What historical events might Psalm 78:11 be referencing? Text of Psalm 78:11 “They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.” Literary Context within Psalm 78 Psalm 78 is a historical psalm of Asaph that rehearses Israel’s past so each generation will “set their hope in God” (v. 7). Verses 9-16 form the immediate backdrop to v. 11, recounting Ephraim’s failure and God’s mighty acts “in the land of Egypt, the region of Zoan” (v. 12). The psalm then moves through the wilderness era (vv. 17-55) and the early settlement in Canaan (vv. 56-72). Verse 11 therefore functions as a summary accusation: Israel forgot the divine interventions that rescued, sustained, and established them. Identifying “His Deeds” and “His Wonders” As the psalm proceeds to detail the events, the “deeds” (ma‘alal) and “wonders” (niplā’ôt) in view include: 1. The plague-signs in Egypt (vv. 12, 43-51). 2. The Red Sea crossing (vv. 13, 53). 3. Guidance by the pillar of cloud and fire (v. 14). 4. Water from the split rocks (vv. 15-16, 20). 5. Manna and quail provision (vv. 23-29). 6. The Jordan crossing and conquest miracles implied later in the psalm (vv. 54-55). Each item corresponds to concrete historical episodes recorded in Exodus–Joshua. Miracles in Egypt (Exodus 7–12) “In the sight of their fathers He performed wonders in the land of Egypt, the region of Zoan” (Psalm 78:12). This clearly points to the ten plagues. From the Nile’s turning to blood (Exodus 7:20-21) to the darkness over Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23) and culminating in the death of the firstborn (Exodus 12:29-30), Yahweh demonstrated absolute sovereignty over Egyptian nature-deities and Pharaoh himself. The Passover and Death of the Firstborn Psalm 78:51 recalls that God “struck all the firstborn of Egypt.” Exodus 12 institutes Passover as a perpetual memorial. Archaeologically, large cemeteries of firstborn youths at Saqqara dating to Egypt’s late 18th/early 19th Dynasty have been noted by Egyptologists as consistent with a sudden mortality event, though secular scholarship debates the cause; the biblical record provides the explicit rationale. The Crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) “He split the sea and brought them through” (Psalm 78:13). The Hebrew verb bāqa‘ (“split”) is the same used in Exodus 14:21. Multi-beam bathymetric surveys in the Gulf of Aqaba show a natural undersea ridge at Nuweiba capable of serving as a land bridge were the water temporarily displaced—plausible in a divinely timed wind event (Exodus 14:21). While no physical artifacts remain recoverable in the deep, eyewitness consistency from Exodus, Psalm 78, Isaiah 51:10, and Hebrews 11:29 reinforces the historicity of a real, not metaphorical, crossing. Guidance by the Pillar of Cloud and Fire (Exodus 13:21-22) “He led them with a cloud by day and with light from the fire all night” (Psalm 78:14). This dual-form guidance provided orientation, security, and evidence of God’s immanence. Later prophetic texts (Nehemiah 9:12, Isaiah 4:5) and 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 treat the pillar as literal history. Provision of Water from the Rock (Exodus 17; Numbers 20) “He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink” (Psalm 78:15). The cleft-rock at Horeb (Rephidim) and the rock at Kadesh are both in view. Geologists have documented a massive, split granitic outcrop at Jebel al-Lawz in northwest Arabia featuring water-erosion channels inconsistent with the present hyper-arid climate—phenomena that fit Exodus 17’s description. The Gift of Manna and Quail (Exodus 16; Numbers 11) “He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven” (Psalm 78:24). Naturalistic attempts to identify manna with Sinai beetle excretion or lichen fail to explain its six-day cycle, double measure before Sabbath, or cessation upon entering Canaan (Joshua 5:12). Likewise, the sudden migration of Coturnix coturnix deserti quail swept into camp by prevailing wind patterns aligns with the biblical narrative yet required divine timing and magnitude (Numbers 11:31-32). The Giving of the Law at Sinai (Exodus 19–20) Although not explicitly named in Psalm 78, the Sinai theophany—“thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud” (Exodus 19:16)—belongs among the “wonders” Israel forgot. The psalm’s emphasis on covenant infidelity (vv. 10, 37, 56) presupposes the historical giving of that covenant. Victories over Amalek, Sihon, and Og (Exodus 17:8-16; Numbers 21:21-35) Israel’s earliest military deliverances qualify as “deeds.” Archaeologist Steven Collins notes Late Bronze Age destruction layers at Tall el-Hammam (possible city of Sodom later resettled as Heshbon) consistent with a sudden conquest matching Numbers 21:25-30. The Crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3–4) “He brought them to His holy land, to the hill country His right hand had acquired” (Psalm 78:54). The Jordan stopped “in Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan” (Joshua 3:16). Historical records (A.D. 1267, 1927) describe earthquakes causing temporary damming of the Jordan at precisely that location, affirming the mechanism God could have employed in Joshua’s day. The Fall of Jericho and the Conquest of Canaan (Joshua 6) “He drove out nations before them” (Psalm 78:55). Excavations at Tell es-Sultan show Jericho’s mud-brick city-wall collapsed outward, creating ramp-like access—unique among Bronze-Age destruction strata (Bryant Wood, 1990). Carbon-14 samples from the burn layer date to ca. 1400 B.C., matching a 15th-century Exodus chronology. Summary of the Historical Period Recalled Psalm 78:11 compresses roughly the years from Israel’s bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1) to the initial allocation of the tribal inheritance under Joshua (Joshua 14-19). On a Ussher-style chronology this spans c. 1446–1400 B.C. The psalm selects emblematic miracles rather than giving a full annalistic record, yet every event is anchored in identifiable space-time history. Archaeological and Extrabiblical Corroboration • Merneptah Stele (c. 1208 B.C.)—earliest extrabiblical reference to “Israel” in Canaan. • Ipuwer Papyrus (Leiden 344) describing Nile turning to blood, darkness, and widespread death—parallels to the plagues. • Soleb Temple inscription under Amenhotep III mentioning “the land of the Shasu of Yhw”—attests the divine name in Sinai region before the monarchy. • Mount Ebal altar (Adam Zertal, 1985) fits Joshua 8:30-35 construction type and date. • Desert nomad encampments at Kadesh Barnea and Jebel al-Lawz display pottery horizons and ash layers consistent with a 15th-century sojourn. None of these finds “prove the Bible,” yet each adds cumulative weight showing that the biblical framework aligns with verifiable data where testable. Theological Implications of Remembering God’s Works Forgetting God’s acts led to rebellion (Psalm 78:17), unbelief (v. 22), and covenant breaking (v. 37). Remembering cultivates trust (v. 7) and obedience (v. 8). The behavioral sciences confirm that collective memory shapes group identity; Scripture prescribes active rehearsal of past salvation to anchor present faith and moral direction. New Testament Fulfillment in Christ’s Resurrection The exodus miracles prefigure the greater redemption accomplished by Jesus. Just as Israel forgot tangible wonders, many now neglect the historically attested resurrection—“with many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3). Yet the empty tomb, eyewitness testimony (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), and the explosive growth of the church constitute the ultimate “wonder” calling every generation to remember, believe, and glorify God. |
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