Psalms 78
Summary for Ps 78:1-72: Ps 78 a This wisdom psalm exhorts the people to learn wisdom and faithfully pass it on.Summary for Ps 78:1-8: 78:1-8 b The prologue is an invitation to learn wisdom.
78:2 c The psalmist recites Israel’s story (78:5-72 d) in a parable in order to teach wisdom and insight.
• Jesus quoted this verse to explain why he taught in parables (Matt 13:35 e).
Summary for Ps 78:3-4: 78:3-4 f This story of what God has done should be told from generation to generation (see Deut 6:20-25 g; Prov 4:1-4 h).
Summary for Ps 78:5-6: 78:5-6 i The telling of the story should motivate God’s people to obey what he commanded (Deut 6:4-9 j).
Summary for Ps 78:7-8: 78:7-8 k God holds each generation responsible for its own response, which should be to maintain faith and hope (see 9:18 l; 27:14 m) and avoid being stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful (see Deut 9:6-7 n; 10:16 o; 30:6 p; 31:27 q).
Summary for Ps 78:9-11: 78:9-11 r Ephraim, the second son of Joseph, received a special blessing from Jacob (Gen 48:15-20 s; 49:22-26 t; Deut 33:13-17 u). The land that his descendants received included fertile valleys and strategic roads (Judg 8:2 v). However, the people of Ephraim did not live in obedience to God’s gracious covenant.
Summary for Ps 78:12-16: 78:12-16 w The focus shifts from Ephraim (78:9-11 x) to Israel as a whole as the psalmist reflects on God’s power in Egypt (see 81:4-7 y) and in the wilderness. 78:12 z The miracles are the ten plagues against Egypt that God performed during Israel’s captivity (Exod 7–12 aa).
78:13 ab God divided the sea when Israel crossed through the Red Sea (see Exod 14–15 ac).
78:14 ad God used a cloud and a pillar of fire to guide and protect Israel in the wilderness (Exod 13:21-22 ae).
Summary for Ps 78:17-31: 78:17-31 af Israel rebelled in the wilderness despite God’s abundant provision.
Summary for Ps 78:23-25: 78:23-25 ag Abundance comes through the doors of heaven (Gen 8:2 ah; 2 Kgs 7:2 ai; Mal 3:10 aj).
• Israel ate manna for forty years in the wilderness (Exod 16:31-36 ak; John 6:31 al).
Summary for Ps 78:26-31: 78:26-31 am God powerfully satisfied the people’s desires, but they did not respond with gratitude or faith. Therefore, God exercised his justice.
Summary for Ps 78:32-39: 78:32-39 an Israel’s rebellion resulted in God’s judgment, but even their short-lived and insincere repentance motivated God to exercise forbearance.
78:33 ao An entire generation died in the wilderness (Num 14:22-23 ap, 28-35 aq).
Summary for Ps 78:34-39: 78:34-39 ar Israel’s continued existence, in spite of the people’s rebellion and unbelief (78:7-8 as), was due to God’s compassion. 78:34 at They repented: This demonstration of zeal was not sincere.
Summary for Ps 78:35-39: 78:35-39 au The Israelites remembered the right doctrine (9:9 av; 91:1 aw), but they did not allow God to change their hearts (Lev 26:41 ax).
Summary for Ps 78:40-55: 78:40-55 ay The Israelites rebelled even though the Lord had rescued them from powerful plagues.
Summary for Ps 78:56-64: 78:56-64 az Israel’s rebellion desecrated the Promised Land. The people built shrines to false gods and worshiped idols (78:58 ba) during the period of the judges (e.g., Judg 2:11 bb; 3:7 bc, 17-18 bd).
78:60 be God abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh because of the people’s idol worship (1 Sam 4:11 bf; Jer 7:12 bg).
78:67 bh The tribe of Ephraim was not completely rejected, but God favored Judah (78:68 bi).
Summary for Ps 78:68-69: 78:68-69 bj 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 bk).
Summary for Ps 78:70-72: 78:70-72 bl The God who had turned against his own people (78:62 bm) chose David, a shepherd (Gen 46:34 bn; 1 Sam 16:10-11 bo), to become their shepherd (Ps 78:52 bp; cp. 23:1 bq).
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