The Living Word

KING JAMES VERSION

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

— Isaiah 40:8

Psalms 78

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1

Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

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2

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

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3

Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

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4

We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

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5

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

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6

That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

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7

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

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8

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

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9

The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

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10

They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

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11

And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

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12

Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

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13

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

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14

In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

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15

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

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16

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

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17

And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

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18

And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

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19

Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

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20

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

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21

Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

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22

Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

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23

Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

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24

And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

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25

Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

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26

He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

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27

He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

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28

And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

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29

So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

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30

They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

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31

The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

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32

For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

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33

Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

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34

When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

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35

And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

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36

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

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37

For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

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38

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

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39

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

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40

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

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41

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

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42

They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

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43

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

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44

And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

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45

He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

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46

He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

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47

He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

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48

He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

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49

He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

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50

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

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51

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

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52

But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

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53

And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

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54

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

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55

He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

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56

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

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57

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

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58

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

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59

When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

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60

So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

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61

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

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62

He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

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63

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

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64

Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

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65

Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

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66

And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

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67

Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

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68

But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

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69

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

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70

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

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71

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

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72

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

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Chapter Study & Analysis

Overview

Psalm 78 is a long historical psalm, exhorting the next generation to learn from the rebellion of their fathers and God’s faithfulness from Egypt to David.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS

1. Teaching the Children: We must not hide God’s works from the "generation to come" (v. 4). Family discipleship is vital.
2. The Danger of Unbelief: Israel limited the Holy One of Israel by their doubt (v. 41). Our faith or doubt affects our experience of God.

Practical Lessons

FORMAL PRAYER

Give ear, O my people, to my law. Help us to set our hope in Thee and not forget Thy works, but keep Thy commandments. Amen.

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