Psalm 78:32-72
Q.1. How did Israel treat God? What had they forgotten? Why did the Lord not destroy the people? How did He deal with them? – (Ps.78:32-53)
Asaph documented Israel’s fickleness and failure to remember God’s constant goodness – 40 How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! 41 Again and again they tempted God and pained the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary (Ps.78:40-41c.f. Ps.78:43-53). However – He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger and did not arouse all His wrath (Ps.78:38). He remembered their frailty as He dealt with them and – He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and does not return (Ps.78:39 c.f. Ps.103:14).
Q.2. Where did God lead them? How did Israel provoke Him? How did God punish His people? What was the state of the nation? – (Ps.78:54-64)
Asaph recounted God’s miraculous deliverance from Egypt and provision through their wilderness journeys. Then – He brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained. He also drove out the nations before them and apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents (Ps.78:54-55 c.f. Ps.78:43-53). Too soon and continually, Israel provoked the Lord with their treacherous idolatry and rebellion (Ps.78:56-58). As a result, He sent His people into exile – and gave up His strength to captivity and His glory into the hand of the adversary (Ps.78:61 c.f. Ps.78:59-64).
Q.3. How did David gain ascendency over the other tribes? What role did he play? What gave Judah its prominence? – (Ps.78:65-72)
Asaph finished his Psalm with the prominence of Jerusalem. He related how Jeroboam, an Ephraimite led the northern tribes of Israel into shameful idolatry (1 Kgs.11:26; 12:25-33). However, God – chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved … like the earth which He has founded forever (Ps.78:68-69). God directed His people to keep the festivals in Jerusalem to encourage their remembrance and worship of Him. He especially – chose David His servant … to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance (Ps.78:70-71). God saw David’s heart and – he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them with his skilful hands (Ps.78:72 c.f. 1 Sam.16:7). David always worked together with the priesthood to keep worship faithful and joyful.