Psa 78:52 | KingComments | STEP | After this final judgment, Pharaoh let God’s people go. Asaph says here that God led forth His own people like sheep ( ). Pharaoh is forced by God to release the people. God has continually devoted Himself to His people. That He led them forth “like sheep” indicates their vulnerability, their defenselessness, and that they were completely dependent on God’s protection and care. They did not owe their deliverance to their own strength. Here God is the good Shepherd who led His sheep into freedom (cf. ). Further on, in , we see that He allowed David to act as shepherd for His people. In a prophetic sense, it speaks of God becoming Man in order to be the good Shepherd as the Son of David. After they had moved away, He “guided them in the wilderness like a flock”. He made sure they stayed together and were not scattered. The wilderness is an area through which a person cannot pass without knowing the way or without a good guide. For the people it was a completely unknown way. Therefore, they were totally dependent on the guidance of God. Asaph testifies that God “led them safely, so that they did not fear” ( ). God provided safety in the midst of all the dangers of “the great and terrible wilderness” ( ; cf. ). The enemy could no longer frighten them, for “the sea engulfed their enemies” ( ). Slavery was behind them, as were the dead bodies of the slavers. During the wilderness journey, God provided as long as the journey lasted. Thus He “brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained” ( ). Moses and the Israelites already mentioned this in the song they sang immediately after the redemption ( ). God brought His people “to His holy land”. The land He had chosen for them ( ), belongs to Him. It is holy because He is holy. What is His must correspond to Who and what He is. By “this hill country” is meant the whole land ( ; ). “His right hand” has gained that country. The right hand represents power and honor. He demonstrated His power by driving out “the nations before them” ( ). Then He “apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement”. Historically, we have arrived at the book of Joshua. All the tribes were apportioned a territory of the land for an inheritance ( ; cf. ). Finally, He “made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents”. After the slavery in Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, the people had reached the rest. Now they could enjoy all the blessings God had prepared for them in this land.

‏ Psalms 78:52

Guided in the Wilderness, Brought Into the Land

After this final judgment, Pharaoh let God’s people go. Asaph says here that God led forth His own people like sheep (Psa 78:52). Pharaoh is forced by God to release the people. God has continually devoted Himself to His people. That He led them forth “like sheep” indicates their vulnerability, their defenselessness, and that they were completely dependent on God’s protection and care.

They did not owe their deliverance to their own strength. Here God is the good Shepherd who led His sheep into freedom (cf. Jn 10:3). Further on, in Psa 78:70-71, we see that He allowed David to act as shepherd for His people. In a prophetic sense, it speaks of God becoming Man in order to be the good Shepherd as the Son of David.

After they had moved away, He “guided them in the wilderness like a flock”. He made sure they stayed together and were not scattered. The wilderness is an area through which a person cannot pass without knowing the way or without a good guide. For the people it was a completely unknown way. Therefore, they were totally dependent on the guidance of God.

Asaph testifies that God “led them safely, so that they did not fear” (Psa 78:53). God provided safety in the midst of all the dangers of “the great and terrible wilderness” (Deu 8:15; cf. Jer 2:6). The enemy could no longer frighten them, for “the sea engulfed their enemies” (Exo 14:27-30). Slavery was behind them, as were the dead bodies of the slavers. During the wilderness journey, God provided as long as the journey lasted.

Thus He “brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained” (Psa 78:54). Moses and the Israelites already mentioned this in the song they sang immediately after the redemption (Exo 15:17). God brought His people “to His holy land”. The land He had chosen for them (Eze 20:6), belongs to Him. It is holy because He is holy. What is His must correspond to Who and what He is.

By “this hill country” is meant the whole land (Exo 15:17a; Isa 57:13). “His right hand” has gained that country. The right hand represents power and honor. He demonstrated His power by driving out “the nations before them” (Psa 78:55). Then He “apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement”. Historically, we have arrived at the book of Joshua. All the tribes were apportioned a territory of the land for an inheritance (Jos 13:7 ; Jos 14:1-5; cf. Psa 16:6).

Finally, He “made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents”. After the slavery in Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, the people had reached the rest. Now they could enjoy all the blessings God had prepared for them in this land.