Psalms 78:56

Psalms 78:56 says, Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:  Even though God had freed the people of Israel from Egypt and had provided for them in the wilderness, they tempted and provoked God by not keeping His commandments.  As Christians, God has freed us from the power and penalty of sin and provides for our needs, so we should not be surprised if He is provoked if we fail to follow His commandments.  Verse fifty-seven adds, But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.  The people of Israel were just as unfaithful as their fathers, or ancestors, had been, in spite of God's goodness to them.  We cannot be a true follower of Christ and be the same as those who came before us who did not believe in God.   Verse fifty-eight continues, For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.  Asaph said the people of Israel, God's chosen people, began to worship idols.  We need to make sure that we don't allow anything in our life to become an idol, something more important to us than God.  Verse fifty-nine states, When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:  When God heard the people of Israel worshipping idols, He was upset and greatly abhorred Israel.  We should expect no less today if those who call themselves Christians do not worship God alone and do not keep His commandments.  Verse sixty adds, So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;  Asaph said because of their idolatry that God forsook the people of Israel and His tabernacle at Shiloh.  If we are to be a Christian nation today, we cannot forsake God and worship idols or other gods and still expect Him to bless us.  Verse sixty-one continues, And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.  Because of their idolatry, God removed His protection from them and allow their enemies to have power over them.  As followers of Christ, we have power over sin, but if we turn away from God, we should not be surprised if we find ourselves back under the power of sin. Verse sixty-two continues, He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.  Just as God gave the people of Israel over to the power of the sword of other nations, He will likewise remove His protective hand from us today, as a nation or an individual, if we begin to once again chase after idols.  If we have truly accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, I don't believe we lose our inheritance of everlasting life, but we may find ourselves defeated spiritually in daily situations and without the joy of our salvation.  Verse sixty-three says, The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.  Their young men died by fire and the young women had no one to marry, so their was no one to continue God's work in the future.  If we lose one generation who fail to believe in Jesus Christ, then there will soon be no one to carry on His work and share the gospel with the world.  Verse sixty-four adds, Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.  Even the priests, the religious leaders, were killed because of their lack of obedience to God.  We as Christians are a priesthood of believers, and we must live under the authority of God's word, even if we are killed for our faith, but we should never die because of our lack of faith in God and His promises.  Verse sixty-five declares, Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.  Verse sixty-six adds, And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.  God never really has to awake from sleep, but if we as those who are called a Christian nation turn away from God, we will awaken His wrath against us.  Verse sixty-seven continues, Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:  God turned away from those who did not follow Him but chased idols instead.  He will do the same today with us as a nation if we start chasing after idols.  Verse sixty-eight says, But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.  God did not reject all of His people, but only those who had first rejected Him.  God established a new place of worship.  God establishes a new sanctuary, or place to worship, in the heart of every believer today, and we can never go back to any place or anything that we worshipped before and still be effective witnesses for Christ.   Verse sixty-nine adds, And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.  As God built His sanctuary in the high places then.  His sanctuary is in the high places of heaven today, where it can never be corrupted.   Verse seventy states, He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:  The people had chosen Saul to be their leader, but God chose David.  I believe that God expects those that He allows to come to power today to be guided by His principles, especially in a country that calls itself a Christian nation.   Verse seventy-one adds, From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.  David was called to power by God to take care of God's people, the sheep of His pasture.  Verse seventy-two continues, So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.  David ruled Israel according to the integrity of his heart.  We need leaders today who lead according to the integrity of their heart, and I believe that this integrity can only come from God.

Psalms 78:40

Psalms 78:40 says, How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!  Asaph asked how often did the people of Israel provoke God in the wilderness.  As followers of Christ today, we need to make sure that our lack of faith or rebellion against God's law does not provoke Him.  Verse forty-one adds, Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.  After God had shown them His mighty power and delivered them from Egypt, the people of Israel still wanted to turn back to Egypt, and their lack of faith limited God's ability to work through them.  Our lack of faith will never limit God's power, but it will limit what He can do through us.  Verse forty-two continues, They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. The people of Israel, who were called to be God's people, soon forgot what He had done for them when He delivered them.  We must never forget what God did for us as Christians when He saved us through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross.  Verse forty-three states, How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:  Asaph then begins to remind the people of the many signs of His power that God showed in Egypt.  The only real sign that should matter to us as Christians, though there are signs of God's power and majesty all around, is the sign of God's grace presented on the cross of Jesus Christ.  Verse forty-four adds, And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.  Asaph now begins to list the many plagues that God sent on the Egyptians because the pharaoh refused to let the people of Israel leave.  He started by referring to God turning their rivers into blood.  Even if we are imprisoned for our faith today, God has already secured our everlasting freedom from sin and the powers of this world if we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse forty-five continues, He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.  These next few verses are a listing of the plagues God sent against the Egyptians, here speaking of the flies and frogs.  Verse forty-six says, He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.  Then came the plague of the caterpillars and locust destroying their crops.   Verse forty-seven adds, He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.  God then destroyed their vines of the Egyptians with hail and their sycomore trees with frost.   God didn't need an army to defeat the Egyptians, but He used the forces of nature to do so.  We don't need to look to any power in the world today to defeat God's enemies, because He has already defeated them by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and we as followers of Christ must never forget that fact.  Verse forty-eight continues, He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.  Asaph said God also destroyed the cattle and sheep of Egypt with hail and thunderbolts.  Again, forces of nature.  Verse forty-nine states, He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.  When the pharaoh still refused to let God's people go, God's anger was cast against him and the people of Egypt, and He sent angels against him and the people of Egypt.  The angels were said to be evil angels, but they were not evil in their nature, but their purpose was to punish the people of Egypt for their refusal to obey God.  Those who refuse to accept the salvation of Jesus Christ will on day face the anger of God.  Verse fifty adds, He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;  Then verse fifty-one continues, And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:  The final plague of God was the death of the first born children of Egypt, which finally at least temporarily caused the pharaoh to let the people of Israel go, but even then he soon changed his mind.  Unless people truly accept the sovereignty of God, they may temporarily give in to His authority, but they will never do so forever.  We can only submit to God's authority by accepting salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fifty-two declares, But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.  Asaph said God brought His people out of Israel like sheep and led them as His flock.  We as Christians are called the sheep of God's pasture, but we too often do not want to see ourselves as a humble sheep.  Verse fifty-three adds, And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.  We need to allow God to lead us today and leave the fate of our enemies up to Him. Verse fifty-four continues, And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.  Asaph said that God brought the people of Israel to the promised land, which He had purchased for them.  God brings those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord to the promised land,which He purchased for us as Christians by the blood of Christ on the cross.   Verse fifty-five concludes, 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.  Just as God cast out the enemies of Israel then, He has cast out all of our enemies from the promised land of heaven for the followers of Christ. 

Psalms 78:26

Psalms 78:26 says. He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. Verse twenty-seven adds, He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: Asaph said God brought quail from the south and the east to provide meat for the complaining Israelites.  Though the manna would have sustained them, God provided them with more to eat when they complained, though doing so was not something He had to do.  God may bless us with more than we need, but He certainly doesn't have to, and we certainly shouldn't complain if He doesn't.  Verse twenty-eight continues, And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.  Verse twenty-nine concludes, So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;  The people of Israel didn't even have to hunt the quail, but God dropped thin their midst.  They ate and were filled, because God gave them their own desire.  Though God may bless us with an overabundance in life today, if it is done out of our not being satisfied with what He provides, then I believe that shows a lack of faith.  Verse thirty declares, They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,  The quail were provided because of the lust of the people that they would not give up, then came a but.  Verse thirty-one adds, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.  While they were still eating, God killed the fattest of the people of Israel and the chosen men of Israel. This was the but caused by their lack of simple obedience to God.  Those that could still not be satisfied with simply what they needed died.  When we make demands on God as followers of Christ for more than He provides to meet our needs, we may be putting ourselves in danger of losing His protection.  God never expects us to be lustful, greedy people.  Verse thirty-two continues, For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.  Even after all that God blessed them with, they still sinned and didn't believe in His wonderous works.  As Christians, we should never fail to believe in the wonderous works of God.  Verse thirty-three states, Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.  Because of the lack of faith by the people of Israel, their days were lived in vanity and trouble.  They wandered in the wilderness until they died.  If we fail to truly put our faith in God as followers of Christ, we may end up wandering in a spiritual wilderness.  Verse thirty-four adds, When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.  After the generation that lacked faith died, the people of Israel turned to God once more and inquired early after Him.  God always stands ready to receive those who seek Him.  Verse thirty-five continues, And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.  If we allow the lusts of our hearts to cause us to end up in a spiritual wilderness, we need to do as the people of Israel did in that day and remember that God is our Rock and our Redeemer.  Verse thirty-six declares, Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.  Verse thirty-seven adds, For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.  Asaph said that even as the people sought after God, that they lied about believing in Him because their hearts were not right and they were not stedfast in their covenant.  Simply saying the right words does not make us a Christian, if we are not sincere in our faith.  Verse thirty-eight continues, 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.  Because of God's compassion, He did not destroy the rest of the people of Israel.  Because of God's compassion today, He does not just destroy sinners without calling them to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is the choice of each individual whether to accept His salvation or not.  Verse thirty-nine concludes, For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.  Asaph said that God remembered that the life of people was as short as a wind that passes and cannot come again.   God doesn't have to destroy us, because we will one day die anyway.  The question is whether we will die with everlasting salvation through faith in Jesus Christ or not.  We only have this one life to decide which. 

Psalms 78:12

Psalms 78:12 says, Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.  Asaph reminded the people of Israel of the great things that God did when He brought them out of Egypt.  As Christians, we need to always remember what God did when He delivered us from the death penalty of sin by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place and all that He has done for us since we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse thirteen adds, He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.  God first provided for the people of Israel a way out of Egypt through the parted sea. God first provides for us a way of escape from sin through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fourteen states, In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.  After God delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt, He continued to lead them day and night, just as we should allow Him to lead us day and night as followers of Christ.  Verse fifteen adds, He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  Asaph said that God gave them water out of the rocks to drink.  We have something even greater today, and that is the Living Water that quenches our spiritual thirst.  Verse sixteen continues, He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.  This continues to speak of the abundance of water that God provided for them, and God still provides abundantly for His people today.  Verse seventeen declares, And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. Asaph reminded them that even though God had delivered them and provided them with miraculously with water to drink, they sinned against God.  Even though as followers of Christ God has delivered us from the penalty of sin and provides us with living water to drink, we still too often sin against Him by our lackof attires times.  Verse eighteen adds, And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.  Asaph said that they tempted God by not being satisfied with what He provided, but by instead asking for the meat that they lusted for.  If we begin to see God as existing to provide us with all that we lust after, then we are tempting God.  Verse nineteen continues, Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?  Even after all of God's mighty works in delivering them, the people of Israel still questioned His power.  We need to be careful that we do not confuse not getting what we want as Christians with a lack of power on God's part.  There is never a reason to question the power of God.  Verse twenty asks, 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?  This was just a continuation of the questioning of how powerful God was.  The God Who provided us with salvation can indeed meet our daily needs, though He may not provide for our desires.  Verse twenty-one says, Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;  Asaph said when God heard the people griping and questioning His power that He was angry with them.  As followers of Christ, if we begin to question God's power, we should not be surprised that He becomes angry with us.  His anger is justified because of our lack of faith as Christians.  Verse twenty-two adds, Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:  Asaph said that God was angry with the people of Israel, who were supposed to be His people, because they didn't believe in Him or trust His salvation.  We cannot question God's existence and His provision of salvation and be a follower of Christ.  We must always put our faith in God, no matter what, and cannot allow the circumstances of life to cause us to question Him.  Verse twenty-three states, Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,  Verse twenty-four adds, And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.  Asaph said that the people of Israel questioned God's ability to provide for them even though He had rained down bread from heaven, because they lusted for more.  We too often are not satisfied with what God provides, so we become guilty of sin by lusting after more.  Verse twenty-five continues, Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.  Asaph said that the bread sent from heaven was angel's food and was enough to fill them.  God provides the Living Bread from heaven to satisfy our spiritual hunger today, and it will always be enough to fill us. 

Psalms 78:1

Psalms 78:1 says, Maschil of Asaph. This is another psalm of Asaph, and Matthew Henry says it is a historical psalm, a maschil or psalm of instruction, of the great mercies of God to Israel, their great sins against Him, and His displeasure with their sins.  Verse one then says, Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. Asaph demanded their attention, and we need to first get people's attention when we share the gospel today.  Verse two adds, I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  Matthew Henry said that dark sayings were those that might be hard to understand but were well worth considering.  God's laws are often hard for people to understand, especially the way Christians are supposed to treat others and their view of material things, but they are all well worth considering, since the bring everlasting life.  Verse three continues, Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  Asaph said that what he was going to say to them they had heard from their fathers.  We have a responsibility to share the gospel  with our children if we are followers of Christ.  Verse four states, 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.  As Asaph said then, we cannot hide the wonderful works of God from our children and must praise Him for His great strength and mercy.   Verse five adds, 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:  Asaph said that God established a testimony with Jacob and appointed a law to Israel which He told the people to continually make known to their children.  We as Christians cannot neglect to share the gospel with our children, because if we don't share it, then no one will.  Verse six continues, That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  As this verse states, we must share God's word so that generation after generation will know it.  Verse seven says, That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:  Asaph said that the purpose of sharing God's teachings was so that the future generations would put their faith in God and not forget His works and keep His commandments.  As followers of Christ, we cannot allow future generations to forget the work of Christ when He died on the cross, nor God's laws that should govern those who put their faith in Him.  Verse eight adds, 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.  Asaph said that this was so that the coming generations would not be stubborn and rebellious as their fathers had been.  Our salvation is not based on who our parents are, and even if they refuse to put their faith in God, we still need to hear and accept the gospel of Christ so that we will not be like them.  Verse nine states, The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  Verse ten adds, They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;  Asaph gave the example of the children of Ephraim, who even though they were armed turned back in battle because they forgot their covenant with God and refused to live by His law.  As Christians, we should never lose our faith and allow the world to defeat us.  As long as we live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit we never will be.  Verse eleven continues, And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.  We as followers of Christ must never forget the works and wonders of God. 

Psalms 77:11

Psalms 77:11 says, I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  Asaph said he would remember God's works of old, and we should never forget what God has done for us in the past, especially when He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins.  Of course, we should also acknowledge everything that God does for us each day.  Verse twelve adds, I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.  We should also meditate on all of God's work and tell people about what He has done and is doing in our life and in the world as a whole.  Verse thirteen continues, Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?  I believe that today if we say God's way is in the sanctuary that it is the sanctuary of the heart of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ that we are talking about.  We can certainly ask the question of who is as great as God, and the answer is no one.  Verse fourteen states, Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.  Asaph said that God was the God Who did wonders and that He had declared His strength among the people.  God still does wonders today, the greatest of which is to provide salvation to every sinful person, which is everyone, who will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse fifteen adds, Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.  God has indeed redeemed His people, and today that includes everyone who puts their faith in Christ.  Verse sixteen says, The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.  Asaph then begins to speak of God's power in creation.   Verse seventeen adds, The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.  Asaph said God's power extended into the heavens, controlling the rain and thunder and lightning.  I don't believe that every storm is a direct result of God's action, but God can indeed control all the storms if He chooses to do so.  Verse eighteen continues, The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.  God does have the power to shake the earth with His voice.  The God Who spoke everything into existence can certainly shake His creation with His voice.  This is the power of the God we serve as Christians, the only God there is, so we should never be afraid of anything the world might throw at us.  Verse nineteen says, Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.  Though we can never know the footsteps of the heavenly Father, we can know the footsteps of Jesus Christ, and this is all the knowledge we need in order to attain salvation.  We will never know everything about God in this lifetime, and maybe in the everlasting life to come, but through our faith in Christ we can begin to understand God's ways.  Verse twenty adds, Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  Just as God led His people by the hand of Moses and Aaron, He leads His people today by the Holy Spirit's guidance.   

Psalms 77:1

Psalms 77:1 says,To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.  This is identified as another psalm of Asaph, then verse one says, I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.  Asaph said he cried out loud unto God, and God heard him. As followers of Christ, God hears us whether we cry out loud to Him or whether we cry silently to Him.  Verse two adds, In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  Asaph said he sought the Lord in his day of trouble, but since he was not immediately healed he would not be comforted.  Even if we do not immediately get the answer we seek from God, I believe that simply bringing our concerns to Him should bring us relief, because no matter what happens, He has given us everlasting salvation and victory.  Verse three continues, I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  Asaph said he remembered God and was troubled and complained because his spirit was overwhelmed.  He evidently didn't see God for Who He really is, allowing his situation to be more powerful than God's love and grace.  We should always rest secure in God's grace and never allow the world to cause us to doubt or question Him.  Verse four states, Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  Asaph then said that He had reached the point that when he woke that could not even speak because of his troubles.  We as Christians should never allow ourselves to get into this condition.  Our faith should always be stronger than our fears.  Verse five adds, I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  Asaph said he remembered the times of old when God had blessed him, and this left him even more desolate.  We cannot be discouraged today because things were better in the past.  God is still God whether we are prospering or suffering in life.  Verse six says, I call to remembrance my song in the night: I  commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.  Asaph said he remembered when he sang praises to God in the night.  Verse seven asks, Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?  Asaph questioned whether God would ever be gracious to him again after some soul searching, when he questioned whether he had done something to deserve God's punishment and whether God had cast him off forever.   .  We don't need to question whether God has cast us off forever if we are followers of Christ, because He never will.  Still, if things are going badly in life we might need to do some soul searching to see if we have strayed away from God.  Verse eight adds, Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?  Asaph continued to question God's grace instead of putting his faith in God no matter what.  We should never allow our current situation if things are going badly to cause us to question whether God has abandoned us if we are Christians.  We have everlasting security through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse nine continues, Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.  Asaph was still attempting to put the blame for his suffering on God.  Too many people today, who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, question God's love and mercy based on their current difficulties in life, and this should not be the case.  We should rest secure in His love and mercy.  Verse ten states, And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  Asaph then finally said that he would remember the years of God's goodness to him.  We should never allow any current suffering to cause us to forget God's love for us in the past and the present.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are forever secure in our relationship with God, and we should never forget or question this fact.