Psalm 78 shows us the mightiful help that God is to His people. “Psalm 78 is the seventh of twelve Psalms of Asaph”. When studying this Psalm, we should understand that it is a historical Psalm, but it does not simply recount historical events. This Psalm shows us the God of history. “The Psalm was probably not written by David, but after the separation of the ten tribes of Israel, and after the days of Rehoboam, and before the Babylonish captivity, for the temple was still standing, Psalms 78:69. Most agree that it was written in the days of Asa, who had gained, by the aid of the Syrians, a great victory over the Israelites; and brought back to the pure worship of God many out of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon.”
This Psalm can easily be separated into three major areas. Section number one is the introduction (78:1-11), section number two can be called the mighty works of God (78:12-55), and in section three we see the mercies of God to Israel. Although we see Asaph’s name in this Psalm, it is unclear if he was the author or if the Psalm was written on his behalf. This Psalm shows us the shortcomings and failure of the people of God to fully engulf and take over the inhabitants of the Promised Land. It shows God’s kindness to a rebellious Israel. This section of scripture shows us that even though the people were constantly complaining in the wilderness, God did not forget them. God fed them daily and showed mercy to a rebellious people. He led them into the Promised Land as he had promised to Abraham. Though God showed them mercy, they still rebelled as did their fathers, and they turned their backs on Him.
This Psalm is one of instruction as it tells of the history of the people of God from Egypt to Exodus, and then all the way to the time of David. It shows the failure of the people and it also shows God’s steadfast faithfulness and love towards His creation. In essence, this section of scripture shows us God as a patient but fair parent to His children. All of the written Word shows us God’s character, and this reveals to us how God reacts to different events that could be made parallel in our lives. This Psalm is a testament to God’s character as it shows us how He reacts towards the people within this section of scripture. God is our creator and our ultimate parent; we should learn from His Word and live accordingly.