Psalmist Asaph is exhorting his generation to keep the Law and not to forget God’s work and rebel against Him. This is a Covenant Song in the form of a Todah or Thanksgiving Pslam. It can also be used as a liturgical psalm for public worship. Asaph like us today, is struggling to respond to the evil and injustice I his world. This Psalm alternates between Israel’s rebellion and God’s faithfulness to His people. They word “they” meaning Israel is used 30 times, God is mentioned in a myriad of forms all throughout also but usually as a counterpoint to “they”. This tells me a few things: This is about a opposing relationship with God and it is to either, correct, teach or advise on teaching or correcting that relationship. The Historical events that it refers to are (as I could find them) the following (Ross 850):
(1) The disobedience of Ephraim (v. 9-11) or failure in battle in general when disobedient to God.
(2) Amazing deeds of the Lord (v. 12-72)
(2a) Wonders in the fields of Zoan (v. 12)
(2b) Parting of the Red Sea (v. 13)
(2c) The Pillar of Fire and Smoke in the wilderness (v. 14)
(2d) Water from a Rock (v. 15-16)
(2e) Etc, etc, etc……
(3) Rebellion in the wilderness: Yet they sinned against God, doubting Him and rebelling, testing God, demanding the food craved.
(4) Even after his wrath and anger had been kindled he rained down on them manna (the bread of angels) to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. He rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas
(4a) But before they had satisfied their craving while the food was still in their mouths the anger of God rose against them and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.
Above I have outlined some of the historical events as they are described in Chapter 78. What is important in this Psalm isn’t every single minutiae and event in microcosm but rather the principles behind the falling way of God’s people from God. This Psalm is a didactic or a psalm that instructs. In the case of Psalms 78 it is based off the errors of the past or Israel’s historical events. What they show is a repeated pattern that we have always seen with Israel. (1) Blessings from God, (2) Israel taking them for granted, (3) God punishing them for disobedience, (4) Israel’s repentance. Asaph in this Psalm is trying to avoid primarily steps (2) & (3) by educating and instructing them on their past. Everyone knows the old adage: Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it. We see in then and we can see it today. It only takes a single generation or about 40 years for people to completely return as a whole to totally sinful ways. Step (4) or seeking repentance isn’t totally avoidable in man’s case because man will always be a sinner thus needing this step. To overtly take God for granted , overtly disobey and be punished by Him is, in many cases avoidable by following the instructions of the Lord passed down from generation to generation which is what this Psalm is basing its premise on generational passing on of the Law.
Longman, Tremper, David Garland, and Willem Vangemeren. "Book III: Psalms 73-89." Psalms (The Expositor's Bible Commentary). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008. 590-605. Print.
Ross, Allen , John Walvoord. "Psalm 78." Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 850-852. Print.
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