How does Psalm 78:45 connect with the Exodus story in the Bible?

Psalm 78 in Its Storyline

• The psalm recounts Israel’s history so each generation “might set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:7).

• Verses 12–55 move chronologically through the Exodus, spotlighting the plagues, Red Sea crossing, and wilderness care.

• Verse 45 sits inside this rehearsal of God’s mighty acts.

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Psalm 78:45 in Focus

“He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.” (Psalm 78:45)

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Echoes of the Exodus Plagues

1. Frogs – Exodus 8:1-15

• Moses warns Pharaoh: “Let My people go” (v. 1).

• Frogs cover houses, ovens, and kneading bowls (v. 3).

• When Pharaoh begs relief, the frogs die in heaps, stinking up the land (v. 13-14).

2. Swarms of Flies – Exodus 8:20-32

• “If you will not let My people go… I will send swarms of flies on you” (v. 21).

• Dense clouds of flies ruin Egyptian houses and “the land was ruined because of the swarms” (v. 24).

• Goshen, where Israel dwells, is spared (v. 22-23), displaying God’s precise control.

Psalm 78:45 compresses these two plagues into one verse, yet every listener would instantly recall the full Exodus narrative.

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Purpose Behind the Plagues

• Judgment on Egypt’s gods (Exodus 12:12). Frogs honored the goddess Heqet; flies humiliated insect deities.

• Vindication of God’s name: “That you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth” (Exodus 8:22).

• Liberation of Israel—God acts to keep His covenant with Abraham (Exodus 2:24).

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Why the Connection Matters Today

• The psalmist treats the Exodus as literal history and so should we; God’s past actions ground present faith.

• Remembering delivers us from forgetfulness and rebellion (Psalm 78:8-11).

• The same LORD who controlled frogs and flies still rules nature and nations; His power secures our salvation in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).