Psalm 78
78
Tell the Coming Generation
A Maskil#78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term of #Ps. 50, title Asaph.
1 # [Isa. 51:4]; See Ps. 49:1; 50:7 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 # Cited Matt. 13:35; See Ps. 49:4 I will open my mouth #[Num. 21:27]in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3things that we have heard and known,
that our #See Ps. 44:1fathers have told us.
4We will not #Job 15:18 hide them from their children,
but #[Ex. 12:26, 27; 13:8, 14; Deut. 11:19; Josh. 4:6, 7; Joel 1:3] tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and #ver. 11, 32the wonders that he has done.
5He established #Ps. 19:7; [Ps. 81:5] a testimony in #Ps. 147:19Jacob
and appointed a law in #Ps. 147:19Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6that #ver. 4; Ps. 102:18the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget #Ps. 77:12 the works of God,
but #Ps. 105:45keep his commandments;
8and that they should not be #2 Kgs. 17:14; 2 Chr. 30:7; Ezek. 20:18 like their fathers,
#
Ex. 32:9; 33:3; Deut. 9:7, 24; 31:27; Jer. 5:23 a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation #ver. 37; Job 11:13whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9The Ephraimites, armed with#78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting the bow,
# ver. 57 turned back on the day of battle.
10They #[2 Kgs. 17:15]did not keep God’s covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
11They #See Ps. 106:13 forgot his works
and #ver. 4the wonders that he had shown them.
12In the sight of their fathers #ver. 43; See Ex. 7-12; Ps. 72:18 he performed wonders
in the land of Egypt, in #ver. 43; Num. 13:22; Isa. 19:11, 13; Ezek. 30:14the fields of Zoan.
13He #Ps. 136:13; Ex. 14:21 divided the sea and let them pass through it,
and made the waters #Ex. 15:8stand like a heap.
14 # See Ps. 105:39 In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a fiery light.
15He #ver. 20; Ps. 105:41; 114:8; Ex. 17:6; Isa. 48:21split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16He made streams come out of #Num. 20:8, 10, 11the rock
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
17Yet they sinned still more against him,
# ver. 40, 56; Deut. 9:22; Isa. 63:10 rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18They #ver. 41, 56; Ps. 95:9; 106:14; Deut. 6:16; 1 Cor. 10:9tested God in their heart
by demanding the food they craved.
19They spoke against God, saying,
# [Ex. 16:3; Num. 11:4; 20:3; 21:5] “Can God #See Ps. 23:5spread a table in the wilderness?
20 # ver. 15, 16 He struck the rock so that water gushed out
and streams overflowed.
Can he also give bread
or provide meat for his people?”
21Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
#
Num. 11:1
a fire was kindled against Jacob;
his anger rose against Israel,
22because they #ver. 8, 32, 37did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
23Yet he commanded the skies above
and #Gen. 7:11; [Mal. 3:10]opened the doors of heaven,
24and he #Ex. 16:4 rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them #Ps. 105:40; [John 6:31]the grain of heaven.
25Man ate of the bread of #Ps. 103:20 the angels;
he sent them food #[ver. 29]in abundance.
26He #Num. 11:31caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
27he rained meat on them like #[Gen. 13:16] dust,
winged birds like #[Gen. 22:17]the sand of the seas;
28he #Ex. 16:13; Num. 11:31let them fall in the midst of their camp,
all around their dwellings.
29And they #Num. 11:19, 20 ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they #Num. 11:4, 34craved.
30But before they had satisfied their craving,
#
Num. 11:33; [Job 20:23] while the food was still in their mouths,
31the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed #Isa. 10:16 the strongest of them
and laid low #ver. 63the young men of Israel.
32In spite of all this, they #See Num. 14; 16; 17 still sinned;
# ver. 22; Num. 14:11 despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33So he made #Num. 14:29, 35; 26:64, 65 their days #Ps. 39:5vanish like#78:33 Hebrew in a breath,#78:33 Or vapor
and their years in terror.
34When he killed them, they #Hos. 5:15sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
35They remembered that God was their #Deut. 32:4, 15, 31 rock,
the Most High God their #Ex. 15:13; See Ps. 74:2redeemer.
36But they #Isa. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31 flattered him with their mouths;
they #Isa. 57:11lied to him with their tongues.
37Their #ver. 8 heart was not #Ps. 51:10steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38Yet he, being #Ex. 34:6 compassionate,
#
Num. 14:20
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39He #[Ps. 103:14; Job 10:9] remembered that they were but #Gen. 6:3 flesh,
#
Job 7:7
a wind that passes and comes not again.
40How often they #ver. 17, 56; Ps. 107:11 rebelled against him in the wilderness
and #[Eph. 4:30] grieved him in #Ps. 106:14the desert!
41They #See ver. 18 tested God again and again
and provoked #See Ps. 71:22the Holy One of Israel.
42They #Judg. 8:34did not remember his power#78:42 Hebrew hand
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 # For ver. 43-51, see Ps. 105:27-36 when he performed his #Ex. 7:3; [Ps. 106:22]; Acts 7:36 signs in Egypt
and his #Ex. 4:21; 11:9, 10 marvels in #See ver. 12the fields of Zoan.
44He #See Ex. 7:17-24turned their rivers to blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.
45He sent among them swarms of #See Ex. 8:21-24 flies, which devoured them,
and #See Ex. 8:2-14frogs, which destroyed them.
46He gave their crops to #See Ex. 10:12-15the destroying locust
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47He destroyed their vines with #See Ex. 9:23-25hail
and their sycamores with frost.
48He gave over their #See Ex. 9:19-21cattle to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49He let loose on them his burning anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
a company of #Ex. 12:13, 23; [2 Sam. 24:16]destroying angels.
50He made a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death,
but gave their lives over to the plague.
51He struck down every #Ex. 12:29; [Ps. 105:36; 135:8; 136:10] firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of #Ps. 105:23, 27; 106:22Ham.
52Then he led out his people #See Ps. 77:20like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 # [Ex. 14:19, 20] He led them in safety, so that they #[Ex. 14:13] were not afraid,
but #Ex. 14:27, 28; 15:10the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54And he brought them to his #Ex. 15:17 holy land,
#
Isa. 11:9; 57:13; [Ps. 68:16] to the mountain which his right hand had #Ps. 74:2won.
55He #See Ps. 44:2 drove out nations before them;
he #Josh. 23:4; [Ps. 135:12; 136:21, 22; Acts 13:19]apportioned them for a possession
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56Yet they #ver. 18; Judg. 2:11, 12 tested and #ver. 40rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies,
57but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
they twisted like #Hos. 7:16; [ver. 9]a deceitful bow.
58For they #Deut. 31:29 provoked him to anger with their #Lev. 26:30; Deut. 12:2; 1 Kgs. 11:7; 12:31; Ezek. 20:28 high places;
they #Num. 25:11; Deut. 32:16, 21; Judg. 2:12 moved him to jealousy with their #Deut. 7:5, 25; 12:3idols.
59When God heard, he was full of #ver. 62; Ps. 106:40; Deut. 3:26wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
60He #1 Sam. 4:11; Jer. 7:12, 14; 26:6 forsook his dwelling at #Josh. 18:1Shiloh,
the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61and delivered his #Ps. 132:8; [Ps. 63:2; 96:6] power to captivity,
his #[1 Sam. 4:21]glory to the hand of the foe.
62He #[1 Sam. 4:10] gave his people over to the sword
and #ver. 59vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 # [Ps. 79:5; 89:46] Fire devoured their young men,
and their young women had no #[Jer. 7:34]marriage song.
64Their #1 Sam. 4:11 priests fell by the sword,
and their #Job 27:15widows made no lamentation.
65Then the Lord #Ps. 73:20; See Ps. 35:23awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66And he #[Ps. 40:14]put his adversaries to rout;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67He rejected the tent of #Ps. 80:1; 81:5Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he #Ps. 87:2loves.
69He #See 1 Kgs. 6built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70He #1 Sam. 16:12, 13chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71from #2 Sam. 7:8 following the nursing ewes he brought him
to #2 Sam. 5:2; [Ps. 28:9] shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his #1 Sam. 10:1inheritance.
72With #Ps. 101:2; 1 Kgs. 9:4 upright heart he shepherded them
and #[Ps. 77:20]guided them with his skillful hand.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Psalms 78
78
A psalm (maskil) of Asaph.
1Listen to what I have to teach you, my people; hear what I have to say.
2I will tell you wise sayings;#78:2. Or “proverbs.” I will explain mysteries from the past
3that we have heard before and reflected on; stories our forefathers passed down to us.
4We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about God's marvelous actions—about his power and the amazing things he has done.
5He gave his laws to the descendants of Jacob; his instructions to the people of Israel. He commanded our forefathers to teach them to their children,
6so that the next generation—children yet to be born—would understand and grow up to teach their children.
7In this way they should place their trust in God and not forget what God has done, and keep his commandments.
8Then they would not be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation that was untrustworthy and unfaithful.
9The soldiers of Ephraim,#78:9. Ephraim is often used as a term for the whole northern kingdom. though armed with bows, ran away on the day of battle.
10They did not keep God's agreement, and refused to follow his laws.
11They ignored#78:11. Literally, “forgot,” but here it means more than simply poor memory. what he had done, and the amazing things he had shown them—
12the miracles he had performed for their forefathers near Zoan#78:12. Identified as the city of Rameses (see Exodus 1:11). in Egypt.
13He split the sea in two and led them through, making the water stand like walls on either side.#78:13. “On either side”: implied.
14He led them with a cloud by day, and by night with a light of fire.
15He split open rocks in the desert to give his people plenty to drink, water as deep as the ocean.
16He made streams flow from the stone; water rushing down like rivers!
17But they repeatedly sinned against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18They deliberately provoked God by demanding the foods they longed for.
19They insulted God by saying, “Can God provide food#78:19. Literally, “set a table.” here in the desert?
20Yes, he can strike a rock so that water gushes out like flowing rivers, but can he give us bread? Can he supply his people with meat?”
21When he heard this, the Lord became very angry, burning like fire against the descendants of Jacob, furious with the people of Israel,
22for they didn't believe in God and didn't trust him to take care of them.
23Even so he commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven to open,
24and he made manna rain down on them to eat, giving them bread from heaven.
25Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them more than enough food.
26He sent the east wind blowing across the sky; by his power he drove the south wind.#78:26. A reference to the miraculous arrival of quail (Numbers 11:31).
27He rained down meat on them as plentiful as dust; birds as numerous as sand on a beach.
28He made them fall right in the middle of their camp, all around where they were living.
29They ate until they were full. He gave them the food they longed for.
30But before they satisfied their appetite, while the meat was still in their mouths,
31God became angry with them and he killed their strongest men, striking them down in the prime of life.
32Despite all this they went right on sinning. Despite the miracles, they refused to trust him.
33So he snuffed out their futile lives, bringing them to an end in terror.
34When he began killing them, the rest came back to God in repentance, praying to him.
35They remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their Savior.
36They flattered him by what they told him, but they were only lying.
37Deep down they were not sincere, and did not keep the agreement#78:37. Or “covenant.” they had with him.
38But being compassionate he pardoned their guilt and did not destroy all of them. He often held back his anger—he did not pour out all his fury.
39He remembered their mortality—that they were like a puff of wind that would not return.
40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, giving him grief in the desert!
41Again and again they provoked God, causing pain to the Holy One of Israel.
42They did not remember his strength when he rescued them from their oppressors,
43performing miracles in Egypt, doing wonderful things on the plain of Zoan.
44There he turned their#78:44 “Their”—referring to the Egyptians. rivers and their streams into blood so that no one could drink from them.
45He sent flies among them to destroy#78:45. Literally, “consume” but it is unlikely that flies could be seen as eating human beings. them, and frogs to ruin everything.
46He gave their crops to locusts; everything they worked had for was taken by locusts.#78:46. Two different words are used for “locusts.”
47He destroyed their vines with hail, and their fig trees with freezing rain.
48He handed over their cattle to hail and their flocks to lightning bolts.
49He poured out on them his fierce anger—rage and hostility and anguish—sending a band of destroying angels against them.
50He sent his unrestrained anger against them; he did not spare them from death, handing them over to the plague.
51He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the first to be conceived in the tents of Ham.#78:51. Ham—referring to Egypt.
52But he led out his people like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53He led them to safety, and they were not afraid. He drowned their enemies in the sea.
54He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountainous land that he had conquered for them.
55He drove out the heathen nations before them. He divided up the land for them to own. He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56But they provoked God Most High, rebelling against him. They did not follow what he had told them.
57Just like their forefathers they turned away from God and were unfaithful to him, as twisted as a defective bow.#78:57. “Defective bow”—a bow that could not shoot arrows straight.
58They made him angry with their pagan high places of worship; they made him jealous with their idols.
59When God heard their worship he became furious and he totally rejected Israel.
60He abandoned his place at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he lived among the people.
61He surrendered the Ark of his power, allowing it to be captured; handing it over into enemy hands.
62He handed over his people to be slaughtered by the sword; he was furious with his chosen people.
63Their young men were destroyed by fire; their young women had no wedding songs.#78:63. Literally, “were not praised.” Either that the men were dead so they could not marry, or they were killed themselves.
64Their priests were killed by the sword; their widows were unable to mourn.
65Then the Lord woke up as if from sleep, as a warrior sobering up from drinking wine.
66He defeated his enemies, striking them on the back, causing them everlasting shame.
67He rejected the descendants of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.#78:67. This is a reference to the Ark once it had been returned. 1 Samuel 6; 2 Samuel 6.
68Instead he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion which he loves.
69There he built his sanctuary, high like the heavens, on earth that he made to last forever.
70He chose his servant David, taking him from the sheep pens,
71taking him from caring for the sheep and lambs to be a shepherd to the descendants of Jacob—God's special people, Israel.
72Like a shepherd, he took care of them with sincere devotion, leading them with skillful hands.
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