for them (cf. Job 27:15), so great was the shock of the calamities that had come upon the people. Possibly they had wept because of the captured ark (1 Samuel 4:21). In any case, the death of the priests and the disappearance of the ark meant an interruption in the service to God.

Verses 65-72

God Chose Judah, Zion and David

After all that God had to do with the people and the way He Himself went, He seemed the big Loser. However, this was only seemingly so. In the same way, it seems today that in the events of the world God is the great Absentee. That too is only an illusion. When the people had forfeited all their rights and there was no basis for restoration, “the Lord awoke as [if from] sleep” (Psalms 78:65; cf. Psalms 44:24; Isaiah 51:9). Thus God will also intervene in the entire world through the return of the Lord Jesus.

The Lord, Adonai, was going to act on behalf of His people. He alone was able to do so as the sovereign Ruler of all, Adonai. We see in the following verses all that “He” did. He was “like a warrior overcome by wine”. It is the battle cry of a hero who knows no fear. With people it is as if they let go themselves without restrain by the wine. With Him, it indicates that He with joy went to work for His people.

The first work was to judge His adversaries (Psalms 78:66). He had given His glory into the hand of the adversary. Now He struck this adversary and other adversaries “backward”. This was not an attack in the back, but defeating the adversaries while they were on the run. God struck the Philistines with swords (1 Samuel 5:6-2 Kings :). Later, these enemies were destroyed by David. Prophetically, the Lord Jesus will destroy the enemies of Israel by His appearing (Isaiah 51:9).

They did not expect that He would ever again stand up for His people. That was one of the grievous errors of unbelief. He caused an “everlasting reproach” with His adversaries. They had thought to reap eternal glory by attacking God’s people, but the Lord, Adonai, changed that into a reproach that is eternal.

To reject “the tent of Joseph” is to set it aside as the location of His sanctuary (Psalms 78:67). Joseph was “the one distinguished among his brothers” (Genesis 49:26), but God had chosen another tribe for His sanctuary. The same was true of Ephraim, the principal tribe of the ten tribes realm. He also “did not choose the tribe of Ephraim”, although there, in Shiloh, the tabernacle had stood.

The tribe of God’s choice for the building of His sanctuary was “the tribe of Judah” (Psalms 78:68). Here Jacob’s prophecy is fulfilled (Genesis 49:8-2 Samuel :). God’s choice is always based on His will and not on anything in man. In the tribe of Judah He chose “Mount Zion which He loved”. His election of Zion is connected with His love. When He acts according to His love, He acts according to His nature, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16), apart from anything attractive in the object of His love. He loves because He is love.

On Mount Zion, which He loved, “He built His sanctuary like the heights” (Psalms 78:69). Solomon actually built His sanctuary, but God provided him with wisdom, directions, materials, and people to do so. God’s sanctuary was built “like the heights”, that is, it is an exalted place (cf. Isaiah 2:2).

In addition to being an exalted place, it is also an unshakable place, “like the earth which He has founded forever”. The earth is often the symbol of stability. Thereby, God has founded His sanctuary, like the earth, for a purpose, namely, to meet there with His people. The people may come there with their sacrifices and He blesses them there.

Finally, after the election of the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, comes the choice of “David His servant” to be king over His people (Psalms 78:70). David was chosen even though he had no natural claim to be king. Nor did he count in his family, he was forgotten by them (1 Samuel 16:11), but God “took him from the sheepfolds” (cf. 2 Samuel 7:8). God’s king is originally a shepherd. According to God’s thoughts, kingship can only be exercised well by a shepherd. We see this perfectly in the case of the Lord Jesus.

God allowed David to come “from the care of the ewes with suckling lambs” (Psalms 78:71). That place, behind the ewes with suckling lambs, shows that David cared for these sheep, sheep that give their lambs to drink. This is the quality that someone needs to pasture God’s people. David remained the same in his caring. The only change was that the sheep were now people, which at the same time implies that people are sheep in need of care (cf. Matthew 9:36).

God entrusted David with the care “to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance”. David should always be well aware of the fact that the people he was pasturing and ruling over were not his people, but the people of God. That people is called “Jacob”. That reminds us of the weakness of the people. God made that people “Israel”, which is the people as God sees them according to His counsel for that people. That people was not the property of David, but God’s property.

It is reminiscent of the command the Lord Jesus gives to Peter: “Tend My lambs … Shepherd My sheep … Tend My sheep” (John 21:15-Esther :). The Lord uses the word “My” every time. Every shepherd in the church of God must be constantly aware that the sheep are not his sheep, but the sheep of the Lord Jesus. Shepherds do not shepherd their own flock, but “the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:1-Leviticus :).

The psalm ends with the testimony about David that he has “shepherded” God’s people and inheritance “according to the integrity of his heart and guided them with his skillful hands” (Psalms 78:72). The key to pasturing the sheep is “integrity of heart”. An integrous heart is focused on God and then on the welfare of the sheep. In leading the sheep, it comes down to “skillful hands”. It takes great skill to lead the flock in the right way. David proved in his care of his father’s sheep that he had both an integrous heart and skillful hands.

David here is clearly a picture of the Lord Jesus, the true Shepherd-King. The Lord Jesus is “the good Shepherd” Who gave His life for His sheep (John 10:11). He is “the great Shepherd” Who was brought back by God from the dead (Hebrews 13:20). He is also the “Chief Shepherd” Who is the example for all shepherds in the church (1 Peter 5:4). In His care for us as His sheep, He pastures us with the best food and leads us in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalms 23:2-Leviticus :).

We can say that the psalm ends with the rest of the realm of peace, where God’s earthly people will receive and enjoy all the promised blessings. This is not by virtue of any merit on their part, but by virtue of God’s purpose which He fulfills in grace. In the realm of peace, the true David reigns as King and is the one Shepherd Who pastures and leads His people (Ezekiel 37:24).