United Commentaries

Ps.78.1-72

This wisdom psalm exhorts the people to learn wisdom and faithfully pass it on.

Ps.78.1-8

The prologue is an invitation to learn wisdom.

Ps.78.2

The psalmist recites Israel’s story (78:5-72) in a parable in order to teach wisdom and insight.

Jesus quoted this verse to explain why he taught in parables (Matt 13:35).

Ps.78.3-4

This story of what God has done should be told from generation to generation (see Deut 6:20-25; Prov 4:1-4).

Ps.78.5-6

The telling of the story should motivate God’s people to obey what he commanded (Deut 6:4-9).

Ps.78.7-8

God holds each generation responsible for its own response, which should be to maintain faith and hope (see 9:18; 27:14) and avoid being stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful (see Deut 9:6-7; 10:16; 30:6; 31:27).

Ps.78.9-11

Ephraim, the second son of Joseph, received a special blessing from Jacob (Gen 48:15-20; 49:22-26; Deut 33:13-17). The land that his descendants received included fertile valleys and strategic roads (Judg 8:2). However, the people of Ephraim did not live in obedience to God’s gracious covenant.

Ps.78.12-16

The focus shifts from Ephraim (78:9-11) to Israel as a whole as the psalmist reflects on God’s power in Egypt (see 81:4-7) and in the wilderness.

Ps.78.12

The miracles are the ten plagues against Egypt that God performed during Israel’s captivity (Exod 7–12).

Ps.78.13

God divided the sea when Israel crossed through the Red Sea (see Exod 14–15).

Ps.78.14

God used a cloud and a pillar of fire to guide and protect Israel in the wilderness (Exod 13:21-22).

Ps.78.17-31

Israel rebelled in the wilderness despite God’s abundant provision.

Ps.78.23-25

Abundance comes through the doors of heaven (Gen 8:2; 2 Kgs 7:2; Mal 3:10).

Israel ate manna for forty years in the wilderness (Exod 16:31-36; John 6:31).

Ps.78.26-31

God powerfully satisfied the people’s desires, but they did not respond with gratitude or faith. Therefore, God exercised his justice.

Ps.78.32-39

Israel’s rebellion resulted in God’s judgment, but even their short-lived and insincere repentance motivated God to exercise forbearance.

Ps.78.33

An entire generation died in the wilderness (Num 14:22-23, 28-35).

Ps.78.34-39

Israel’s continued existence, in spite of the people’s rebellion and unbelief (78:7-8), was due to God’s compassion.

Ps.78.34

They repented: This demonstration of zeal was not sincere.

Ps.78.35-39

The Israelites remembered the right doctrine (9:9; 91:1), but they did not allow God to change their hearts (Lev 26:41).

Ps.78.40-55

The Israelites rebelled even though the Lord had rescued them from powerful plagues.

Ps.78.56-64

Israel’s rebellion desecrated the Promised Land. The people built shrines to false gods and worshiped idols (78:58) during the period of the judges (e.g., Judg 2:11; 3:7, 17-18).

Ps.78.60

God abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh because of the people’s idol worship (1 Sam 4:11; Jer 7:12).

Ps.78.67

The tribe of Ephraim was not completely rejected, but God favored Judah (78:68).

Ps.78.68-69

In the choice of Mount Zion instead of Shiloh as God’s sanctuary on earth, God moved from the north to the south (see Ps 69).

Ps.78.70-72

The God who had turned against his own people (78:62) chose David, a shepherd (Gen 46:34; 1 Sam 16:10-11), to become their shepherd (Ps 78:52; cp. 23:1).