Psalm 78 Study Notes

Ps 78 title On Maskil, see note at Ps 32 title. On Asaph, see note at Ps 50 title.

78:1 The people are exhorted to listen to the Lord’s instruction. Translating Hebrew torah as “law” obscures the essence of Torah as God’s instructions for sustaining a relationship with him (see note at 1:2).

78:2 The psalmist couched the epic psalm in terms of a riddle or paradox, describing Israel’s inability to trust God despite God’s repeated acts of faithfulness. The Hebrew word chiydoth means mysteries or “riddles” (Nm 12:8; Jdg 14:12-19; Pr 1:6).

78:3-4 These verses give the purpose of the psalm. All the oral traditions of God’s wonderful works will be rehearsed in each generation.

78:5 A testimony or decree relates what is required of the Lord’s people.

78:6-7 Reciting Israel’s early history to future generations assures the perpetuation of the account. This would connect generations far removed from the original event to the promises and instructions governing Israel’s relationship to God.

78:8 The goal was to educate the children so they did not become another stubborn and rebellious generation (66:7; Ex 17:1-7; Is 1:23; 30:1; 65:2). Israel continued to be disloyal to the Lord throughout the ages, despite his covenant loyalty and mercy.

78:9-10 The sons of Ephraim were well known for their military role as archers (Zch 9:13). They broke the covenant during the mutiny of the northern tribes.

78:11 Note the allusion to vv. 3-4.

78:12 God revealed himself to Israel through his words and his ways. Zoan was a major Egyptian city that later became its capital (Is 19:11,13; 30:4; Ezk 30:14).

78:13 This verse describes the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex 14:21-22). The waters stood firm like a wall (lit “like a heap,” 33:7; Ex 15:8; Jos 3:13,16).

78:14 Cloud and light refer to the pillars of cloud and fire representing the Lord’s presence (Ex 14:19-20; 40:36-38).

78:15-16 Split rocks and stone describe water from the rock at Horeb and Meribah (Ex 17:1-7; Nm 20:7-11).

78:17 Compare vv. 17-20 with vv. 56-58. The Israelites continued to be rebellious (“be bitter, strive”) against Moses and the Lord. Compare the reversal of drought in Isaiah as a metaphor for the restoration of fertility in Israel following the exile (107:35; Is 53:2; Jr 2:6; 50:12; 51:43).

78:18-20 The Israelites tested God (see note at 95:8-9; see 1Co 10:8), presuming that he could not provide food (lit “prepare a table”; see note at 23:5).

78:21-22 The Lord sent fire in punishment (Nm 11:1-3) as the consequences of the Israelites’ disbelief (Dt 9:23; cp. Jnh 3:4-10).

78:23-25 Manna was the basic food that sustained Israel during the wilderness wanderings (Ex 16:4-5). This is the only place in the OT where the Hebrew word ’abbirim (lit “strong, powerful ones,” “valiant ones”) refers to angels.

78:26-31 When Israel murmured against God and desired meat, the Lord sent quail (winged birds; Nm 11:18-20,31-35). Then God became angry that they had complained about their “hardship” (Nm 11:1) and punished them with a plague.

78:32 They had heard the stories but obstinately refused to believe them. True belief would have resulted in an end to their sin.

78:33 Israel’s history was filled with conflict and oppression, and she spent her years in contention with foreign nations (2:5; 48:6; 83:16; 104:29; Ex 15:15; Is 13:8). The people’s lives were short and marked by fear.

78:34-35 Following divine discipline, Israel sought God (Is 26:9; Hs 5:15). Rock and Redeemer refer to the power and salvation of the Lord (18:31; 19:14; Gn 49:24; Dt 32:4,15).

78:36-39 Israel’s worship of the Lord was insincere and hypocritical. Their actions did not reflect their words (Ac 8:21). God consistently forgave Israel’s sin and restrained his anger because of humanity’s weakness and transitory nature (Ps 78:35,39,41).

78:40-41 Testing God means to see if he will do what he promised. In this case it means to see if he would judge sin.

78:42-43 Although the Lord remembered Israel by redeeming them from the enemy, they did not remember God (vv. 35,39,41).

78:44-51 The plagues described in these verses do not follow the sequence in Exodus (Ex 7-11). Egypt suffered rivers of blood (Ex 7:14-24), flies (Ex 8:20-32), locust (Ex 10:1-15), hail (Ex 9:13-26), and the death of the firstborn (Ex 11:1-11). The tents of Ham is a name for Egypt (105:23,27; Gn 10:6).

78:52-53 On leading Israel as a flock through the sea, see note at 77:20.

78:54 His holy territory is literally “the border of his holiness.” This mountain cannot be Zion since the events at the sanctuary at Shiloh preceded Zion chronologically (v. 60).

78:55 The conquest and settlement of Canaan is recorded in Joshua 6-22.

78:56-57 On testing God, see note at vv. 40-41. A warped bow is something one runs to in trust but finds is useless in an hour of need. It pictures disloyalty.

78:58 The high places were separate sanctuaries and altars constructed for the worship of pagan gods.

78:59-60 The total rejection of Israel manifested itself by the departure of the Lord’s presence from the sanctuary at Shiloh, an early shrine in Canaan where Joshua housed the ark in the tent of meeting.

78:61 His strength to captivity is a reference to the capture of the ark by the Philistines (1Sm 4-6). The ark symbolized the power and presence of the Lord among his people, and it often preceded Israel in battle (Jos 6:6-14).

78:62-64 These verses refer to the judgment suffered by Israel following the loss of the ark.

78:65 A figurative expression describing the Lord’s delay, the waking of the Lord indicates his resumption of deliverance and the conclusion of punishment (35:23; 44:24; 59:5-6). The imagery pictures rousing the divine warrior from sleep to do battle (1Kg 18:27; Is 42:13-16; 51:9-11).

78:66 The Lord routed the Philistines and ended their power. This was in the time of Samuel.

78:67-69 The elevation of Judah over Ephraim as the location of the Lord’s temple and the center of the Davidic monarchy resulted in part from Ephraim’s failure to protect the ark when it was in Shiloh. The text reinforces the Lord’s choice of Zion as his dwelling place.

78:70-71 David was selected from among the common shepherds of Israel to rule over Jacob. The Lord often uses those who are least important to serve in important leadership roles.

78:72 David served his kingly role with integrity and care, shepherding God’s people and guiding them with wisdom (77:20).