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Psalm 78, Listen, O My People

Psalms 78:1-8 NIV My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.

Feb 25, 2022
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Psalms 78:1-8 NIV My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

What Type Of Psalm Is Psalm 78?

Psalm 78 is the 78th psalm in the Book of Psalms in the Bible. It is one of Asaph's twelve psalms and is classified as a "maskil." With 72 verses, it is the second-longest Psalm: Psalm 119 is composed of 176 verses. This psalm is known as Psalm 77 in the Greek Septuagint edition of the Bible and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate. It is titled "a new beginning in Zion and David" in the New American Bible, Revised Edition.

Who Is The Author Of Psalms 78?

The Psalms of Asaph are the twelve psalms identified in the Masoretic Text as 50 and 73–83, and in the Septuagint as 49 and 72–82. They are found in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Psalms (which is also called the Old Testament). According to scholars, the attribution of a psalm to Asaph might indicate a multitude of things. This might indicate that the psalms were collected by the Asaphites, a term usually used to refer to temple singers.
Additionally, the psalms might have been sung in the style or tradition of the guild carrying Asaph's name. Asaph is credited with either authorship or transcription of these psalms. He may not have spoken these psalms, but copied David's words. Although no exact historical period is known for these Psalms, the mention of their destruction in Psalm 74 may imply that they date from the post-exilic era.

Psalm 78, Listen, O My People

Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Listen, my people, to instruction; give ear to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, and utter dark sayings of old,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Which we have heard and known, our fathers passed on to us. Not hiding them from their children, but telling generations to come
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
The praise of the LORD and His strength, the wonderful works He has done. He established a witness in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Which He commanded our fathers, to teach them to their children, That ages to come might know, even children yet to be born,
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
They’d rise to tell their children, to fix their hearts upon God And not to forget the works of God, but keep all His commands,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
And not be like their fathers, a stubborn rebellious age, Who would not prepare its heart, with spirits unfaithful to God.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Ephraim’s sons were archers with bows, but left in the day of battle. Not keeping God’s covenant, refusing to walk in His law;
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Forgetting about His deeds, His miracles that He showed them. His wonders before their fathers, in Egypt and Zoan’s field.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Dividing the sea so they passed through, making the waters stand in a heap. Leading with cloud by day, with a light of fire by night.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He split the rocks in the wilderness, gave drink in full like the ocean depths. He brought a stream from the rock, made waters run down like rivers.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Yet they persisted in sin in the desert against the Most High. In their heart putting God to the test, by asking for food they desired.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Against their God they grumbled, "In deserts will God set table? He struck the rock so that waters, gushed forth in flowing streams.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Then can He also give bread to us? Can He give meat for His people?" Therefore the LORD God heard them, and then He was full of wrath;
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
A fire was kindled in Jacob, and anger then burned against Israel, For they did not have faith in God, refusing to trust His salvation.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Yet He called the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven; Rained manna down for them to eat, and gave them food from heaven.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. The East winds blew in the heavens, and with power He called the south wind.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Like dust He rained down meat, winged fowl like sands of the sea, Within their camp He let them fall, round about all their dwellings.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
They ate and were well filled, He gave to them their desire. But before their longing was filled, while the food was still in their mouths,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
God’s anger rose up against them, killing the strong and choice ones. Yet still they remained in their sin, disbelieving His wonderful works.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Their days He ended in vanity, their years in sudden terror. But when He struck they sought Him, they returned to seek after God;
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Then they remembered their rock was God, the Most High God their Redeemer. But they deceived with their mouth, they lied to Him with their tongue.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Their heart was never steadfast to Him, nor would they be faithful in covenant. But He, in loving compassion, forgave and did not destroy;
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He often restrained His anger, His wrath He did not arouse. Remembering they were but flesh, fleeting wind that does not return.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
They often rebelled in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tested God, grieving the Holy One of Israel.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
They did not remember His power, the day when He saved from their enemies, In Egypt He showed His miracles, His signs in the field of Zoan,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He turned their rivers to blood, so they could not drink of their streams. Sending out flies that devoured, and frogs that brought on corruption.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He gave their crops to locusts, the fruit of their toil to swarms. Destroying their vines with His hail, their sycamores all with His frost.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He gave their cattle to hailstones, their herds to bolts of lightning. He loosed His burning anger, with fury and rage and anguish
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
With a band of destroying angels, He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life to the plague,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
And smote the firstborn in Egypt, the firstborn of strength in the tents of Ham. Llke sheep He led His own people, a flock He led through the wilderness;
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
In safety He led with no fear; as waters then covered their foes. He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had gained.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Expelling the nations He split the land, the tribes of Isr’el lived in their tents. But grumbling and testing the Most High God, they would not keep His witness,
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
Just like their fathers turned traitor; they turned like a treacherous bow. Provoking Him with their high places, His jealousy with graven idols.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
When God heard this He was filled with wrath, and greatly detested Israel; He abandoned His dwelling at Shiloh, the tent which He pitched among men,
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He gave His strength to captivity, His glory to the hand of the enemy. His people He gave to the sword, His wrath burned against His inheritance.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
Fire devoured His young men, His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests then fell by the sword, and His widows could not even weep.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people
Dm C BbM7 Gm7 F Gm7 Dm/A Gm/D A7
The Lord then awoke from His slumber, like a warrior rejoicing from wine. He drove away all His enemies; He heaped on lasting reproach.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He left the tents of Joseph, not choosing the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
He built on high His Holy Place, as earth was founded forever. He also chose David His servant, taking him from the sheepfolds;
D/F# Gm7 C F BbM7 Gm7 A7 Dm
From ewes and lambs He brought him, to shepherd His people and heritage. He shepherded with deep integrity, and led them with skillful hands.
Dm Gm7 BbM7 Am7 Dmsus Dm D2 Dm
Listen, listen, listen, O My people.
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