Psalm 78
“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us” (Psalm 78: 1-3).
With these words this song begins, a maskil of Asaph. A maskil is a poem or song that enforces wisdom, that calls on your intelligence, asking for piety. Who was Asaph? He was a singer and musician who served in the temple during the time of King David. If he is the same Asaph mentioned in 2 Chronicles 5 (most likely) then he also served during the time of King Solomon. He is the author of a dozen psalms.
In Psalm 78 we see him calling on those who worship at the temple to remember all that God has done for them. “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and of his might, and all the wonders that he has done” (4). Asaph also reinforces the need to pay attention to what God has commanded. “He established a testimony and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children…so that they would set their hope in God and not forget his works but keep his commandments” (5-7).
As Asaph writes these words, he also realizes how often “God’s people” have failed to live as God’s people, “that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast, who were not faithful of God” (8). He gives an example. “The Ephraimites.. turned back on the day of battle.. refusing to walk according to God’s law” (9-10). This stubborn resistance of so many through the years was in spite of all God did to make himself known, such as dividing the sea when they left Egypt. Asaph reminds them of the plagues of Egypt God caused to convince Pharoah to let them go. “Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert” (17).
Asaph mentions how God “made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers” (16). When Rexanne and I were in Jordan back in 2018 we had the privilege of traveling to Petra and discovered that the Bedouin believe Moses and the Israelites camped here for some time, and that this was the site of God having water come from the rock. They’ve even identified the rock that sets near the top of the valley above Petra, which still has spring water coming through it.
“They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer, but they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him” (36-37). Asaph continues, “Yet he (God), being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them…he remembered that they were but flesh” (38-39). And then, “he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won. He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession. Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies” (54-56). Eventually “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds… and brought him to shepherd Jacob (Israel) his people” (70-71).
What can we gain from Asaph’s words? We have a tendency to stubbornly resist God too. Our advantage is that we have God’s Spirit within us, we have his Word to guide us, we have a personal relationship with Christ to motivate us. But just like Israel, we must pay attention and follow.
With these words this song begins, a maskil of Asaph. A maskil is a poem or song that enforces wisdom, that calls on your intelligence, asking for piety. Who was Asaph? He was a singer and musician who served in the temple during the time of King David. If he is the same Asaph mentioned in 2 Chronicles 5 (most likely) then he also served during the time of King Solomon. He is the author of a dozen psalms.
In Psalm 78 we see him calling on those who worship at the temple to remember all that God has done for them. “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and of his might, and all the wonders that he has done” (4). Asaph also reinforces the need to pay attention to what God has commanded. “He established a testimony and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children…so that they would set their hope in God and not forget his works but keep his commandments” (5-7).
As Asaph writes these words, he also realizes how often “God’s people” have failed to live as God’s people, “that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast, who were not faithful of God” (8). He gives an example. “The Ephraimites.. turned back on the day of battle.. refusing to walk according to God’s law” (9-10). This stubborn resistance of so many through the years was in spite of all God did to make himself known, such as dividing the sea when they left Egypt. Asaph reminds them of the plagues of Egypt God caused to convince Pharoah to let them go. “Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert” (17).
Asaph mentions how God “made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers” (16). When Rexanne and I were in Jordan back in 2018 we had the privilege of traveling to Petra and discovered that the Bedouin believe Moses and the Israelites camped here for some time, and that this was the site of God having water come from the rock. They’ve even identified the rock that sets near the top of the valley above Petra, which still has spring water coming through it.
“They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer, but they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him” (36-37). Asaph continues, “Yet he (God), being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them…he remembered that they were but flesh” (38-39). And then, “he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won. He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession. Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies” (54-56). Eventually “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds… and brought him to shepherd Jacob (Israel) his people” (70-71).
What can we gain from Asaph’s words? We have a tendency to stubbornly resist God too. Our advantage is that we have God’s Spirit within us, we have his Word to guide us, we have a personal relationship with Christ to motivate us. But just like Israel, we must pay attention and follow.