The central theme of this Psalm is the grace of God extended to rebellious people (Romans 5:20). To emphasize this truth, the Psalmist reflects on the past, recounting how God delivered His people and guided them through the wilderness. Despite God’s abundant provisions, the people rebelled, failing to grasp His irreversible plan for their lives. Instead, they demanded that God fulfill their selfish desires, resisting His holy will. Their unholiness created a gap between themselves and God. This Psalm highlights that only by separating ourselves from the ways of this fallen world can we truly understand God and His purposes for our lives.
Heard and Known Things, Yet Hidden
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. – Psalms 78:1-4 (NIV)
Matthew, in his Gospel (Matthew 13:35), recorded the fulfillment of this prophecy, highlighting the prophetic nature of the first two verses of this Psalm. During His ministry, Jesus revealed the hidden truths of His Kingdom using simple, relatable illustrations from everyday life. In ancient times, when written scriptures were not widely available, the knowledge of God and His works was transmitted orally from one generation to the next. God’s people were commanded to diligently teach His ways and deeds to their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). However, this oral tradition often became hearsay rather than a personal experience of God.
The importance of this practice is emphasized by the fact that God commended Abraham for his commitment to passing on the knowledge of God to his descendants (Genesis 18:19). Past experiences serve as valuable lessons for understanding present progress, but one should not cling to past failures or successes. The Psalmist pledged to share all they had witnessed of God’s marvelous works with the next generation. This commitment aimed to cultivate a reverence for God in children’s hearts, encouraging them to stay faithful and follow His ways.
In today’s context, many tend to overlook the Old Testament, focusing solely on the New Testament because much of the Old Testament is historical, and its lists of kings and genealogies may seem daunting. Conversely, some delve into the Old Testament but unintentionally immerse themselves in the Mosaic laws, losing sight of God’s grace. Instead of taking either approach, we should view the Old Testament through the lens of its fulfillment in the New Testament. Rather than dwelling solely on the past, we should understand how the Old Testament’s history aligns with and enhances the message of grace in the New Testament. The Old Testament reveals God’s power and wrath, while the New Testament emphasizes His love and grace, which surpass His punitive measures.
The Institution of Law
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. – Psalms 78:5-8 (NIV)
The Psalmist reflects on the laws God gave to His people, emphasizing that these laws and the penalties for disobedience were meant to guide future generations toward a reverent fear of God. However, will this approach truly instill fear and respect in the hearts of the younger generation?
To answer this, we must first understand God’s love and the purpose behind giving His laws and commandments. God’s intent was to strengthen His people by helping them recognize their own weakness and dependence on Him. However, instead of humbly acknowledging their inability to perfectly keep the law, many deceived themselves into believing they were fully obedient. This distortion of the law’s purpose transformed it into a mere penalty system—sacrifices became a fee to justify sin rather than a deterrent to avoid it.
This misinterpretation undermined the law’s original intent. Rather than fostering a deep respect for God’s commandments, it led the younger generation to view the law as a means to sin and seek forgiveness, thereby nullifying its true purpose of guiding them toward holiness.
Forgetting The Goodness Of God
The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. – Psalms 78:9-16 (NIV)
The Psalmist initially believed that miracles would lead people to trust in God. However, he later realized that the people quickly forgot God’s works and instead placed their trust in their own bows and arrows, resulting in their life battles. The key lesson here is that failing to adhere to God’s law leads to downfall, no matter how well-equipped we may seem.
Trusting God based solely on His miraculous deeds reflects a faith that depends on visible evidence. If we rely only on healings, miracles, or material blessings to trust God, we risk shifting our trust to ourselves once we feel self-sufficient. True faith requires loving God not because of the blessings we see but because of who He is. The visible blessings are temporary, while the unseen transformation God works within us is eternal. Without embracing this transformation, we cannot fully place our trust in Him.
Endless Sin Loop
But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved.
They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” – Psalms 78:17-20 (NIV)
Wwe continue sinning because of our deep desire to sin and nothing else. Unless and until we decide not to sin, no one can stop us from sinning. Our desire should change and this will not happen by seeing God punishing the offenders but can happen by seeing how God saving the sinners. Otherwise we will put God to the test every time.
Cravings can cause us to forget how deeply caring God is. After witnessing God parting the Red Sea and paving a path of solid ground, people still questioned, “Can God truly provide a feast in the wilderness?” While they acknowledged that God brought forth water from a rock, they struggled to believe that He could also provide food. When we focus solely on the outcome of God’s provision, we fail to grasp the depth of His power and may instead grow reliant on daily supplies. The Gentiles are making the same mistake—unable to see the Creator, they become fixated on His creations. So, what sets apart God’s people from those who do not know Him?
We often struggle to believe how God will bring peace and salvation to this fallen, chaotic world. Instead of spreading the message of the Gospel, we sometimes find ourselves consumed by thoughts of revenge. Deep down, we may be asking the same question—perhaps not aloud but in our hearts: Can God really prepare a table?
Yet the prophet Isaiah reassures us that God will prepare a feast of rich food for all people (Isaiah 25:6). He goes on to declare that one day, we will proclaim, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9). Only the experience of salvation can transform our question, “Can You, God?” into a confident declaration: “God can!”
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your saving grace, for forgiving our sins, and for rescuing us from eternal death. Help us to cling to You in every circumstance, trusting in Your unfailing love. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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