Psalm Chapter 78

Hear My Teaching, My People

(Matthew 13:34-35)

1{Maschil of Asaph.} Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

5For 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:

6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

9The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

19Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

21Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

23Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

25Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

26He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

27He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

29So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

30They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

32For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.

35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

36Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

44And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

45He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

48He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

50He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

62He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

63The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

67Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

71From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Matthew 13:34–35)

1 A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn 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 Yahweh, his strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.

5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;

6 that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,

7 that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments,

8 and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10 They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his law.

11 They forgot his doings, his wondrous works that he had shown them.

12 He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.

14 In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.

15 He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.

18 They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.

19 Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20 Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?”

21 Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,

22 because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation.

23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.

24 He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.

25 Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.

27 He rained also flesh on them as the dust; winged birds as the sand of the seas.

28 He let them fall in the midst of their camp, around their habitations.

29 So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.

30 They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,

31 when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their fattest, and struck down the young men of Israel.

32 For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.

33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.

34 When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned 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 mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.

38 But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.

39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.

40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!

41 They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42 They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

43 how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,

44 he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.

45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46 He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.

47 He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.

48 He gave over their livestock also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil.

50 He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,

51 and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52 But he led forth his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53 He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.

55 He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep his testimonies;

57 but turned back, and dealt treacherously 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 engraved images.

59 When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel;

60 So that he forsook the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61 and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.

62 He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.

63 Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.

64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep.

65 Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.

66 He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.

67 Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.

69 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 have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.

72 So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Matthew 13:34–35)

A Maskil a of Asaph.

1Give ear, O my people, to my instruction;

listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in parables;

I will utter things hidden from the beginning, b

3 that we have heard and known

and our fathers have relayed to us.

4 We will not hide them from their children,

but will declare to the next generation

the praises of the LORD and His might,

and the wonders He has performed.

5 For 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 coming generation would know them—

even children yet to be born—

to arise and tell their own children

7 that they should put their confidence in God,

not forgetting His works,

but keeping His commandments.

8 Then they will not be like their fathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

whose heart was not loyal,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 The archers of Ephraim

turned back on the day of battle.

10 They failed to keep God’s covenant

and refused to live by His law.

11 They forgot what He had done,

the wonders He had shown them.

12 He worked wonders before their fathers

in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.

13 He split the sea and brought them through;

He set the waters upright like a wall.

14 He led them with a cloud by day

and with a light of fire all night.

15 He split the rocks in the wilderness

and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.

16 He brought streams from the stone

and made water flow down like rivers.

17 But they continued to sin against Him,

rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

18 They willfully tested God

by demanding the food they craved.

19 They spoke against God, saying,

“Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?

20 When He struck the rock, water gushed out

and torrents raged.

But can He also give bread

or supply His people with meat?”

21 Therefore the LORD heard

and was filled with wrath;

so a fire was kindled against Jacob,

and His anger flared against Israel,

22 because they did not believe God

or rely on His salvation.

23 Yet He commanded the clouds above

and opened the doors of the heavens.

24 He rained down manna for them to eat;

He gave them grain from heaven. c

25 Man ate the bread of angels;

He sent them food in abundance.

26 He stirred the east wind from the heavens

and drove the south wind by His might.

27 He rained meat on them like dust,

and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

28 He felled them in the midst of their camp,

all around their dwellings.

29 So they ate and were well filled,

for He gave them what they craved.

30 Yet before they had filled their desire,

with the food still in their mouths,

31 God’s anger flared against them,

and He put to death their strongest

and subdued the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;

despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.

33 So He ended their days in futility, d

and their years in sudden terror.

34 When He slew them, they would seek Him;

they repented and searched for God.

35 And they remembered that God was their Rock,

that God Most High e was their Redeemer.

36 But they deceived Him with their mouths,

and lied to Him with their tongues.

37 Their hearts were disloyal to Him,

and they were unfaithful to His covenant.

38 And yet He was compassionate;

He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them.

He often restrained His anger

and did not unleash His full wrath.

39 He remembered that they were but flesh,

a passing breeze that does not return.

40 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness

and grieved Him in the desert!

41 Again and again they tested God

and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42 They did not remember His power f —

the day He redeemed them from the adversary,

43 when He performed His signs in Egypt

and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.

44 He turned their rivers to blood,

and from their streams they could not drink.

45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them,

and frogs that devastated them.

46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,

the fruit of their labor to the locust.

47 He killed their vines with hailstones

and their sycamore-figs with sleet. g

48 He abandoned their cattle to the hail

and their livestock to bolts of lightning.

49 He unleashed His fury against them,

wrath, indignation, and calamity—

a band of destroying angels.

50 He cleared a path for His anger;

He did not spare them from death

but delivered their lives to the plague.

51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt,

the virility in the tents of Ham.

52 He led out His people like sheep

and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.

53 He led them safely, so they did not fear,

but the sea engulfed their enemies.

54 He brought them to His holy land,

to the mountain His right hand had acquired.

55 He drove out nations before them

and apportioned their inheritance;

He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High,

for they did not keep His decrees.

57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers,

twisted like a faulty bow.

58 They enraged Him with their high places

and provoked His jealousy with their idols.

59 On hearing it, God was furious

and rejected Israel completely.

60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,

the tent He had pitched among men.

61 He delivered His strength to captivity,

and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.

62 He surrendered His people to the sword

because He was enraged by His heritage.

63 Fire consumed His young men,

and their maidens were left without wedding songs.

64 His priests fell by the sword,

but their widows could not lament.

65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,

like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.

66 He beat back His foes;

He put them to everlasting shame.

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph

and refused the tribe of Ephraim.

68 But He chose the tribe of Judah,

Mount Zion, which He loved.

69 He built His sanctuary like the heights,

like the earth He has established forever.

70 He chose David His servant

and took him from the sheepfolds;

71 from tending the ewes He brought him

to be shepherd of His people Jacob,

of Israel His inheritance.

72 So David shepherded them with integrity of heart

and guided them with skillful hands.

Footnotes:

1 a Maskil  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.
2 b Or from ancient times ; see also LXX; cited in Matthew 13:35
24 c Cited in John 6:31
33 d Or in vapor
35 e Hebrew El-Elyon
42 f Or His hand
47 g Or frost  or driving rain

Hear My Teaching, My People

(Matthew 13:34-35)

1An Instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.

2I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,

3That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us.

4We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done.

5And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons.

6So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,

7And place in God their confidence, And forget not the doings of God, But keep His commands.

8And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostate and rebellious, A generation! it hath not prepared its heart, Nor stedfast with God is its spirit.

9Sons of Ephraim -- armed bearers of bow, Have turned in a day of conflict.

10They have not kept the covenant of God, And in His law they have refused to walk,

11And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He shewed them.

12Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt -- the field of Zoan.

13He cleft a sea, and causeth them to pass over, Yea, He causeth waters to stand as a heap.

14And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.

15He cleaveth rocks in a wilderness, And giveth drink -- as the great deep.

16And bringeth out streams from a rock, And causeth waters to come down as rivers.

17And they add still to sin against Him, To provoke the Most High in the dry place.

18And they try God in their heart, To ask food for their lust.

19And they speak against God -- they said: 'Is God able to array a table in a wilderness?'

20Lo, He hath smitten a rock, And waters flow, yea, streams overflow. 'Also -- bread is He able to give? Doth He prepare flesh for His people?'

21Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath gone up against Israel,

22For they have not believed in God, Nor have they trusted in His salvation.

23And He commandeth clouds from above, Yea, doors of the heavens He hath opened.

24And He raineth on them manna to eat, Yea, corn of heaven He hath given to them.

25Food of the mighty hath each eaten, Venison He sent to them to satiety.

26He causeth an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leadeth by His strength a south wind,

27And He raineth on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas -- winged fowl,

28And causeth it to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.

29And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And their desire He bringeth to them.

30They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet is their food in their mouth,

31And the anger of God hath gone up against them, And He slayeth among their fat ones, And youths of Israel He caused to bend.

32With all this they have sinned again, And have not believed in His wonders.

33And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.

34If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,

35And they remember that God is their rock, And God Most High their redeemer.

36And -- they deceive Him with their mouth, And with their tongue do lie to Him,

37And their heart hath not been right with Him, And they have not been stedfast in His covenant.

38And He -- the Merciful One, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.

39And He remembereth that they are flesh, A wind going on -- and it returneth not.

40How often do they provoke Him in the wilderness, Grieve Him in the desolate place?

41Yea, they turn back, and try God, And the Holy One of Israel have limited.

42They have not remembered His hand The day He ransomed them from the adversary.

43When He set His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan,

44And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.

45He sendeth among them the beetle, and it consumeth them, And the frog, and it destroyeth them,

46And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust.

47He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,

48And delivereth up to the hail their beasts, And their cattle to the burning flames.

49He sendeth on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress -- A discharge of evil messengers.

50He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.

51And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.

52And causeth His people to journey as a flock, And guideth them as a drove in a wilderness,

53And He leadeth them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And their enemies hath the sea covered.

54And He bringeth them in unto the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had got,

55And casteth out nations from before them, And causeth them to fall in the line of inheritance, And causeth the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents,

56And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And His testimonies have not kept.

57And they turn back, And deal treacherously like their fathers, They have been turned like a deceitful bow,

58And make Him angry with their high places, And with their graven images make Him zealous,

59God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.

60And He leaveth the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

61And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,

62And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.

63His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.

64His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.

65And the Lord waketh as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.

66And He smiteth His adversaries backward, A reproach age-during He hath put on them,

67And He kicketh against the tent of Joseph, And on the tribe of Ephraim hath not fixed.

68And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,

69And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.

70And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,

71From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.

72And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!

The F.O.G Commentary:

1What is the meaning of Psalm 78?

2Introduction to Psalm 78

3Context of Psalm 78

4Ancient Key Word Study

5Compare & Contrast

6Psalm 78 Unique Insights

7Psalm 78 Connections to Yeshua

8Psalm 78 Scriptural Echoes

9Psalm 78 Devotional

10Did You Know

What is the meaning of Psalm 78?

Introduction to Psalm 78

Psalm 78 stands as one of the longest and most historically rich psalms in the Psalter, serving as a masterful poetic recounting of Israel’s history from the exodus to King David. This magnificent maskil (instructional psalm) attributed to Asaph weaves together history, prophecy, and spiritual instruction into a compelling narrative that spans generations. Its primary purpose is not merely historical documentation but rather spiritual education, using Israel’s past as a mirror for contemporary and future generations to examine their own relationship with God.

The psalm’s significance lies in its dual role as both a historical record and a prophetic warning. Through a careful retelling of Israel’s journey, it illustrates the pattern of God’s faithfulness contrasted with human fickleness, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of passing down spiritual truth to future generations.

Context of Psalm 78

Within the Book of Psalms, this chapter belongs to the collection of Asaphite psalms (Psalms 73-83), written by or attributed to Asaph, who served as King David’s chief musician and seer. As the second-longest psalm in the Psalter, it carries significant weight in the third book of Psalms, which often focuses on national themes and historical reflection.

The immediate context reveals a period of national reflection, possibly composed during or after the divided kingdom period, as it concludes with God’s choice of David and rejection of the northern tribes. This timing suggests a purpose of calling the people back to faithfulness by reminding them of their history with God.

In the broader biblical narrative, Psalm 78 serves as a crucial bridge between the historical books (particularly Exodus through Kings) and the wisdom literature. It transforms Israel’s history into a didactic tool, demonstrating how the past should inform present faith and future choices. This approach aligns with the biblical pattern of using historical reflection for spiritual formation, seen in passages like Joshua 24:1-28 and Nehemiah 9.

Ancient Key Word Study

Maskil (משׂכיל) – The psalm’s designation as a “maskil” indicates its instructional nature. This term derives from the Hebrew root שׂכל (sakal), meaning “to be wise” or “to instruct.” Its usage here suggests this psalm was specifically composed for teaching purposes, making it a didactic tool for spiritual formation.
Parable (משׁל, mashal) – In verse 2, this word encompasses more than just a simple story. In Hebrew thought, a mashal represents a complex form of wisdom literature that includes comparisons, analogies, and deep spiritual truths. Its usage here indicates the psalm’s deeper interpretative layers.
Testimony (עדות, edut) – This term appears in verse 5, representing more than just rules or laws. In Hebrew, it carries the weight of a formal covenant witness, emphasizing the binding nature of God’s instructions and their role in preserving faith across generations.
Rebellious (סורר, sorer) – Used to describe the unfaithful generations, this word literally means “to turn aside” or “to be stubborn.” Its usage in verse 8 paints a picture of willful deviation from God’s path rather than mere ignorance.
Wonders (נפלאות, niflaot) – This term in verse 11 describes God’s miraculous acts. The root פלא (pala) suggests something extraordinary or beyond human capability, emphasizing the supernatural nature of God’s interventions in Israel’s history.
Faithfulness (אמונה, emunah) – Appearing in the context of Israel’s unfaithfulness, this word represents steady, reliable commitment. Its root אמן (aman) is the source of our word “amen” and conveys the idea of something firm and trustworthy.
Shepherd (רעה, ra’ah) – Used in verse 72 to describe David’s leadership, this word carries rich messianic overtones. The concept of divine shepherding becomes a crucial metaphor for both kingship and spiritual care throughout Scripture.
Heart (לבב, levav) – This word appears multiple times in the psalm, representing not just emotions but the center of human will, thought, and decision-making in Hebrew understanding.
Remember (זכר, zakar) – This key verb appears throughout the psalm, carrying the weight of not just mental recall but active engagement with the past for present application.

Compare & Contrast

Verse 2’s use of “parable” (משׁל) and “dark sayings” (חידות) creates an intentional parallel with Proverbs 1:6. The choice of these terms suggests that Israel’s history itself serves as a wisdom text, not merely a historical record.
In verse 8, the phrase “stubborn and rebellious generation” employs specific legal terminology (סורר ומרה) that echoes Deuteronomy 21:18, drawing a parallel between individual and national rebellion.
The description of manna as “grain of heaven” in verse 24 uses דגן (dagan) rather than the usual לחם (lechem), emphasizing its supernatural origin and connecting it to agricultural blessing imagery.
Verse 39’s description of humanity as “flesh” (בשׂר) rather than “soul” (נפשׁ) deliberately emphasizes human frailty and mortality in contrast to God’s eternal nature.
The choice of “shepherd” (רעה) in verse 72 rather than “king” (מלך) for David’s leadership role creates a deliberate connection to future messianic prophecies.
The use of “tested” (נסה) in verse 41 rather than “rebelled” (מרה) suggests a deliberate challenging of God’s authority rather than mere disobedience.
The phrase “like a mighty man” (כגבור) in verse 65 uses simile rather than direct description, preserving divine transcendence while communicating God’s powerful intervention.

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Psalm 78 Unique Insights

The structure of Psalm 78 follows an ancient Hebrew literary pattern known as “historical telescoping,” where certain events are highlighted while others are omitted to serve the psalm’s theological purpose. This selective retelling demonstrates that the purpose is not merely historical documentation but spiritual instruction through historical reflection.

The psalm contains a fascinating structural element known as “generational brackets.” It begins with a call to teach future generations (verses 1-8) and concludes with God’s choice of David to shepherd future generations (verses 70-72). This creates a theological framework suggesting that proper leadership and generational faithfulness are interconnected.

Early rabbinic sources note that the psalm’s recounting of the exodus events differs slightly from the Torah narrative, not due to error but to emphasize specific theological points. The Midrash Tehillim suggests these variations serve to highlight the pattern of divine mercy following human rebellion, a theme that points toward the ultimate mercy revealed in Messiah Yeshua.

The recurring pattern of rebellion-punishment-mercy in the psalm creates what Jewish scholars call a “spiral of redemption,” where each cycle moves history closer to its messianic fulfillment. This pattern finds its ultimate expression in Yeshua’s death and resurrection, where divine mercy finally breaks the cycle of human rebellion.

Psalm 78 Connections to Yeshua

The psalm’s emphasis on divine shepherding, particularly in its conclusion regarding David, creates a clear messianic trajectory that finds its fulfillment in Yeshua. When He declares, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), He is deliberately connecting Himself to this psalm’s imagery and its prophetic implications.

The parallel between the manna in the wilderness and Yeshua’s declaration of Himself as the “bread of life” (John 6:48-51) becomes particularly poignant when viewed through this psalm’s lens. The psalm’s description of manna as “grain of heaven” creates a theological bridge to understanding Yeshua as the ultimate provision from heaven.

Psalm 78 Scriptural Echoes

The psalm’s opening call to hear and remember echoes Moses’ exhortations in Deuteronomy, particularly Deuteronomy 6:4-9. This connection emphasizes the crucial role of generational faith transmission in God’s covenant plan.

The description of God’s choice of David over Joseph’s tribes (verses 67-72) resonates with the broader biblical theme of divine election, finding parallels in the choices of Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, and Jacob over Esau. This pattern ultimately points to God’s sovereign choice in salvation through Messiah.

The water-from-rock narrative (verses 15-16) connects with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 10:4, where he identifies the spiritual rock as Messiah. This interpretation shows how the psalm’s historical events serve as prophetic types.

Psalm 78 Devotional

This psalm challenges us to examine our own pattern of remembering and forgetting God’s faithfulness in our lives. Just as Israel repeatedly forgot God’s miraculous provisions, we too can become spiritually amnesiatic, focusing on present challenges rather than remembering God’s proven faithfulness.

The psalm’s emphasis on teaching future generations provides a powerful model for spiritual mentorship. We are called not just to preserve truth but to actively transmit it, sharing both the stories of God’s faithfulness in Scripture and His work in our own lives.

The recurring cycle of rebellion-judgment-mercy serves as a mirror for our own spiritual journey. Rather than judging ancient Israel’s unfaithfulness, we should see in their story our own need for constant renewal and return to God’s ways.

Did You Know

The term “maskil” appearing in the psalm’s title is used only 13 times in the entire Psalter, marking this as a specially designated teaching psalm meant for public instruction.
The psalm’s length of 72 verses corresponds to the traditional seventy-two elders of Israel, possibly suggesting its use in leadership training contexts.
The phrase “like a mighty man awakening from wine” (verse 65) uses unique Hebrew imagery that appears nowhere else in Scripture, possibly drawing from ancient near eastern military poetry.
The psalm’s structure includes exactly seven retellings of rebellion-judgment-mercy cycles, suggesting a deliberate compositional strategy reflecting the number of completion.
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed the ancient practice of using historical recitations as tools for covenant renewal ceremonies, providing context for this psalm’s original use.
The psalm’s description of manna as “angels’ food” represents the only time this phrase appears in Scripture, emphasizing the supernatural nature of God’s provision.
The selection of historical events in the psalm follows a pattern known in ancient near eastern literature as “historical periodization,” where history is divided into meaningful theological segments.
The psalm contains subtle numerical patterns: 40 verses of rebellion and 40 verses of restoration, possibly reflecting the 40 years in the wilderness.
The description of David’s shepherding uses terminology traditionally reserved for divine leadership, creating a deliberate connection to messianic prophecy.
The psalm’s emphasis on Zion and David appears to be making a subtle polemic against northern kingdom worship centers, suggesting a southern kingdom origin.
The repeated use of the word “remember” (זכר) occurs seven times in the psalm, corresponding to the seven days of creation and suggesting complete memorial.

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Bible Themes

Jean Paul Joseph

After a dramatic early morning encounter with King Jesus, I just couldn’t put my Bible down. The F.O.G took a hold of me and this website was born. What is the F.O.G?

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