There are three divisions of the Old Testament scriptures: the Law, the Prophets, and the Wisdom writings. The Psalms are included in the wisdom writings (some commentators only classify some of the psalms as such). Psalm 78 is a wisdom psalm. It could also be called a didactic psalm because it is one of instruction.
Introduction
78:1-4
The psalmist called for the people of Israel to listen (give ear, incline your ears) to his teaching. He will teach in parables, meaning he will tell a story of one thing to teach about the current situation.
For example, Jesus told a story about the owner and tenants of a vineyard to illustrate a point about Israel rejecting God’s prophets and himself. Here, the psalmist will relate true stories of Israel’s past, in poetic form, to teach them about God and what he is done for them, an to emphasize the importance of passing these truths on to future generations. He called these stories “the glorious deeds of the Lord”.
The remainder of the psalm is the recitation of the Lord’s deeds as he worked with Israel, as well as Israel’s unfaithfulness to him in return.
Establishing a Covenant
78:5-8
God established a covenant with Israel, referred to as Jacob. (5) He had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to himself at Sinai. (Exodus 19:4) He chose them to be his people and entered into the covenant, which we call the Mosaic Covenant. He dictated the terms of the covenant, since he was the more powerful party to it.
Israel’s duties under the covenant were two fold: to obey God’s laws and to teach them to their children so they would also be faithful to obey. In fact, the psalmist said the should teach their children the works of the Lord so they would not be rebellious like their forefather’s were.
Disobedience of Israel
78:9-20
The psalmist pointed to the unfaithfulness of the nation He referred to them as “the Ephraimites”.
Ephraim was one of the sons of Joseph, but Jacob blessed him and his brother, Manasseh, and made them tribes of their own as if they were Jacob’s sons. (Genesis 48) Their allotment was north of Judah. The psalmist uses them to represent the whole nation.
Israel did not keep the covenant. They did not obey God’s laws. (10) They forgot the things God did for them and the miracles they had seen. The psalmist listed some of these works of God, concentrating on the Exodus.
He performed wonders in Egypt, the plagues God used to deliver them from Egypt. He parted the sea so they could escape. He led them with a cloud during the day and and the column of fire at night. He provided water even in the wilderness so they had enough to drink. (16)
Despite these miraculous works of God, the Israelites rebelled against God from the beginning. The complained about the food. They even questioned God’s ability to provide food, saying “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”. (19-20) They complained abut the lack of water.
God Gave Them What They Wanted
78:21-31
The Lord was “full of wrath” at sin and rebellion. He expressed that wrath by sending fire to consume part of the camp. (Numbers 11:1) But, despite being angry at the Israelites for their lack of faith, God gave them a bread from heaven they called “manna”. He also sent quail to them for meat. (Exodus 16 & Numbers 11)
The Unfaithfulness of Israel
78:32-37
This section shows us the sin cycle that Israel indulged in. Despite seeing all of the great things God did for them, the continued to sin. They refused to believe. So, God would punish them. They would then repent. But the repentance did not last. It was replaced with a false praise, saying the right things but not having a faithful heart.
No time period is specified by the psalmist for this cycle, but it certainly fits the stories of the Book of Judges.
God’s Compassion
78:38-39
Even though Israel was rebellious, God did not destroy them. He had compassion and restraint. He remembered their frailty. They were “but flesh”, and suffered the weaknesses of the flesh.
A Summary of the Exodus
78:40-55
The psalmist recognized how often the Israelites rebelled and grieved God despite his great works. He listed all of the things God did to redeem them. He listed the plagues God imposed upon Egypt, his leading them in the wilderness, and his giving the land of Canaan to them.
Rebellion in the Promised Land
78:56-66
Once in the land God gave them, Israel continued to sin and rebel. They turned from God to worship idols. When they did, God acted upon his wrath. In once instance, he gave up Shiloh to the enemy. Shiloh was the first place the Tabernacle was kept. God let the Philistines capture the ark and defeat Israel in battle. They suffered great losses.
Yet, after a period of time, the Lord again gave them mercy and rescued the Israelites from the Philistines and allowed them to recover the Ark of the Covenant.
God Chose Judah Over Ephraim
78:67-72
God rejected the tribe of Ephraim and chose the tribe of Judah for leadership. The tabernacle came to Jerusalem, which was in Judah. He also chose David to be king, rejecting Saul and his house.
David led Israel as God wanted.
The psalm ends abruptly. The implication is this: if the acts of God in redemption and provision, judgment and mercy, are not remembered and taught to subsequent generations, the Israelites will rebel against God and face his judgment again. And, of course, they did just that.
Takeaways
We must pass the faith along to subsequent generations also.
We must live holy lives to show them how to live so as to please the Lord.
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