A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM LXXVIII.
_An exhortation both to learn and to preach the law of God.—The story of God’s wrath against the incredulous and disobedient.—The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David._ Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, _to_ my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old; Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 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. 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; That the generation to come might know _them, even_ the children _which_ should be born, _who_ should arise and declare _them_ to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God; but keep his commandments: 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. The children of Ephraim, _being_ armed, _and_ carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
And smote all the first-born in Egypt; the chief of _their_ strength in the tabernacles of Ham: But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, _even to_ this mountain, _which_ his right hand had purchased. 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. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard _this_, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent _which_ he placed among men; And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand. He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, _and_ like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. And he smote his enemies in the hinder part: he put them to a perpetual reproach. Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high _palaces_, like the earth which he hath established for ever. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him, to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. This Psalm, by a glorious instruction, in a long recital of the acts of the children of Israel as examples, from the departure out of Egypt down to David, teaches us to believe and trust in God: showing us, how “very present” God always was to those who believed in him, in all their perils, and even in the midst of death. And, on the other hand, it shows us, how surely and terribly God always visited those who despised his word and departed from him. For, according to the words of the first commandment, God has, from the beginning, wrought, not only in his own people, but in the Gentiles also; and so he will work down to the world’s end; showing mercy to those that love him, and visiting in judgment those that hate him.
And although the world despises, more unconcernedly than all things else, the threatenings of God and his promises also; yet, nevertheless, God still goes on working, according to the words of his first commandment; and that commandment still prevails over all the kingdoms of the earth; laying prostrate kings, overturning kingdoms, uprooting families, and blotting out mighty names. And, on the other hand, the same commandment still and ever goes on, preserving those in the church of God who love him; lifting up them that are down; succouring the oppressed; feeding the poor, the captives, and the exiles; loosing those that are in prison; raising the dead; and bringing salvation. The hardened and unbelieving world do not believe God: nevertheless, this first commandment goes on thus according to the word which it contains, to accomplish God’s will, in things private, and in things public, in this present age, and throughout all the ages to come.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.