A Study by Scott Sperling   Psalm 78:1-8 - Lessons from History (pt. 1) A maskil of Asaph. 1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2   I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3   things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4   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. 5   He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6   so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7   Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8   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. The    inscription    for    this    psalm    introduces    it    as    “A maskil    of   Asaph.”    The   term   “maskil”    denotes   that   the psalm   is   meant   to   instruct,   and   it   is   clear   from   the   first eight   verses   that   we   are   to   learn   from   the   events   in   the history   of   Israel,   which   are   related   to   us   starting   in verse    9.    “The    general    design    of    the    ode    is    to    give instruction .   This   is   done,   1.   by   a   succinct   rehearsal   of God’s     mercies     to     Israel;     2.     by     recounting     the ingratitude   and   disobedience   of   ancient   Israel;   3.   by giving    fit    and    earnest    warnings;    and    4.    by    giving solemn and seasonable exhortations” [Plumer, 745]. The   psalm   was   written,   most   likely,   by   Asaph    himself (as   opposed   to   one   of   the   sons   of   Asaph),   who   was   a worship-leader,   and   prophet   during   the   time   of   David (see   I   Chron.   6:39;   II   Chron.   29:30).   It   appears   to   have been   written   during   David’s   life   (or   possibly   shortly thereafter),   because   the   history   which   is   related   only goes    so    far    as    the    time    when    David    began    leading Israel. Asaph    begins    the    psalm,    speaking    authoritatively: “My   people,   hear   my   teaching;   listen   to   the   words   of my   mouth”   (vs.   1).   Asaph   takes   his   role   as   prophet seriously,   speaking   as   if   he   were   “speaking   the   very words   of   God”    (I   Pet.   4:11).   He   says,   “My   people,   hear my    teaching.”    Such    was    the    role    of    a    prophet,    one having   “authority   from   above   to   instruct   the   world” [Horne,   275].   “The   Psalmist   was   divinely   inspired   to set   before   the   people:   to   which,   in   the   name   of   the Lord,    he    demanded    their    reverent    attention”    [Scott, 298].   Asaph’s   demand   is   to   “hear   my   teaching;   listen to   the   words   of   my   mouth”    (vs.   1).   “When   God   gives his    truth    a    tongue,    and    sends    forth    his    messengers trained   to   declare   his   word   with   power,   it   is   the   least we    can    do    to    give    them    our    ears    and    the    earnest obedience   of   our   hearts”   [Spurgeon,   330].   “Such   is   our dullness    and    slowness    of    heart    to    understand    and believe   what   the   Lord   saith   to   us,   that   we   have   great need   to   be   admonished   and   stirred   up   to   attention   and hearing” [Dickson, in Plumer, 757]. Asaph   speaks   of   his   purpose:   “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”    (vss.   2-3).   Asaph tells   us   that   the   history   of   Israel   that   he   is   to   relate,   is   a “parable.”      He     will     utter     “hidden     things”      (also translated    dark    sayings     or    riddles ).    A    parable,    as    we know    from    the    teachings    of    Jesus,    is    a    story    which contains     symbols     and     analogies,     which     convey     a deeper   meaning   than   the   story   at   the   surface.   Often, parables   are   meant   to   be   applied   to   our   own   lives,   in some    way.    Other    times,    parables    give    us    a    deeper insight   into   the   truths   and   doctrines   of   God.   Parables , and    dark    sayings ,    since    they    contain    symbols    and analogies,   cannot   be   fully   understood   without   study and   meditation.   “The   instructions   of   the   sacred   word are   dark   sayings    to   the   inattentive   and   self-confident; and   yet   they   are   very   plain   to   the   humble,   diligent,   and obedient     enquirer,     who     earnestly     prays     for     the teaching   of   the   Holy   Spirit,   and   reduces   to   practice, and    realizes    in    his    experience,    what    he    learns    from thence”   [Scott,   302].   “Albeit   the   Word   of   the   Lord   be plain   to   the   attentive   believer,   yet   to   the   unattentive misbeliever,   it   is   a   hidden   mystery,   and   for   this   reason, we    have    need    to    hear    attentively    and    believingly” [Dickson,    198].    “Difficulty    doth    not    discourage,    but rather    whet    on    heroic    spirits    to    a    more    diligent inquiry” [Trapp, 592]. Asaph   teaches   us   in   this   psalm   that   the   history   of Israel    is,    in    fact,    a    “parable” ,    from    which    we    can explore     deeper     meaning,     and     uncover     “hidden things.”    Paul   agrees.   In   writing   about   the   history   of the     children     of     Israel,     he     said:     “These     things happened    to    them    as    examples    and    were    written down   as   warnings   for   us,   on   whom   the   culmination of    the    ages    has    come”    (I    Cor.    10:11).    “God’s    past dealings   with   Israel   are   a   parable   of   spiritual   lessons for    all    ages,    as    illustrating    His    eternal    principle    of government”    [JFB,    264].    “The    Psalmist    has    no    mere narrative    of    facts    to    recount,    but    a    history    full    of significance    for    those    who    can    penetrate    its    hidden meaning.   It   is   a   ‘parable’    not   for   Israel   only,   but   for every       individual       in       the       Christian       Church” [Kirkpatrick,    465].    “Analogies    are    not    only    to    be imagined,    but    are    intended    by    God    to    be    traced between   the   story   of   Israel   and   the   lives   of   believers. Israel   was   ordained   to   be   a   type;   the   tribes   and   their marchings   are   living   allegories   traced   by   the   hand   of an   all-wise   providence”   [Spurgeon,   331].   “The   Psalm, being   in   itself   a   plain   narrative   of   facts,   can   contain nothing   parabolical   or   enigmatical   in   it,   unless   those facts   were,   what   St.   Paul   affirms   them   to   have   been, ‘ensamples’      (see     I     Cor.     10:11,     KJV),     types,     or representations   of   other   facts   relative   to   the   Christian church.   As   facts   they   were   ‘heard   and   known’ ,   and handed   down   from   father   to   son;   but   with   respect   to the    instructions    and    admonitions    comprehended    in them,   and   to   be   extracted   by   an   application   to   parallel times    and    circumstances,    they    had    the    nature    of    a ‘parable’ ,     requiring     wisdom     and     attention     so     to understand   and   apply   them”   [Horne,   275].   “There   is throughout    this    Psalm    a    ‘concealed    background    of instruction’   (Hengstenberg),   intimated   at   verse   2,   just as   Jesus,   in   speaking   very   obvious   and   plain   things about    the    seed    and    the    sower,    the    leaven    and    the mustard-tree,   meant   all   the   while   to   lead   disciples   to   a ‘concealed    background    of    instruction’—God’s    ways toward    man,    and    man’s    toward    God”    [Bonar,    234]. “Full   of   warning   and   of   instruction   was   the   history   of the   people   of   Israel.   Each   mercy   that   had   been   shown them,    each    glory    that    had    been    given    them,    each judgment   that   had   fallen   on   them,   had   its   own   peculiar lesson, and was a parable full of meaning” [ Plain , 39]. Jesus,   of   course,   used   “parables”    for   teaching,   and   in fact,   Matthew   cites   verse   3   of   this   psalm   as   pointing   to Jesus’   use   of   parables:   “Jesus   spoke   all   these   things   to the   crowd   in   parables;   he   did   not   say   anything   to them   without   using   a   parable.   So   was   fulfilled   what was    spoken    through    the    prophet:    ‘I    will    open    my mouth   in   parables,   I   will   utter   things   hidden   since the   creation   of   the   world’”   (Matt.   13:34-35).   And   so, Jesus    used    a    method    of    teaching    that    started    long before   he   came   to   earth:   parabolic   teaching,   teachings of   depth   that   are   not   immediately   discernable   by   the casual   hearer.   By   citing   verse   3   of   this   psalm,   Matthew teaches    us    that    this    psalm    prefigures    the    teaching method   of   Jesus,   and   points   to   its   fulfillment   in   Jesus. “As   the   Psalmist   used   the   facts   of   Israel’s   history   to convey   the   lesson   which   he   desired   to   teach,   so   Christ used   the   phenomena   of   Nature   and   the   experiences   of Life”    [Kirkpatrick,    465].    “If    it    doth    not    follow    from Matthew’s    citation,    that    the    prophet    actually    speaks the   Psalm   in   the   person   of   Christ,   yet   thus   much   at least   is   evident   from   it,   that   the   history   of   old   Israel somewhat   resembles   the   letter   of   the   gospel   parables, and   contains,   shadowed   out   under   it,   the   history   of   a correspondent    state    of    things    in    the    new     Israel,    the Christian church” [Horne, 275]. For   Asaph,   the   events   in   the   history   of   the   children   of Israel   were   “things   we   have   heard   and   known,   things our   ancestors   have   told   us”    (vs.   3).   “He   deeply   feels the        solidarity        of        the        nation        through        all generations—how    fathers    and    children    are    knit    by mystic   ties,   and   by   possession   of   an   eternal   treasure, the   mighty   deeds   of   God,   of   which   they   are   bound   to pass   on   the   record   from   age   to   age”   [Maclaren,   387].   In the   time   of   Asaph,   when   there   was   limited   access   to the     written     holy     scriptures,     oral     tradition     was necessary   to   keep   alive   the   knowledge   of   God’s   work over   the   generations   of   His   people.   And   though   now, the   written   scriptures   are   easily   attainable,   it   is   still necessary    that    the    works    and    doctrines    of    God    be transmitted    orally    from    generation    to    generation    to establish    reverence    for    God    in    the    family,    and    to witness   to   the   next   generation   the   goodness   of   God   in our   lives.   “Scripture   is   the   stay   and   corrective   of   oral tradition:    it    does    not    supplant,    it    supplements    it.   A single    glance    renders    it    evident,    that    the    Psalmist himself   drew   his   account   directly   from   Scripture,   and not   from   oral   tradition.   But   the   Scripture   would   have been   to   him   a   shut   book,   with   which   he   would   not have   known   how   to   commence   anything,   had   he   not been     surrounded     from     his     early     youth     with     the atmosphere    of    tradition”    [Hengstenberg,    455].    “The more    of    parental    teaching    the    better;    ministers    and Sabbath-school     teachers     were     never     meant     to     be substitutes    for    mothers’    tears    and    fathers’    prayers” [Spurgeon, 331]. In    fact,    communication    of    God’s    works    and    God’s commands      to      the      next      generation      is      itself      a commandment   of   God:   “Only   be   careful,   and   watch yourselves    closely    so    that    you    do    not    forget    the things    your    eyes    have    seen    or    let    them    fade    from your   heart   as   long   as   you   live.   Teach   them   to   your children   and   to   their   children   after   them”   (Deut.   4:9); then    also:    “These    commandments    that    I    give    you today   are   to   be   on   your   hearts.   Impress   them   on   your children.   Talk   about   them   when   you   sit   at   home   and when   you   walk   along   the   road,   when   you   lie   down and when you get up”  (Deut, 6:6-7). Asaph    resolves    that    the    people    will    keep    these commands:    “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”   (vs.   4).   “We   of   this   generation   will   be faithful   in   handing   down   these   truths   to   future   times. We      stand      between      past      generations      and      the generations   to   come.   We   are   entrusted   by   those   who have   gone   before   us   with   great   and   important   truths; truths   to   be   preserved   and   transmitted   in   their   purity to    future    ages.    That    trust    committed    to    us    we    will faithfully    discharge.    These    truths    shall    not    suffer    in passing   from   us   to   them.   They   shall   not   be   stayed   in their     progress;     they     shall     not     be     corrupted     or impaired”    [Barnes,    292].    “[Asaph]    was    determined, and   aimed   to   induce   others   also,   to   deliver   down   the same   to   the   rising   race,   and   through   them   to   the   next generation,   and   thus   successively   to   the   end   of   time. For   this   was   the   proper   method   of   bringing   them   to trust   in   God   and   obey   him;   to   imitate   the   faith   and holiness   of   their   pious   ancestors;   and   to   take   warning not   to   copy   the   rebellion,   unbelief,   and   ungodliness   of such   as   had   brought   the   judgments   of   God   upon   them by   their   sins”   [Scott,   298].   “Thou   must   not   only   praise God   thyself,   but   endeavour   to   transmit   the   memorial of   his   goodness   to   posterity.   Children   are   their   parents heirs;   it   were   unnatural   for   a   father,   before   he   dies,   to bury   up   his   treasure   in   the   earth,   where   his   children should   not   find   or   enjoy   it;   now   the   mercies   of   God   are not   the   least   part   of   a   good   man’s   treasure,   nor   the   least of   his   children’s   inheritance,   being   both   helps   to   their faith,    matter    for    their    praise,    and    spurs    to    their obedience.”   [Gurnall,   in   Spurgeon,   348].   “The   godly   in every   age   ought   to   have   the   same   care   to   transmit   the Word   of   God   to   their   posterity,   which   their   ancestors had   to   transmit   unto   them,   and   to   pay   the   debt   they owe     to     their     faithful     ancestors     unto     succeeding generations”   [Dickson,   198].   “It   is   awful   to   think   how many    parents,    by    their    negligence    and    wickedness, become   the   murderers   of   the   souls   of   their   children” [Scott, 303]. Asaph     goes     on     to     state     the     purpose     of     Godly instruction   at   home:   “Then   they   would   put   their   trust in   God   and   would   not   forget   his   deeds,   but   would keep   his   commands”   (vs.   7).   “The   object   was   to   give such   exhibitions   of   his   character   and   government   as   to inspire   just   confidence    in   him,   or   to   lead   men   to   trust   in him;   and   not   to   trust   in   idols   and   false   gods.   All   the laws   which   God   has   ordained   are   such   as   are   fitted   to inspire   confidence   in   him   as   a   just   and   righteous   ruler; and    all    his    dealings    with    mankind,    when    they    are properly—that   is,   really —understood,   will   be   found   to be    adapted    to    the    same    end”    [Barnes,    293].    “Faith cometh   by   hearing.   Those   who   know   the   name   of   the Lord   will   set   their   hope   in   him,   and   that   they   may   be led   to   do   so   is   the   main   end   of   all   spiritual   teaching” [Spurgeon,   332].   “The   sin   and   misery   of   man   is   that   he has   hope   in   himself,   in   the   creature,   in   vanity,   in   a thing    of    nought.    The    end    of    all    sound    religious instruction   is   to   withdraw   the   desires   and   expectations from   all   finite   things   and   to   raise   them   to   God   alone… If   all   our   expectation   is   from   God   and   is   built   on   the history   of   his   mercy   to   those   who   have   gone   before   us, and   on   his   testimony ,   we   cannot   easily   forget    him   or   his doings” [Plumer, 746] Asaph      underscores      the      importance      of      Godly instruction   by   pointing   out,   by   and   large,   the   failure   of the   children   of   Israel   in   this   respect:   “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”   (vs.   8).   “How blessed    would    it    be    if    each    age    improved    upon    its predecessor;   but,   alas,   it   is   to   be   feared   that   decline   is more   general   than   progress,   and   too   often   the   heirs   of true    saints    are    far    more    rebellious    than    even    their fathers were in their unregeneracy” [Spurgeon, 332]. Bibliography and Suggested Reading Alexander,   Joseph   Addison.   The   Psalms   Translated   and Explained .  Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot, 1864.  Anonymous.      A   Plain   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms . Philadelphia:  Henry Hooker and Co., 1857. Barnes,   Albert.      Notes   on   the   Book   of   Psalms .      New   York:     Harper & Brothers Publishing, 1871. Bonar,   Andrew.    Christ    and    His    Church    in    the    Book    of Psalms .        New    York:        Robert    Carter    &    Brothers, 1860. Calvin,   John.      A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms .      3 Vols.        Oxford:    D.    A.    Talboys,    1840.    (Originally published in Latin in 1557).  Clarke,   Adam.   The   Holy   Bible   with   a   Commentary   and Critical   Notes .      Vol.   III.      London:      William   Tegg   & Co., 1854.  (Originally published in 1831).  Cowles,     Henry.          The     Psalms     with     Notes,     Critical, Explanatory   and   Practical .      New   York:      D.   Appleton & Co., 1872. Darby,   John   Nelson.      Practical   Reflections   on   the   Psalms .     London:  Robert L. Allan, 1870. Delitzsch,    Franz.        Biblical    Commentary    on    the    Psalms. Edinburgh:          T     &     T     Clark,     1892.     (Originally published in 1860). Dickson,   David.   An   Explication   of   the   Other   Fifty   Psalms, from   Ps.   50   to   Ps.   100.   Cornhill,   U.K.:      Ralph   Smith, 1653.  Exell,   Joseph   S.   and   Henry   Donald   Spence-Jones,   eds. The    Pulpit    Commentary .    Vols.    17,    18,    &    19.    New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1884.  Hengstenberg,     F.     W.          Commentary     on     the     Psalms .       Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1864. Henry,   Matthew.      An   Exposition   of   All   the   Books   of   the Old    and    New    Testament .        Vol.    II.        London:    W. Baynes, 1806. (Originally published in 1710). Horne,   George.   A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms.      New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1854. Jamieson,    Robert;    Fausset,   A.    R.;    Brown,    David.        A Commentary:   Critical,   Experimental,   and   Practical   on the   Old   and   New   Testaments.       Glasgow:      William Collins, Queen’s Printer, 1863. Kidner,   Derek.   Psalms    (in   2   Vols.).   Downers   Grove,   IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008 (first published in 1975). Kirkpatrick,   A.   F.   The   Book   of   Psalms   with   Introduction and   Notes   –   Books   II   and   III    (from   The   Cambridge Bible   for   Schools   and   Colleges).   Cambridge,   UK: University Press, 1895. Lange,    John    Peter,    ed.    and    Philip    Schaff,    trans.        A Commentary      on      the      Holy      Scriptures:      Critical, Doctrinal,    and    Homiletical .        New    York:        Charles Scribner & Co., 1865.  Maclaren,   Alexander.   The   Psalms    (in   3   Vols.,   from   The Expositor’s   Bible,   ed.   by   W.   R.   Nicoll).   New   York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1901. Perowne,    J.    J.    Stewart.        The    Book    of    Psalms:        A    New Translation     with     Explanatory     Notes .          London:       George Bell & Sons, 1880. Plumer,    William    S.        Studies    in    the    Book    of    Psalms .      Philadelphia:  J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1872. Scott,   Thomas.   Commentary   on   the   Holy   Bible ,   Vol.   III. London: James Nisbet, 1866. Spurgeon,    Charles.        The    Treasury    of    David .        6    Vols.      London: Marshall Brothers, Ltd., 1885. Tholuck,   Augustus.      A   Translation   and   Commentary   of the Book of Psalms .  Philadelphia:  Martien, 1858. Trapp,    John.        A    Commentary    on    the    Old    and    New Testaments .    Vol.    II    (Ezra    to    Psalms).        Edmonton, Canada:          Still          Waters          Revival          Books (www.PuritanDownloads.com).                (Originally published c. 1660). VanGemeren, Willem A., (Gaebelein, Frank E., ed).  Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 5 – Psalms to Song of Songs.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991. -------- Many of these books (those in public domain) can be downloaded free of charge from:  http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com