OVERVIEW:
The judgment of the Lord against disobedience; Asaph’s prayer against enemies; Asaph’s prayer for mercy and restoration.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
Psalm 78 is just absolutely an incredible psalm. What it provides is an abbreviated overview of Israel’s history from Exodus 7 to 2nd Samuel 10.
As we learned in Numbers 14:18 and Exodus 34:6–7, God warns that the iniquities of the fathers are visited all the way down to the third and fourth generations! In other words, the effects of sin are incredibly far reaching! Again, be reminded, the principle concerning the “iniquities of the fathers” is not teaching that JUDGMENT for a father’s iniquities are visited to the third and fourth generation, but that the PROPENSITIES toward those particular iniquities are “visited” that deep into a family line. At any time, however, anyone in a family can choose to trust Christ as their Savior, and thereby, also choose to refuse to provide the “visitor” entrance into their lives, and not only break the generational cycle of sin but by God’s grace, choose to create a cycle of righteousness! That is really what Psalm 78 is all about! It lets us know, that the “righteousnesses of the fathers”, as it were, are likewise “visited” to the third and fourth generation! Notice the four generations in 78:5–6:
- Generation # 1 — “OUR FATHERS…”
- Generation # 2 — “that they should make them known to THEIR CHILDREN,”
- Generation # 3 — “that THE GENERATION TO COME might know them”
- Generation # 4 — “who should arise and declare them to THEIR CHILDREN.”
Notice that the psalmist also provides in this psalm, the four reasons it is so important to pass this kind of righteous heritage to our generational offspring. (78:7–8) Notice that two are positive and two are negative:
- Positive — “That they might set their hope in God…”
- Negative — “And not forget the works of God…”
- Positive — “But keep his commandments…”
- Negative — “And might not be as their fathers.”
Notice in verse 29 of Psalm 78, one of the most horrific things that God could ever do to a person is to give them what they want! (i.e. “He gave them their own desire.”) As this psalm goes on to say, it is a collision course for disaster without exception, because what man naturally “desires” is always completely contrary to what God desires for him! Paul writes to his young son in the faith, Timothy, warning him about four things we “naturally desire” (i.e. “love”):
- “Self” — (2nd Timothy 3:2)
- “Pleasure” — (2nd Timothy 3:4)
- “Money” — (1st Timothy 6:10)
- “This present world” — (2nd Timothy 4:10)
Psalm 78:29 should cause all of us to pray, “O God, please don’t give me what I want!”
In 78:40–41, notice five things Israel did against God after their deliverance out of Egypt, keeping in mind that 1st Corinthians 10:6 and 11 specifically warn us to be sure that we don’t allow to happen to us, in our “exodus” (God delivering us from our bondage to sin, Satan and self!), what happened to Israel in their exodus! Notice…
- They “provoked” God – (Psalm 78:40a c.f. 1st Thessalonians 5:19)
- They “grieved” God — (Psalm 78:40b c.f. Ephesians 4:30)
- They “turned back” from God — (Psalm 78:41a c.f. 2nd Timothy 4:10)
- They “tempted” God — (Psalm 78:41b c.f. 1st Corinthians 10:9)
- They “limited” God — (Psalm 78:41c c.f. Hebrews 4:2)
Notice also that these five things were the result of the two root sins listed in verse 42: “They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.”
Practically speaking, we get ourselves into a whole bunch of sin problems when we forget (“remember not”) the awesome thing God did on our behalf the day He saved us (“delivered us from the enemy”); all of the things God did by “His hand” to bring us to that point (John 6:44); and all of the things He has done by “His hand” since He has delivered us (Revelation 2:4–5; Romans 1:21). Deuteronomy 6:12 says it plainly: “Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” God help us today to “remember”!
Psalm 79 and 80 are simple to understand for anyone who understands that there are three layers of application of Scripture. Both psalms point doctrinally (prophetically) to Israel during the latter part of the Great Tribulation just prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Notice that the “wild beast” in Psalm 80:13 is defined in Hosea 13:8 and is none other than “the Beast” of Revelation 13. He is like a “leopard” (Hosea 13:7), a “bear” and a “lion” (Hosea 13:8), just as in Revelation 13:2 and Daniel 7:3–6. It’s amazing what God will reveal (1st Corinthians 2:10) when we approach God’s Book the way He told us to approach it! (1st Corinthians 2:13 — “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” — i.e. comparing Scripture with Scripture!)
In Psalm 81, the “solemn feast day” in verse 3 points to the second coming of Christ, which will line up, just as did the first coming of Christ, with the feast of tabernacles. It’s way too detailed to get into here, but for a little “recreation” and “enjoyment”, check out 2nd Chronicles 7:9; Nehemiah 8:18; Hosea 9:5; 12:9; Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13; 31:10; 2nd Chronicles 8:13 and Ezra 3:4.
Be sure to note the context in Psalm 82, as once again, God sets it for us by the insertion of the word “Selah” (82:2) and then nails it for us in the last verse, saying, “Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations!” What an awesome God and an awesome Book!
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
- As the SHEPHERD — Psalm 80:1 (John 10:11)
- As the ONE WHO WILL ARISE TO DELIVER ISRAEL OUT OF HER TROUBLE — Psalm 80:7, 14, 19; 82:8 (Revelation 16:15–21; 19:19)