Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Psalms 78:1-29 (NET)

Context
Psalm 78
78:1 A well-written song by Asaph . Pay attention , my people , to my instruction ! Listen to the words I speak ! 78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom ; I will make insightful observations about the past . 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 . 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. 78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God . They will not forget the works of God , and they will obey his commands . 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 . 78:9 The Ephraimites were armed with bows , but they retreated in the day of battle . 78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God , and they refused to obey his law . 78:11 They forgot what he had done , the amazing things he had shown them. 78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors , in the land of Egypt , in the region of Zoan . 78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it; he made the water stand in a heap . 78:14 He led them with a cloud by day , and with the light of a fire all night long. 78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness , and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea . 78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock , and made the water flow like rivers . 78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him, and rebelled against the sovereign One in the desert . 78:18 They willfully challenged God by asking for food to satisfy their appetite . 78:19 They insulted God , saying , “Is God really able to give us food in the wilderness ? 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 ?” 78:21 When the Lord heard this, he was furious . A fire broke out against Jacob , and his anger flared up against Israel , 78:22 because they did not have faith in God , and did not trust his ability to deliver them. 78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above , and opened the doors in the sky . 78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat ; he gave them the grain of heaven . 78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. He sent them more than enough to eat . 78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky , and by his strength led forth the south wind . 78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust , birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores . 78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp , all around their homes . 78:29 They ate until they were stuffed ; he gave them what they desired .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Asaph

    [ebd] convener, or collector. (1.) A Levite; one of the leaders of David's choir (1 Chr. 6:39). Psalms 50 and 73-83 inclusive are attributed to him. He is mentioned along with David as skilled in music, and a "seer" (2 Chr. 29:30)...
    [nave] ASAPH 1. Father of Joah, 2 Kin. 18:18; Isa. 36:3, 22. 2. Son of Berachiah. One of the three leaders of music in David's organization of the tabernacle service, 1 Chr. 15:16-19; 16:5-7; 25:1-9; 2 Chr. 5:12; 35:15; Neh. 12:46...

  • Psalms

    [ebd] The psalms are the production of various authors. "Only a portion of the Book of Psalms claims David as its author. Other inspired poets in successive generations added now one now another contribution to the sacred collecti...
    [nave] PSALMS Of Moses, celebrating the deliverance at the Red Sea, Ex. 15:1-19. Didactic songs composed by Moses, celebrating the providence, righteousness, and judgments of God, Deut. 32:1-43; Psa. 90. Song of Deborah, celebrat...

  • Unbelief

    [nave] UNBELIEF See: Skepticism. Ex. 4:1; Num. 11:21-23; Num. 20:12, 13; Psa. 78:19, 21, 22, 32; Psa. 95:8-11; Psa. 106:7, 24; Isa. 7:9; Isa. 53:1 [John 12:38.] Isa. 53:2, 3; Isa. 58:3; Jer. 5:12-14; Mal. 1:2, 7; Matt. 10:14, 15; ...

  • HEZEKIAH (2)

    [isbe] HEZEKIAH (2) - (chizqiyah, "Yahweh has strengthened"; also written chizqiyahu, "Yah has strengthened him"; Hezekias): One of the greatest of the kings of Judah; reigned (according to the most self-consistent chronology) from...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • PROVIDENCE, 1

    [isbe] PROVIDENCE, 1 - prov'-i-dens: I. PROVIDENCE DEFINED II. DIFFERENT SPHERES OF PROVIDENTIAL ACTIVITY DISTINGUISHED III. BIBLICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF PROVIDENCE 1. Divine Providence in the Old Testament Scriptures (...

  • PLAGUES OF EGYPT

    [isbe] PLAGUES OF EGYPT - plagz (niphle'oth, "wonders "from pala', "to be separate," i.e. in a class by themselves; also called negheph, "plague," from naghaph, "to smite" (Ex 9:14), and negha`, "a stroke," from nagha`, "to touch" ...

  • Music

    [nave] MUSIC Teachers of, 1 Chr. 15:22; 25:7, 8; 2 Chr. 23:13. Physical effect of, on people, 1 Sam. 16:15, 16, 23. Discoursed during the offering of sacrifices, 2 Chr. 29:27, 28. Precentor, Neh. 12:42. Chief musician, Neh. 12:...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Blessing

    [nave] BLESSING For blessing before eating, See: Prayer, Thanksgiving Before Taking Food. See also Benedictions. Responsive Blessings of the Law Deut. 28:1-14 For the responsive Curses of the law, See: Curse. Divine, Contingent...

  • Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena

    [nave] METEOROLOGY AND CELESTIAL PHENOMENA. Gen. 2:5, 6; Gen. 27:39; Job 9:7; Job 26:7, 8, 11; Job 27:20, 21; Job 28:24-27; Job 29:19; Job 36:27-33; Job 37:6-22; Job 38:9 [with vs. 8-11.] Job 38:22, 24-29, 31-35, 37; Psa. 18:8-15;...

  • Children

    [nave] CHILDREN In answer to prayer: To Abraham, Gen. 15:2-5, with Gen. 21:1, 2; Isaac, Gen. 25:21; Leah, Gen. 30:17-22; Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24; Haah, 1 Sam. 1:9-20; Zacharias, Luke 1:13. Treatment of, at birth, Ezek. 16:4-6; Luke ...

  • Instruction

    [nave] INSTRUCTION From nature, Prov. 24:30-34; Eccl. 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Matt. 6:25-30. See: Parables. From the study of human nature, Eccl. 3-12. By Object Lessons: The pot of maa, Ex. 16:32. The pillar of twelve stones at the f...

  • Commandments

    [nave] COMMANDMENTS. Ex. 13:8-10; Ex. 20:3; Ex. 20:4-6; Ex. 20:7; Ex. 20:8-11; Ex. 20:12; Ex. 20:13; Ex. 20:14; Ex. 20:15; Ex. 20:16; Ex. 20:17 Deut. 5:6-21. Deut. 4:5, 9, 10; Deut. 6:4-9; Deut. 11:18-21; Deut. 32:46, 47; Josh. 8:...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Rock

    [isbe] ROCK - rok ((1) cela`; (2) tsur (3) challamish, "flint"; compare Arabic khalanbus, "flint"; (4) kephim (Job 30:6;" Jer 4:29); compare Kephas, "Cephas" = Petros, "Peter" (Jn 1:42 the King James Version and the Revised Version...
    [nave] ROCK Struck by Moses for water, Deut. 8:15; Psa. 78:15, 16, 20. Houses in, Jer. 49:16; Obad. 3; Matt. 7:24, 25. Oil from, Job 29:6; Deut. 32:13. Name of deity, Deut. 32:4. Figurative 2 Sam. 22:32, 47; 23:3; Psa. 18:2; 3...

  • Ingratitude

    [nave] INGRATITUDE. Of Mankind to God Num. 16:9, 10; Deut. 8:12-14 Deut. 6:11, 12. Deut. 28:47, 48; Deut. 31:16; Deut. 32:6, 15, 18 v. 13.; Judg. 2:10-12; Judg. 8:34, 35; Judg. 10:11, 13, 14 Neh. 9:25, 35; Psa. 106:7, 21; Jer. 2:...

  • Complaint

    [nave] COMPLAINT of Israelites against Moses, Ex. 5:21; 15:24; 16:2, 3; Num. 16:2, 3, 13, 14, 41; 20:2-4. Against God Ex. 5:22, 23; Ex. 16:8, 12; Num. 14:26-37 Num. 17:10, 11. Job 15:11-13; Job 33:12, 13; Job 34:37; Psa. 37:1; Ps...

  • School

    [nave] SCHOOL Of the prophets at Naioth, 1 Sam. 19:20; Beth-el, 2 Kin. 2:3; Jericho, 2 Kin. 2:5, 15; Gilgal, 2 Kin. 4:38; Jerusalem, probably, 2 Kin. 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22. Crowded attendance at, 2 Kin. 6:1. In the home, Deut. 4:9,...
more

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • [Psa 78:1] Let Children Hear The Mighty Deeds
  • [Psa 78:1] My People, Give Ear
  • [Psa 78:1] O Come, My People, To My Law
  • [Psa 78:25] Very Bread, Good Shepherd, Tend Us

Questions

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • "The way of the land of the Philistines"refers to the most northern of three routes travelers took from Egypt to Canaan (v. 17). The others lay farther south. The Egyptians had heavily fortified this caravan route, also calle...
  • The "rabble"(v. 4) were the non-Israelites who had come out of Egypt with God's people (Exod. 12:38). It did not take them long to become discontented with conditions in the desert and to complain about their bland diet of ma...
  • The previous ordinance guarded a son from a capricious father. This one maintained the rights of parents whose son (or daughter, presumably) was incorrigible. While the problem in view was one of lack of respect for parents (...
  • A second group of seven Levites (v. 5) led the people in the prayer of praise that Nehemiah included in this book perhaps on a different day than the prayer he wrote about in verses 1-4."The prayer is intended to instruct the...
  • The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
  • I. Book 1: chs. 1-41II. Book 2: chs. 42-72III. Book 3: chs. 73-89IV. Book 4: chs. 90-106V. Book 5: chs. 107-150...
  • In this psalm David urged those who sin against the Lord to seek His pardon with the encouragement that He is gracious with the penitent. He will, however, chasten the unrepentant.Students of this penitential psalm have often...
  • This psalm pictures God seated in His heavenly throne room. He has two indictments against His people Israel. The wicked among them were hypocritical in their worship, a violation of the first part of the Decalogue, and in th...
  • A man or men named Asaph wrote 17 of the psalms in this book (Pss. 73-83). Other writers were the sons of Korah (Pss. 84-85, 87), David (Ps. 86), Heman (Ps. 88), and Ethan (Ps. 89). Asaph, Heman, and Ethan were musicians from...
  • This didactic psalm teaches present and future generations to learn from the past, and it stresses the grace of God."This could be sub-titled, in view of verses 12 and 68, From Zoan to Zion, for it reviews the turbulent adole...
  • Asaph appealed to his audience to listen to his instruction about God's acts, power, and wonders. He had received these teachings from former generations and was now passing them on to the next generation as God had commanded...
  • 78:12-20 In his historical review Asaph began with the plagues in Egypt (v. 12). He drew broad strokes on his verbal canvas tracing God's faithfulness to the generation that left Egypt in the Exodus (vv. 12-16). Each verse in...
  • 89:38-45 Next Ethan recounted what God had permitted to overtake David. He was now weak and defeated rather than being strong and successful. God had apparently cut David off and gone back on His promises. The fall of Jerusal...
  • Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89."In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus, pp. 55-77. Edited by Donald K. Campbell and Jeffrey L. Townsend. Chicago: Moody Press, 1992._____. Lord of Song. Portland: Multnomah P...
  • Israel deserved judgment, and this pericope shows why. Jeremiah presented a series of pictures of the nation's irresponsibility and corruption.2:29 The Lord wanted to know why His people were angry with Him. The difficulties ...
  • In the section that follows, the relationship between Israel and Yahweh becomes even clearer. The mention of Baals and Israel's feasts makes this obvious. Hosea's relationship with Gomer recedes into the background.2:8 Israel...
  • Jesus' genealogy and virgin birth prove His legal human qualification as Israel's King. His baptism was the occasion of His divine approval. His temptation demonstrated His moral fitness to reign. The natural question a thoug...
  • Matthew linked this parabolic teaching with the controversy in chapter 12 by using the phrase "on that day"(NASB) or "that same day"(NIV, Gr. en te hemera ekeine). These parables were a response to Israel's rejection of her K...
  • 13:34 Matthew stressed the importance of parables in Jesus' teaching. This verse is a chiasm in the Greek text with "parables"in the middle. Jesus constantly used parables in His spoken ministry to the multitudes following Hi...
  • John had questioned Jesus' identity, and Jesus had defended John's identity. Jesus now warned his hearers who rejected John's identity and Jesus' identity.7:29 Verses 29 and 30 do not appear in the Matthew parallel. They reve...
  • This section of the text contains Jesus' enigmatic and attractive description of the Bread of Life. Jesus was whetting His hearers' appetites for it (cf. 4:10). The pericope ends with their asking Him to give them the Bread (...
  • Having announced His departure Jesus proceeded to offer the Holy Spirit for those who believed on Him (cf. chs. 14-16).7:37 The feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days (cf. Deut. 16:13). However the day following the feast was...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Gilgal, the first encampment, lay defenseless in the open plain, and the first thing to be done would be to throw up some earthwork round the camp. It seems to have been the resting-place of the ark and probably of the non-co...
  • That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.'--Psalm 78:7.IN its original application this verse is simply a statement of God's purpose in giving to Israel the Law, and su...
  • Mark's picturesque words show the groups sitting by companies of hundreds or of fifties. He uses a word which means the square garden plots in which herbs are grown.' So they sat on the green grass, which at that Passover sea...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #21: To learn the History/Background of Bible books/chapters use the Discovery Box. [ALL]
created in 0.06 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA