Studies in Psalms

Give Ear to My LawPsalm 78

Background • A psalm of Asaph• “One of the great national hymns of Israel”

• Written after the time of David

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• “Give ear to my law…” (1)“Listen, O my people, to my instruction…” (NASU)

• The need to preach what is needed! 2 Tim. 4:2, Heb. 2:1-3, 5:12-14, Acts 20:29-31, etc.

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old.” (2)

• Weighty sayings. The idea is that of application based upon examples. Matt. 13:11-13

• Do we respect His word?

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• “Our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children” (3-4)

• Deut. 4:5-9, 6:4-9 The Law expected the message to be passed down

• Eph. 6:4, 2 Tim. 3:15 • How concerned are we about the

future of the church?

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• A testimony and a law from God (5-6)

• What is the source of our message? 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Jude 3, Jas. 1:25

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• “That they may set their hope in God and not forget…” (7)

• How much effort are we making to instill hope in our children?

• Are we teaching them?• What about our example?

The Purpose of This Psalm (1-8)

• “And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation…” (8)

• Learning how NOT to act!Examples are not just positive!

• The goal: To avoid such an attitude

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

• Turned back in the day of battle (cf. Deut. 1:41-46?)

•(10-11) Israel had failed to keep the covenant and refused to walk in His law.

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

•(12-14) He did marvelous things, including the Red Sea and protecting them with the cloud (Ex. 13:21-22)

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

•(15-16) He gave them water from rocks (more than once) (Ex. 17:1-6, 20:11-13)

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

•(17-31) They demanded meat and God provided. BUT in anger, He cursed their “intense cravings” (Ex. 16 – He promised manna and quail. Num. 11:1-15, 31-35 – they complained again!)

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

•(32-33) The STILL did not believe His works. Their years were filled with futility•(34-37) False repentance

NOTE: When we repent, do we mean it?

Israel in the Wilderness (9-40)

•(38-40) But He did not destroy them, in compassion!REMEMBER that He is a God of mercy! (Ezek. 20:8-9)

•(41) Again and again they tempted God.

They did not remember Egypt (41-53)

•(42) They did not remember His power in Egypt.

•(43-51) The plagues against Egypt! (How could they forget?)

•(52-53) BUT He delivered His own people

Inheriting the land (54-66)

•(54) He brought them to Mt. Sinai where they again saw great wonders•(55) He drove out nations

before them (Joshua)

Inheriting the land (54-66)

•(56-57) Yet they tested and provoked God and did NOT keep His testimonies See Judges 2:10

Inheriting the land (54-66)

•(58) They worshipped foreign idols See Judges 2:11-13• (59-64) – The “cycle” of

the judges•(65-66) He awoke and

delivered them

He chose David (67-72)•(67-68) Judah chosen over

Ephraim. Mt. Zion (Jerusalem, city of David)

•(69) – He built His sanctuary there (cf. Heb. 9:1-15, 23-28)

•(70-71) He chose David (2 Sam. 7:12-17)

He chose David (67-72)•(72) David would shepherd

the people, according to the integrity of His heart. (cf. Ac. 13:22, 1 Kn. 9:4)

• Let the righteous stand up and lead the people

Will you learn from the past?