Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 78 (MT) / Psalm 77 (LXX) is the Psalter's longest historical-recital — a 72-verse Asaphite maskil surveying Israel's history from Egypt through the Davidic-election, structured around the theological-pattern of divine-faithfulness-meeting-human-rebellion. Verse 2's 'I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old' is cited at Matthew 13:35 as fulfilled in Jesus' parable-teaching ministry — one of the NT's signature citations making the OT historical-psalm a prophecy of Christ's pedagogy.
Notable Variants
78:2 → Matthew 13:35 as prophecy of Jesus' parable-teaching; 78:24 'he rained down manna on them' → John 6:31 in the bread-of-life discourse; the Egypt-wilderness-Conquest-Davidic-election historical-survey structure; Asaph as wisdom-teacher voice.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 78 = LXX Ps 77. 72 verses. Longest Asaphite psalm.
A maskil of Asaph. Listen, my people, to my teaching; turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
'Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!' tracks MT. TEACHING-CALL opening — the wisdom-teacher voice.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will pour out riddles from of old.
Masoretic (WLC)
אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי־קֶדֶם
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old
Septuagint (LXX)
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter problems from the beginning
MATTHEW 13:35 CITATION — PARABLE-MINISTRY PROPHECY. Matthew 13:35 cites this verse as fulfilled in Jesus' parable-teaching: 'This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER WHAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (anoixō en parabolais to stoma mou, ereuxomai kekrymmena apo katabolēs kosmou).'
MATTHEW'S TEXTUAL VARIANTS. Matthew's citation substitutes (a) ereuxomai ('I will pour forth' — metaphorical) for LXX's phthegxomai ('I will utter') — possibly from a different Greek textual tradition, and (b) 'hidden things from the foundation of the world' for LXX's 'problems from the beginning' — making the sayings cosmic-hidden-mysteries rather than merely ancient-problems. The shift deepens the Christological application: the Parable-teller reveals cosmos-old hidden-knowledge.
PARABOLĒ VOCABULARY. The LXX's parabolais ('in parables') — translating Hebrew mashal (parable, proverb, riddle) — becomes the NT's standard term for Jesus' teaching-genre. Mark 4:11 ('to you has been given the mystery of the kingdom, but for those outside, everything is in parables') develops the hidden-meaning theology.
ATTRIBUTION TO ASAPH. Matthew 13:35 introduces the citation as 'what was spoken by the prophet' — Asaph (the psalm's author) is identified as a prophet. 1 Chronicles 25:1–2 names Asaph as one of the Davidic prophets who 'prophesied under the direction of the king,' supporting Matthew's attribution. The psalm thus becomes a prophetic-text, not merely a wisdom-teaching.
What we have heard and known, what our ancestors told us —
'Things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us' tracks MT.
we will not hide them from their children. To the coming generation we will recount the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His strength and the wonders He has done.
'We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD' tracks MT. INTER-GENERATIONAL-TRANSMISSION. The tell-the-next-generation pedagogical imperative.
He established a testimony in Jacob and set a law in Israel, which He commanded our ancestors to make known to their children,
'He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel' tracks MT.
so that the next generation would know — children yet to be born — and they would rise and tell their own children,
'That the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children' tracks MT.
so that they would put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments —
'So that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God' tracks MT.
and not be like their ancestors — a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
'And that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation' tracks MT.
The sons of Ephraim, armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle.
'The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle' tracks MT.
They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law.
'They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law' tracks MT.
They forgot His deeds and the wonders He had shown them.
'They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them' tracks MT.
Before their ancestors He did wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
'In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan' tracks MT. ZOAN — the Egyptian delta-city (Tanis), the traditional locus of Exodus-events.
He split the sea and brought them through; He made the waters stand like a wall.
'He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap' tracks MT. Red-Sea crossing — Exodus 14.
He led them with a cloud by day and all night with a light of fire.
'In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light' tracks MT. Pillar-of-cloud-and-fire — Exodus 13:21–22.
He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep.
'He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep' tracks MT. Massah-Meribah water-from-rock. 1 Corinthians 10:4 ('they drank from the spiritual Rock … and the Rock was Christ') Christologically extends.
He brought streams from the crag and made water flow down like rivers.
'He made streams come out of the rock' tracks MT.
Yet they kept on sinning against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the dry land.
'Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert' tracks MT. REBELLION-IN-DESERT pattern — divine-faithfulness-met-with-human-rebellion. Hebrews 3:7–19 (citing Ps 95) develops this theology.
They tested God in their hearts by demanding food for their appetite.
'They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved' tracks MT. TESTING-GOD theology — the 'testing' (nisu / epeirasan) verb repeated at v. 41, 56. 1 Corinthians 10:9 ('we must not put Christ to the test') directly applies.
They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God set a table in the wilderness?'
'They spoke against God, saying: Can God spread a table in the wilderness?' tracks MT.
Yes, He struck the rock and water gushed out, torrents overflowed. But can He also give bread? Can He provide meat for His people?
'He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?' tracks MT.
Therefore the LORD heard and was furious; fire blazed against Jacob, and anger rose against Israel,
'Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath' tracks MT.
because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation.
'Because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power' tracks MT. UNBELIEF-AS-SIN-ROOT. Hebrews 3:19 ('they were unable to enter because of UNBELIEF,' di' apistian) applies this diagnosis.
Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven.
'Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven' tracks MT.
He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.
'And he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven' tracks MT. MANNA — the bread-from-heaven, cited at John 6:31: 'Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: HE GAVE THEM BREAD FROM HEAVEN TO EAT (arton ek tou ouranou edōken autois phagein).' John's crowd combines Ex 16:4 and this psalm — Jesus responds (John 6:32–35) by identifying himself as the true-bread-from-heaven.
Mortals ate the bread of the mighty; He sent them food in abundance.
'Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance' tracks MT. 'BREAD OF ANGELS' (arton angelōn) — the Wisdom of Solomon 16:20 echoes.
He set loose the east wind in the heavens and drove the south wind by His power.
'He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind' tracks MT.
He rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas.
'He rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas' tracks MT. Quail — Numbers 11.
He made them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
'He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings' tracks MT.
They ate and were fully satisfied; He brought them what they craved.
'And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved' tracks MT.
They had not yet turned from their craving — the food was still in their mouths —
'But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths' tracks MT.
when the anger of God rose against them. He killed the sturdiest among them and struck down the young men of Israel.
'The anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel' tracks MT. KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH plague — Numbers 11:33.
Despite all this, they kept sinning and did not believe in His wonders.
'In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe' tracks MT.
So He consumed their days in futility and their years in sudden terror.
'So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror' tracks MT. BREATH-VANISHING lives — wilderness-generation dying-off.
When He killed them, they sought Him; they turned back and searched earnestly for God.
'When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly' tracks MT. DEATH-INDUCED-REPENTANCE — the disciplinary-return pattern.
They remembered that God was their rock, that the Most High God was their redeemer.
'They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer' tracks MT.
But they flattered Him with their mouths and lied to Him with their tongues.
'But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues' tracks MT.
Their heart was not steadfast with Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant.
'Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant' tracks MT.
But He, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them. Many times He turned back His anger and did not rouse all His wrath.
'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' tracks MT. COMPASSIONATE-ATONEMENT theology.
He remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passes and does not return.
'He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again' tracks MT. FLESH-AS-WIND-PASSING theology. Isaiah 40:6–8 and 1 Peter 1:24 develop.
How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the wasteland!
'How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!' tracks MT. GRIEVED-GOD theology — Ephesians 4:30's 'do not grieve the Holy Spirit' extends.
Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
'They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel' tracks MT.
They did not remember His hand, the day He redeemed them from the foe —
'They did not remember his power' tracks MT.
when He set His signs in Egypt, His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
'When he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan' tracks MT.
He turned their rivers to blood and their streams so they could not drink.
'He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams' tracks MT. First-plague — Ex 7:14–25.
He sent swarms among them that devoured them, and frogs that destroyed them.
'He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them' tracks MT. Flies (fourth) and frogs (second) plagues.
He gave their crops to the grasshopper and their labor to the locust.
'He gave their crops to the destroying locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust' tracks MT. Locust-plague — eighth.
He killed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost.
'He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost' tracks MT. Hail — seventh.
He gave over their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.
'He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts' tracks MT.
He sent against them His burning anger — fury, rage, and distress — a company of destroying angels.
'He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels' tracks MT. DESTROYING-ANGELS — a company of angels-of-judgment. 1 Corinthians 10:10 ('destroyed by THE DESTROYER,' olothreutou) echoes.
He cleared a path for His anger. He did not spare their lives from death but gave them over to the plague.
'He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague' tracks MT.
He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their vigor in the tents of Ham.
'He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham' tracks MT. Tenth plague — Passover.
He led His people out like sheep and guided them like a flock through the wilderness.
'Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock' tracks MT.
He led them in safety and they were not afraid, but the sea covered their enemies.
'He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies' tracks MT.
He brought them to His holy territory, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
'And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won' tracks MT. CONQUEST-ENTRY.
He drove out nations before them and apportioned them an inheritance by measured line; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
'He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents' tracks MT.
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep His decrees.
'Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies' tracks MT. TESTING (third occurrence, cf. vv. 18, 41).
They turned back and were faithless like their ancestors; they twisted like a treacherous bow.
'But turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow' tracks MT. DECEITFUL-BOW imagery.
They provoked Him with their high places and made Him jealous with their carved images.
'For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols' tracks MT. Judges-period syncretism.
God heard and was furious; He utterly rejected Israel.
'When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel' tracks MT.
He abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among mortals.
'He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind' tracks MT. SHILOH — the tabernacle-destruction at 1 Samuel 4. Jeremiah 7:12–14 references this theologically.
He gave His strength into captivity and His splendor into the enemy's hand.
'And delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe' tracks MT. Ark-captured-by-Philistines (1 Sam 4–5).
He gave His people over to the sword and was furious with His inheritance.
'He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage' tracks MT.
Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs.
'Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song' tracks MT.
His priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.
'Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation' tracks MT. Hophni and Phinehas — 1 Sam 4:17, 22.
Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a warrior shouting from wine.
'Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine' tracks MT.
He struck His enemies from behind; He put them to lasting shame.
'And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame' tracks MT.
He rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
'He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim' tracks MT.
He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
'But he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves' tracks MT. JUDAH-CHOSEN — the theological-transition from Ephraim-Shiloh to Judah-Zion, paving the way for Davidic-election.
He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He established forever.
'He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever' tracks MT. Temple-as-cosmos-mirror theology.
and took him from the sheepfolds. He chose David His servant
'He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds' tracks MT. DAVID-SHEPHERD-TO-SHEPHERD — from physical-flocks to spiritual-flock. 2 Samuel 7:8 narrates the same election.
From following the nursing ewes He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance.
'From following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance' tracks MT. DAVID-AS-SHEPHERD-OF-ISRAEL — John 10:11's Good-Shepherd Christology descends through this Davidic typology.
He shepherded them with a blameless heart and guided them with the skill of his hands.
'With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand' tracks MT. Closing with upright-heart + skillful-hand — integrity-and-competence pastoral ideal.