Commentary - Psalm 78:12-16

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 78 is a masterful lesson in covenant history, written by Asaph to ensure that the coming generations would not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation whose heart was not steadfast toward God. This is not history for history's sake; it is didactic history, history that teaches. The central lesson is simple: remember what God has done. Forgetting God's mighty acts is the first step toward apostasy. The problem Asaph addresses is that the fathers forgot God's works and the wonders He had shown them (v. 11). This section, verses 12 through 16, is a rapid-fire recounting of those very wonders. It is a highlight reel of God's raw, creative power unleashed on behalf of His people, designed to provoke awe and secure faith.

Asaph piles miracle upon miracle, from the plagues in Egypt to the supernatural guidance and provision in the wilderness. Each of these events was a public spectacle, done in the open for all to see. There was no hiding it. God was not subtle. He intended to make an impression, to carve His faithfulness onto the memory of His people. The tragedy, as the rest of the psalm recounts, is how quickly they forgot. For us, these verses are a potent reminder that our faith rests not on abstract principles but on God's mighty acts in history, culminating in the greatest act of all, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 78 is one of the great historical psalms, alongside Psalms 105, 106, and 136. It is a maskil, a contemplative or didactic poem. Its purpose is to instruct. Asaph, the psalmist, takes on the role of a sage, a father teaching his children the great story of their people. But this is no bedtime story. It is a parable, full of "dark sayings of old" (v. 2), meaning it is a history with a deeper, spiritual significance. The entire narrative of Israel's deliverance from Egypt and their journey through the wilderness is a type, a foreshadowing, of the greater salvation to be accomplished in Christ.

The psalm functions as a covenant lawsuit, recounting God's faithfulness on the one hand and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness on the other. This specific passage (vv. 12-16) serves as the opening argument for the plaintiff, God. Here is what God did. The evidence is laid out, clear and undeniable. These verses establish the basis for Israel's obligation. Because God did all this, they were bound to trust and obey Him. Their failure to do so, as the subsequent verses show, was therefore inexcusable.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Psalm 78:12

He did wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

The psalmist begins his recital where Israel's story as a redeemed nation begins: in Egypt. The word is "wonders," marvelous things, miracles. These were not quiet, private affairs. They were done "before their fathers," in their very sight. God put His glory on public display. The location is specified as the "field of Zoan," which was a major city in the Nile delta, a seat of Pharaonic power. This is like saying God did wonders on the White House lawn. He took the fight directly to the enemy's headquarters. The plagues were not just random acts of power; they were targeted attacks on the gods of Egypt, demonstrating that Yahweh alone is God. This is the foundation. Our God is a God who acts, who intervenes in history in spectacular ways.

Psalm 78:13

He split the sea and caused them to pass through, and He made the waters stand up like a heap.

From the wonders in Egypt, we move to the great act of deliverance itself. "He split the sea." Notice the direct agency. God did this. Moses lifted his staff, but God parted the waters. This is the pattern throughout Scripture: God uses human instruments, but the power is His alone. He not only made a path, but He "caused them to pass through," shepherding them to the other side. The description is vivid: the waters stood up "like a heap." This wasn't a gentle slope; it was a liquid wall on either side. Imagine the terror and the awe. God suspended the laws of nature to save His people and to destroy their enemies. This event became the defining moment of Israel's identity. They were the people whom God had rescued through the sea. For us, this points directly to baptism, where we pass through the waters of judgment, buried with Christ, and are raised to new life on the other side, while our old master, sin, is drowned.

Psalm 78:14

Then He led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire.

Deliverance is followed by guidance. God did not just rescue them and leave them to find their own way. He personally led them. The pillar of cloud and fire was a constant, visible manifestation of God's presence and His guidance. By day, the cloud was a shield from the brutal desert sun. By night, the fire was a light and a source of warmth, a protection against the predators of the dark. This was a 24/7 reality. God was always with them. This psalm is a parable, which means it is about Jesus. The apostle Paul tells us that the Israelites followed a spiritual Rock, and that Rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). In the same way, Christ is the pillar. He is the light of the world, our guide through the wilderness of this life. He is our shade in the day of trouble and our fire in the night of affliction. He never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Psalm 78:15

He was splitting the rocks in the wilderness and so gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.

Next comes provision. In the wilderness, there is no water. Humanly speaking, the nation should have perished from thirst within days. But God is not bound by natural limitations. He "was splitting the rocks." The verb is in a continuous tense, suggesting this was a repeated provision. And the result was not a trickle, not just enough to survive. He gave them "abundant drink like the ocean depths." God's provision is never miserly. He gives lavishly, extravagantly. He doesn't just meet our needs; He provides in overflowing abundance. This is the God of grace. He opens up the hardest, most unlikely sources to bring forth life-giving water. The rock, of course, is Christ. Struck once for our sakes, He now provides the living water of the Spirit to all who are thirsty.

Psalm 78:16

He brought forth streams also from the cliff face and caused waters to run down like rivers.

Asaph emphasizes the point, piling up the imagery. Not just from rocks on the ground, but from the "cliff face," a solid wall of stone. And again, the supply is not meager. It wasn't a temporary oasis, but "streams" and "rivers." God turned the barren wilderness into a water-park. He is the Creator, and He can make the desert bloom. This is a picture of the gospel's power. Out of the stony hearts of rebellious sinners, God brings forth rivers of living water. He takes what is dead and barren and makes it a source of abundant life. This is the God they were forgetting. This is the God we are called to remember.

Application

The central application of this passage is a summons to active, intentional remembrance. Asaph is not just giving a history lesson; he is prescribing the antidote to unbelief. The antidote is to rehearse the mighty acts of God. We are just as prone to forgetfulness as ancient Israel. We see God provide for us on Monday, and by Wednesday we are wringing our hands with anxiety. We experience His grace in salvation, and then live as though we have to earn His favor through our own efforts.

We must discipline ourselves to remember. We do this by reading Scripture, where His mighty acts are recorded. We do this by singing the psalms and hymns that recount His faithfulness. We do this by gathering with the saints every Lord's Day to hear the Word preached and to partake of the Lord's Supper, which is a memorial feast, a command to "do this in remembrance of me."

These verses show us a God who is powerful, present, and prodigal in His provision. He shatters the forces of chaos (the sea), guides His people with a personal, visible presence (the cloud and fire), and brings life from the most barren of places (the rock). This is our God. The wonders He performed for Israel in the wilderness find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is our deliverance, our guide, and our living water. To forget Him is to perish in the wilderness. To remember Him is to drink deeply from the rock and live.