What is the meaning of Psalm 78:35? And they remembered - Psalm 78 sketches Israel’s repeated cycles of rebellion, discipline, and mercy. Verse 35 marks one of those sobering wake-up calls: “And they remembered that God was their Rock…”. - Remembering here is not a vague nostalgia; it is an intentional turning of the mind back to covenant truth. • Deuteronomy 8:2 urges, “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way…” • Judges 8:34 laments that Israel “did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them.” - God uses hardship to jog His people’s memory. When earthly props collapse, the Spirit prompts, “Remember Me.” Such recall prepares the heart for repentance and renewed obedience. that God was their Rock - Calling God “Rock” highlights His unchanging strength and dependable refuge. • Moses sang, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4). • David testified, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). - A rock does not shift with culture or circumstance. When Israel finally “remembered,” they rediscovered: • Stability—He outlasts every crisis. • Safety—He shelters those who run to Him. • Sure foundation—His promises hold, whether in wilderness wanderings or promised-land battles. - The same certainty belongs to believers today (1 Corinthians 10:4 links Christ Himself to “the spiritual Rock”). that God Most High was their Redeemer - “Redeemer” speaks of paying a price to set someone free. God told Moses, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” (Exodus 6:6). Isaiah echoed, “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 43:14). - In Psalm 78, the title “Most High” pairs transcendence with tenderness: the sovereign King stoops to rescue. - Redemption in Israel’s history: • Egypt—blood on the doorposts, freedom from slavery. • Judges—cycles of bondage and deliverance. • Exile—return from Babylon by God’s gracious hand. - Redemption fulfilled in Christ: “In Him we have redemption through His blood” (Ephesians 1:7). Our ultimate bondage—to sin and death—is broken by the same God who redeemed Israel. - Remembering God as Redeemer fuels gratitude, humility, and holy living (1 Peter 1:18-19). summary Psalm 78:35 captures a turning point: the people, jolted awake, recall who God truly is. They remember: • He alone is their immovable Rock—secure, steady, and sufficient. • He alone is their redeeming Savior—willing and able to pay the price for freedom. When trials make us aware of our need, this verse invites us to the same response: turn back, trust the Rock, rejoice in the Redeemer, and walk in the memory of His unfailing faithfulness. |
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