Psalm 78 Overview
Psalm 78
Welcome to the Overview of Psalm 78
This page will introduce and provide orientation to Psalm 78 as a whole. It includes the following sections:
Introduction to Psalm 78
Author:
- Asaph
Purpose:
Content:
Message:
Psalm 78 At-a-Glance
These sections divide the content of the psalm into digestible pieces , and are determined based on information from many of our layers, including Semantics, Poetics, and Discourse. The columns, left to right, contain: the verse numbers; the main title of the section; a brief summary of the content of that section (quote marks indicate the text is taken directly from the English text of the psalm (as per our Close-but-Clear translation); and an icon to visually represent and remember the content.
Background Orientation for Psalm 78
Following are the common-ground assumptionsCommon-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/Ancient Near Eastern background. which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm.
Background Situation for Psalm 78
The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon.
Participants in Psalm 78
There are 6 participants/characters in Psalm 78:
| Asaph |
| David's flock |
| The latest generation (vv. 4, 6) |
| The latest generation's children (v. 6) |
| Israel/Jacob (vv. 71-72) |
| YHWH |
| "YHWH" (vv. 4, 21) |
| "God" (אֵל) (vv. 7, 8, 18, 19) |
| "God" (אֱלֹהִים) (vv. 7, 10, 19, 22, 31, 35, 59) |
| "the Most High" (עֶלְיוֹן) (v. 17) |
| "God, the Most High" (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן; אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן) (vv. 35, 56) |
| "their rock" (v. 35) |
| "their redeemer" (v. 35) |
| "the holy one of Israel" (v. 41) |
| "the Lord" (אֲדֹנָי) (v. 65) |
| The ancestors |
| "the ancestors" (vv. 3, 5, 8) |
| "Ephraimites" (v. 9) |
| "Israel" (v. 59) |
| "his [God's] people/inheritance" (v. 62) |
| "tent of Joseph / clan of Ephraim" (v. 67) |
| The ancestors' ancestors |
| "their ancestors" (v. 12, 57) |
| "his [God's] people" (vv. 20, 71) |
| "Jacob/Israel" (vv. 21, 71) |
| Egyptians |
| The Canaanite nations |
| The Philistines |
| David |
| "David" (v. 70) |
| "his [God's] servant" (v. 70) |
| Judah (v. 68) |
- The psalmist is identified as Asaph (which may refer to one of the "sons of Asaph"—see the phrase-level note—though not necessarily) begins reciting the psalm in first person singular, before joining the chorus of the community of the righteous in the latest generation.
- David's flock is identified those who submit to his rule. At the beginning of the psalm this consists of the latest generation, both Asaph('s descendant) and his group as well as the addressee of the psalm (see the notes on accompanying the text table), who are to proclaim the teaching of the psalm, while also receiving it and passing it on to their children. At the end of the psalm, both Jacob, God's people, and Israel, God's inheritance, are marvelously identified with this group as being shepherded by David.
- YHWH is referred to by a multitude of different divine names, as listed in the participant set, while also characterized as Israel's rock and redeemer (v. 35).
- As is characteristic of Psalms 78–80 as a whole, the antagonists of the psalm are the community's ancestors.[1] In contrast to the mention of Judah in v. 68, the ancestors are largely referred to by generic names which encapsulate the entire nation, such as "Jacob" and "Israel," or those associated with Shiloh as a locality, such as "Ephraim" and "Joseph." Despite playing the role of antagonist, to which the latest generation should aspire not to be like, a "stubborn and rebellious generation" (v. 8), they also never cease to be YHWH's people (vv. 20, 58; see also the 3ms suffixes in vv. 28, 62-64).
- The foreign nations play a subservient role of displaying God's miraculous acts for his people throughout their history—primarily in Egypt throughout the Exodus event (vv. 42-53), but also in the conquest of Canaan (v. 54) and the defeat of the Philistines (v. 66). In the latter instance, the vessel of punishment for his people (vv. 60-64) in turn receive their own justice (vv. 65-66).
- Following the rejection of Joseph/Ephraim (v. 67) as the center of covenant administration, and the choice of Judah and Zion (v. 68), David is further chosen as the shepherd who will lead the renewed community (vv. 70-72).
- ↑ See Ray 2023.