Psalm 78 - History Lesson

Psalm 78:1-8 (NIV)

My people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
They would not be like their ancestors—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.


A whopping 72 verses fill Psalm 78. It is a retelling of Israel's history from the Exodus from slavery in Egypt to the Assyrian invasion of Northern Israel, the ten tribes that seceded from Jerusalem's authority. It covers the Exodus and the plagues of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the gift of the law at Sinai, the wilderness wanderings, the confederated tribal period when Israel had no king, and the Assyrian invasion. The psalm is told from the perspective of the people of Judah, those who remained faithful to the kingly dynasty of David.

What is the purpose of such a retelling in poetic phrase? It's kind of like the song the battle of New Orleans by Johnnie Horton, popular from my childhood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_iRIcxsz0

It sticks with you. You remember. And it's important to know history and learn from it. The purpose of Psalm 78 is instruction of children that they might learn the history of God and His chosen. The history includes great failure. The people of the northern tribes were unfaithful. God was patient and delivered them when they cried out, but time and time again they tested God by worshiping false gods. The interesting thing is that Judah was not innocent of unfaithfulness either, but when you are the winner you get to write the history.

The history also celebrates God's choosing of the tribe Judah as chief among the sons of Jacob. It celebrates Jerusalem as the place of God's temple. After all the ups and downs of God's complicated relationship with His chosen people, the psalm ends celebrating, like all is well.

Psalm 78:67-72 (NIV)

Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
    he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
but he chose the tribe of Judah,
    Mount Zion, which he loved.
He built his sanctuary like the heights,
    like the earth that he established forever.
He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheep pens;
from tending the sheep he brought him
    to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
    with skillful hands he led them.


Of course the history doesn't end here. The kings of Judah were not entirely faithful. God and the southern kingdom had their ups and downs too. Through it all God remained faithful to His covenant with the people. When they grew wealthy they trusted in their wealth and weapons and lost. When they repented, God came to the rescue. God used both good and hard times to shape His people. Even Judah was taken into exile and it seemed God was sleeping. God was not sleeping. God was using the exile to refine a people who would keep His holy commands and shine with His light.

So what's your history with God? Is it like God's faithful journey with the Jews? If you're like me you'll recognize that there's been ups and downs and twists and turns. You've been faithful and you've been unfaithful. But through it all God remains true. That'as a history to celebrate and tell your children and grandchildren that they might benefit.