Psalm 78 – Remember God – Forget Him Not
(by Tan Yu Chai)
Assuming that you are dying and needed desperately for a massive blood supply. Because of a very rare blood type you have, only 1 person from a very faraway place has a matching blood type as you have. He came to the hospital and gave his blood for you. In the process, you survived but the blood donor died.
Will you forget such a sacrificial person? Will you not remember such a person? Our mind tells us that surely we will not forget such a person who gave his life for you. But can you ask your conscience, how often, how easy we forget Jesus – the very Son of God who gave His life for you and me on the Cross.
We are a people who are prone to forget, we don’t remember. Forgetting God leads to doubt, then unbelief and rebellion.
Psalm 78 instructs us to remember God’s mercy and faithfulness. Asaph does this by retelling the history of Israel from their slavery in Egypt to the reign of King David. Asaph shows throughout the psalm God’s faithfulness to his people despite their unfaithfulness, mainly due to them not remembering God.
Verses 1-8 The psalmist’s intentions
- He is telling a true parable and he’s calling on the people to listen and respond (verses 1-4).
- He is teaching that we all have a responsibility; not only to remember for ourselves, but to tell the next generation about what God has done (His works) and what God has said (His words).
- Verse 7 says, so that they will set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.
Verses 9-72 A Forgetful and Rebellious People and a God of Mercy and Faithfulness
The Psalmist’s Parable: Part One (vv 9-39)
A. God’s People Forget and Became Unfaithful (vv. 9-11)
B. God’s Faithfulness to His People in the Wilderness (vv. 12-16)
C. Forgetfulness Leads to Doubt and Rebellion Against the ‘Most High’ (vv. 17-20)
D. God Heard and was Angry: He Shows Mercy and Brings Judgment(vv. 21-31)
E. God’s Forgiveness Despite Insincere Repentance (vv. 32-39)
10 They did not keep God’s covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
11
They forgot his works
and the wonders that he had shown them.
17 Yet they sinned still more against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
The Psalmist’s Parable: Part Two (vv 40 -64)
A. God’s People Don’t Remember and Became Unfaithful (vv. 40-43)
B. God’s Faithfulness to His People from Egypt to the Promised Land(vv. 44-55)
C. The People’s Rebellion Against the ‘Most High’ (vv. 56-58)
D. God Heard and was Angry: He Shows Mercy and Brings Judgment(vv. 59-64)
58
For they provoked him to anger with their high places;
they moved him to jealousy with their idols.
59
When God heard, he was full of wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
The Psalmist’s Pronouncement : God’s faithfulness to his people (vv 65-72)
- While Ephraim was unfaithful and Shiloh was taken, God chooses to show favour to Judah and establishes Jerusalem. The ark is taken from Shiloh and finds a new home on Mount Zion.
- David was introduced as the one through whom God establishes an everlasting kingdom.
Conclusion:
Brothers and Sisters, if we forget God, we still start doubting Him. Then we will not believe Him, this leads to disobedience and rebellion. Yet our hope in our God who is merciful and faithful and covenant keeping
We must REMEMBER GOD – FORGET HIM NOT
We must be committed to knowing the words and works of God, especially His work of salvation in Jesus. Amen.
Let’s Read Psalm 78
A Maskil of Asaph.
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
16 He made streams come out of the rock
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
17 Yet they sinned still more against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They tested God in their heart
by demanding the food they craved.
21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
a fire was kindled against Jacob;
his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
32 In spite of all this, they still sinned;
despite his wonders, they did not believe.
38 Yet he, being compassionate,
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and comes not again.
56 Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies,
57 but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
they twisted like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places;
they moved him to jealousy with their idols.
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loves.
69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.
Let’s Pray
Father, forgive us. We often forget you, we often don’t remember You, of Your grace, of Your mercy, of Your saving grace in Christ Jesus.
So Lord, just as You commanded the apostles in the Upper Room, You asked them as they eat of the bread and drink of the cup to remember You, help us to remember You, to know of Your love, of Your faithfulness, of Your mercy, and Your adoption of us as Your sons and daughters. We are so thankful Lord, for we want to pray and worship You in Jesus’s Name, Amen.
This devotional was kindly contributed by Dr. Chow Li Sze and her channel Heavenly Devotion. You may find the channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/HeavenlyDevotion/videos
About the Heavenly Devotion channel
The Heavenly Devotion channel is dedicated to encouraging you to listen to Bible Scriptures and pray with the Scriptures. They are inspired by the call of service as expressed and exemplified by Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:12-15.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrew 4:12 NKJV)
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