A well-written song by Asaph.
The Hebrew for “well-written song” is מַשְׂכִּ֗יל (maskil), meaning a song of instruction. Asaph wrote this song to give instruction to Israel. This song was sung at the Jewish festivals.
78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction! Listen to the words I speak!
Asaph asked the congregation to listen to his song of instruction.
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom; I will make insightful observations about the past.
This song will impart wisdom about making some insightful observations about the past. Jesus quoted this verse when He began to speak in parables.
78:3 What we have heard and learned— that which our ancestors have told us— 78:4 we will not hide from their descendants. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
Asaph desired to pass history down to the next generation. He wanted the next generation to know about the amazing miracles which God had performed in the past.
78:5 He established a rule in Jacob; he set up a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors to make his deeds known to their descendants, 78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born, might know about them. They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.
The Mosaic Law was recorded in writing for future unborn generations.
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God. They will not forget the works of God, and they will obey his commands.
When future generations receive this instruction, then they will believe in God. They will obey His commands. His commandments are Bible doctrine.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors, who were a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that was not committed and faithful to God.
If future generations will study Bible doctrine, then they will not be evil and rebellious like their earlier ancestors.
78:9 The Ephraimites were armed with bows, but they retreated in the day of battle.
Asaph will give several examples of God’s amazing deeds to future generations. The Ephraimites were excellent archers, but they refused to join Israel in battle. God took note of their cowardice. Cowardice comes from a lack of Bible doctrine.
78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God, and they refused to obey his law.
The Ephraimites refused to study and apply the Mosaic Law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done, the amazing things he had shown them.
Once the Ephraimites quit studying the Mosaic Law, then the next generation lost their knowledge of God.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors, in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
The location of the city of Zoan is unknown. Most theologians believe that the city was inside of the Goshen region of Egypt. Goshen was the shepherding land which Pharaoh gave to Joseph. God did many miracles in this city, but the miracles were not recorded in Scripture.
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it; he made the water stand in a heap.
God divided the Red Sea. What brought down the great Egyptian dynasty? Their soldiers were drowned in the Red Sea.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day, and with the light of a fire all night long.
The Shechinah Glory protected Israel from the desert sun and gave them warmth and light during the desert nights.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness, and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea.
God broke open rocks and gave water to over two million Israelites in the wilderness.
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock, and made the water flow like rivers.
The generation of the Exodus saw God perform these miracles on a daily basis.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him, and rebelled against the sovereign One in the desert.
Even though God performed these miracles on a daily basis, the Exodus generation continued to sin against God.
78:18 They willfully challenged God by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
God gave them manna from heaven, but the Exodus generation was not satisfied. They desired the food from the satanic world system.
78:19 They insulted God, saying, “Is God really able to give us food in the wilderness?
God gave the Exodus generation food from heaven, but they insulted God. They wanted God to give them food from the satanic world system.
78:20 Yes, he struck a rock and water flowed out, streams gushed forth. But can he also give us food? Will he provide meat for his people?”
The Exodus generation did not want manna from heaven. They wanted to eat the dead flesh of the dead animals of the satanic world system.
78:21 When the Lord heard this, he was furious. A fire broke out against Jacob, and his anger flared up against Israel, 22 because they did not have faith in God, and did not trust his ability to deliver them.
The Exodus generation had seen the miracles of God, but they loved their sin nature more than they loved God. God lighted a literal fire among them, hoping to get their attention.
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above, and opened the doors in the sky.
How did two million Israelites survive in the desert?
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them the grain of heaven.
God gave a command to the clouds and they rained down manna from heaven.
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. He sent them more than enough to eat.
The Hebrew word for “mighty ones” is אַ֭בִּירִים (abirim), meaning mighty ones. Some English versions translate it as “angels,” but angels is a different Hebrew word. Angels do not need substance, but they can eat and enjoy food.
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky, and by his strength led forth the south wind.
The winds of the earth brought quail to the Exodus generation.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust, birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores.
The Exodus generation wanted to eat the meat of the dead animals of the satanic world system, so God gave them all of the dead birds that they wanted.
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp, all around their homes.
The Exodus generation asked for meat, so God filled their camp with dead birds.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; he gave them what they desired.
The Exodus generation became a nation of gluttons. God gave them what they deserved.
78:30 They were not yet filled up, their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them. He killed some of the strongest of them; he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
The Exodus generation committed the sin unto death. All of them would die in the desert, except for Joshua and Caleb.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin, and did not trust him to do amazing things.
The Exodus generation saw the manna from heaven and the judgments from God, but they still continued to sin.
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied and filled with terror.
The Exodus generation was rebellious towards God, so He allowed them to die unsatisfied and filled with terror.
78:34 When he struck them down, they sought his favor; they turned back and longed for God.
The sin unto death upon the Exodus generation caused many of them to turn back to God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector, and that the sovereign God was their deliverer.
The Exodus generation remembered that God had protected and delivered them in the past.
78:36 But they deceived him with their words, and lied to him.
The Exodus generation gave a lot of lip service. They outwardly claimed to follow God, but they inwardly rebelled against Him.
78:37 They were not really committed to him, and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
The Exodus generation was never committed to God. They were unfaithful to the Mosaic Covenant. They were not interested in what God had to offer.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate. He forgives sin and does not destroy. He often holds back his anger, and does not stir up his fury.
Although God executed the Exodus generation for committing the sin unto death, He is still compassionate. He does forgive sin. He does not destroy, but He saves. He often holds back His anger, unless one’s cup overflows with evil.
78:39 He remembered that they were made of flesh, and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.
Jehovah remembered that the people of Israel were still made of flesh, meaning that they possessed a totally depraved and evil sin nature.
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and insulted him in the desert!
Israel often rebelled against Jehovah. They even insulted Him in the desert.
78:41 They again challenged God, and offended the Holy One of Israel.
The Exodus generation challenged God and offended Him as well.
78:42 They did not remember what he had done, how he delivered them from the enemy, 78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds in Egypt, and his acts of judgment in the region of Zoan.
The Exodus generation witnessed more miracles of God than any people in history, yet their totally depraved and evil sin nature caused them to forget these miracles. The miracles of God will not bring one to salvation. God must open the eyes of the individual, or no one would be saved.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams.
Jehovah turned the rivers of Egypt to blood. This miracle still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them, as well as frogs that overran their land.
Jehovah sent swarms of insects to Egypt, but this miracle still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
God sent locusts to eat Egypt’s crops, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
God sent hail to destroy Egypt’s great building projects, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle, and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock.
God rained down lightning destroy Egypt’s livestock, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them, He sent fury, rage, and trouble as messengers who bring disaster.
The Egyptian messengers repeatedly gave Pharaoh the bad news of Jehovah’s wrath, but Israel was not convinced to follow God.
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; he did not spare them from death; he handed their lives over to destruction.
God sent death to Egypt, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.
God struck down the firstborn of Egypt, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep; he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
God even brought Israel out of Egypt unscathed, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:53 He guided them safely along, while the sea covered their enemies.
God covered the Egyptian army with the Red Sea, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountainous land which his right hand acquired.
God brought Israel to the borders of the Promised Land, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them; he assigned them their tribal allotments and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down.
God drove the Canaanites out of the land, but it still did not convince Israel to follow God.
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied the sovereign God, and did not obey his commands.
Israel’s response to all of these miracles was to challenge and defy God’s laws.
78:57 They were unfaithful and acted as treacherously as their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow.
Israel became just as evil as the Canaanites.
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines, and made him jealous with their idols.
Instead of worshiping Jehovah, Israel worshiped demonic idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry; he completely rejected Israel.
God heard the worship of Israel (which was directed towards the demonic idols), so God rejected Israel temporarily.
78:60 He abandoned the sanctuary at Shiloh, the tent where he lived among men.
God allowed the Philistines to attack and tear down the Tabernacle at Shiloh.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; he gave the symbol of his splendor into the hand of the enemy.
God allowed the Ark of the Covenant to be taken by the Philistines.
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword, and was angry with his chosen nation.
God allowed His people to die in combat to surrounding enemies.
78:63 Fire consumed their young men, and their virgins remained unmarried.
Fire took the lives of many of the Jewish soldiers. The male population was depleted, so the virgins of Israel were left with no one to marry.
78:64 Their priests fell by the sword, but their widows did not weep.
The Levitical priests (Hophni and Phinehas) were killed by the sword of the Philistines.
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep; he was like a warrior in a drunken rage.
Jehovah awoke from His sleep and took out His rage against the Philistines.
78:66 He drove his enemies back; he made them a permanent target for insults.
Jehovah drove the enemies of Israel out of the land. They were no longer a threat during the reign of David and Solomon.
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
Jehovah rejected the tents of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim (representing the Northern tribes). None of the northern cities would become the political and religious capital of Israel.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loves.
Instead, Jehovah chose Judah’s Zion for the location of His sanctuary.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; as secure as the earth, which he established permanently.
The sanctuary became the place of sacrifice. The sacrifice pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The earth will continue forever (Ecclesiastes 1:4). In “the Day of the Lord,” the earth shall be burned up, but its mass will possibly be converted into other forms of energy (such as heat, sound, etc.). It will never be completely annihilated. God will then make a “new earth” which will never pass away.
78:70 He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.
Jehovah chose David to become His servant and His king.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation.
God raised David as a shepherd and promoted him to King of Israel.
78:72 David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill.
All of the other kings were leading their nations by human viewpoint, but David led Israel by divine viewpoint.