Psalm 78

The Psalm

Psalms. Chapter 78. A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done. For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children, that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments, and might not be as their fathers— a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God. The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his law. They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them. He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap. In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire. He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire. Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?” Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel, because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation. Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky. Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full. He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind. He also rained meat on them as the dust, winged birds as the sand of the seas. He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations. So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire. They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths, when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel. For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works. Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. When he killed them, then they enquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant. But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again. How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert! They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary; how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan, he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink. He sent amongst them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost. He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil. He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence, and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham. But he led out his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken. He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep his testimonies, but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were twisted like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images. When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel, so that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men, and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand. He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance. Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep. Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine. He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach. Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved. He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever. He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance. So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Worship Lyrics

A contemplation by Asaph
Hear my teaching, my people
Turn your ears to the words of my mouth
I will open my mouth in a parable
I will utter dark sayings of old
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us
We will not hide them from their children
Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD his strength
And his wondrous deeds that he has done
For he established a covenant in Jacob
And appointed a teaching in Israel which he commanded our fathers
That they should make them known to their children
That the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born
Who should arise and tell their children
That they might set their hope in God
And not forget Gods deeds
But
Keep his commandments
And might not be as their fathers— a stubborn and rebellious generation
A generation that didnt make their hearts loyal
Whose spirit was not steadfast with God
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle
They didnt keep Gods covenant, and refused to walk in his law
They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them
He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan
He split the sea, and caused them to pass through
He made the waters stand as a heap
In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire
He split rocks in the wilderness
And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths
He brought streams also out of the rock
And caused waters to run down like rivers
Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert
They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire
Yes, they spoke against God
They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness
Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed
Can he give bread also
Will he provide meat for his people
Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry
A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel
Because they didnt believe in God, and didnt trust in his salvation
Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven
He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky
Man ate the bread of angels
He sent them food to the full
He caused the east wind to blow in the sky
By his power he guided the south wind
He also rained meat on them as the dust, winged birds as the sand of the seas
He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations
So they ate, and were well filled
He gave them their own desire
They didnt turn from their cravings
Their food was yet in their mouths
When the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest
And struck down the young men of Israel
For all this they still sinned, and didnt believe in his wondrous works
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror
When he killed them, then they enquired after him
They returned and sought God earnestly
They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer
But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant
But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didnt destroy them
Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didnt stir up all his wrath
He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away
And doesnt come again
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
And grieved him in the desert
They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel
They didnt remember his hand
Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary
How he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan
He turned their rivers into blood
And their streams, so that they could not drink
He sent amongst them swarms of flies, which devoured them
And frogs, which destroyed them
He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust
He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost
He also gave over their livestock to the hail
And their flocks to hot thunderbolts
He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation
And trouble
And
A band of angels of evil
He made a path for his anger
He didnt spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence
And struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham
But he led out his own people like sheep
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock
He led them safely, so that they werent afraid
But the sea overwhelmed their enemies
He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken
He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line
And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God
And didnt keep his testimonies
But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers
They were twisted like a deceitful bow
For they provoked him to anger with their high places
And moved him to jealousy with their engraved images
When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel
So that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men
And delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversarys hand
He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance
Fire devoured their young men
Their virgins had no wedding song
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldnt weep
Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine
He struck his adversaries backward
He put them to a perpetual reproach
Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didnt choose the tribe of Ephraim
But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved
He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever
He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds
From following the ewes that have their young
He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob his people
And Israel, his inheritance
So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart
And guided them by the skilfulness of his hands

About This Psalm

Psalm 78 is a praise psalm that speaks to the heart of worship and devotion. This ancient song continues to inspire modern believers in their faith journey.

Key Themes: praise, deliverance, trust, kingship, conflict

Reflection

This psalm invites us to:

• Meditate on God's word and character
• Apply biblical truth to our daily lives
• Express our hearts in worship and prayer

Music & Worship

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Discussion Questions

1. What does this psalm teach us about God's character?
2. How can we apply the message of Psalm 78 to our lives today?
3. What verse or phrase stands out most to you, and why?

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