Lest They Forget

LEST THEY FORGET

Psalm 78:1-7.

Psalm 78 is entitled a “Maschil” of Asaph, thereby signifying an INSTRUCTION. It is one of the longest Psalms in the Book, not only outlining a history of Israel, but encouraging us to LEARN from this history (cf. Psalm 78:8). Mr. Spurgeon, in his ‘Treasury of David’, suggests that it should be ‘viewed as a parable setting forth the conduct and experience of believers in all ages’.

Psalm 78:1. The double reference to “hearing” anticipates Jesus’ ‘who hath ears to hear, let him hear’ (Matthew 13:9), and is echoed in Isaiah 51:4. The Psalmist is standing for the LORD, as a teacher before His class. The call is not just for us to incline our ears to the words of Asaph, but to the word of the LORD.

Psalm 78:2. The LORD will open his mouth “in a parable: and will utter dark sayings of old.” This is quoted in Matthew 13:34-35, and is explained by Jesus in Matthew 13:11-13. The sacred history (part of which is reiterated in the body of this Psalm) is written here ‘for OUR admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come’ (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Psalm 78:3. Whether it was our own fathers who told us, or the fathers of the Church, we must tell forth “what we have heard and known” (cf. Psalm 44:1). As we read elsewhere, ‘let the redeemed of the LORD say so’ (Psalm 107:2). Gospel talk beats gossip any day (cf. Acts 8:4)!

Psalm 78:4. It would be to rob our godly forebears if we should “hide” the ‘old, old story’ (the gospel) from their offspring. Let each generation tell the next. “The generation to come” needs to be SHOWN “the praises of the LORD,” His strength, His wonderful works (cf. Psalm 145:4-6).

Psalm 78:5. The LORD has given us His Word, and this game of ‘passing it on’ down through the generations is by the LORD’s command (cf. Deuteronomy 4:9). Fathers are to bring up their children ‘in the nurture and admonition of the LORD’ (Ephesians 6:4). It is possible to lose count of the generations here: to “our fathers” and “their children” is added -

Psalm 78:6. “the generation to come, the children which should be born; who should arise and declare to their children.” We rightly pray for children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and generations yet unborn. But the emphasis here is not on prayer, but on ‘training them up in the way that they should go’ (Proverbs 22:6).

Psalm 78:7. This is all to a threefold purpose: “That they might set their HOPE in God, and NOT FORGET the works of God, but KEEP His commandments.”

1. This is the mystery now manifest to the saints: ‘Christ in you, the HOPE of glory’ (Colossians 1:26-27). This is a hope that will not fail, because of what Jesus has done for us (Romans 5:5-8) - as the hymn says, ‘My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.’ Having experienced it ourselves, THAT is what we want for all our offspring!

2. That they might "NOT FORGET” the works of God. His works of creation, His works of preservation; His works of providence, His works of power; His works of redemption, His works of grace and mercy. The list could go on and on.

3. That they should “KEEP His commandments.” ‘For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous’ (1 John 5:3). The first and greatest command is to love Him (Matthew 22:37-38): and we are enabled to love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16).

Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst’ (John 6:35). ‘I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father but by Me’ (John 14:6). Peter adds, ‘Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12).

After the children of Israel had settled in Canaan, and towards the end of his own life, Joshua gathered all the tribes together to Shechem. In the name of the LORD, he recounted their history from Abraham (Joshua 24:2-3), through the exodus (Joshua 24:6), to the conquest (Joshua 24:8; Joshua 24:11) and beyond. All this had been the LORD’s doing (Joshua 24:13).

Now they were the other side of the conquest, wondered Joshua, whom would they serve (Joshua 24:14-15)? The gods of Egypt? Or the gods that Abraham had left behind? Or the gods of the Amorites whom they had dispossessed? So what is it to be?