What is the meaning of Psalm 78:11? They forgot Psalm 78 opens with a call to remember God’s works, yet v. 11 laments, “They forgot.” Forgetting here is not accidental; it is willful neglect. • Exodus 13:3 records Moses urging Israel, “Remember this day when you came out of Egypt.” The call shows God expected active recollection. • Judges 8:34 repeats the indictment: “The Israelites did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them.” Forgetfulness becomes a spiritual pattern, leading to compromise and idolatry. • James 1:23-24 compares a hearer who forgets God’s word to someone glancing in a mirror and walking away unchanged. The problem isn’t memory lapse; it is choosing convenience over covenant loyalty. what He had done The psalmist highlights concrete deeds—acts rooted in real history. • Psalm 105:5 urges, “Remember His wonders and the judgments He pronounced.” Memory of God’s deeds fuels obedience. • Deuteronomy 6:12 warns, “Be careful not to forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Remembered deliverance anchors present faithfulness. • Revelation 2:5 calls believers, “Remember how far you have fallen; repent.” New-covenant life still depends on rehearsing God’s past acts, ultimately fulfilled in the cross and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). the wonders He had shown them “Wonders” refers to God’s miraculous interventions—visible proofs of His power and covenant love. • Psalm 106:7 confesses, “Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders.” Recognition of miracles safeguards against rebellion. • Nehemiah 9:17-18 recounts the Red Sea, manna, and water from the rock, then notes, “But You did not abandon them.” Wonders reveal God’s steadfast nature. • Mark 6:52 tells how the disciples’ hearts were hardened after the feeding of the five thousand because “they had not understood about the loaves.” Even eyewitnesses must interpret wonders through faith, not mere spectacle. summary Psalm 78:11 exhorts every generation: spiritual decline begins when hearts choose to forget God’s mighty acts. Remembering is more than nostalgia; it is covenant fidelity—rehearsing God’s historical deeds so present obedience flourishes. |
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