Why did the Israelites not keep God's covenant in Psalm 78:10? Psalm 78: Text and Immediate Context “Asaph wrote: ‘They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law’ (Psalm 78:10). Verses 9–11 summarize Israel’s pattern: the Ephraimites ‘turned back in the day of battle,’ they ‘forgot what He had done,’ and they ‘refused to live by His law.’ The psalm is a didactic history stretching from the Exodus (v.12) to David (v.70), exposing covenant breach so later generations will ‘set their hope in God’ (v.7). Historical Setting Recounted by Asaph 1. Exodus generation (circa 1446 BC) witnessed plagues, Red Sea, manna, water from the rock (vv.12–25) yet grumbled (Exodus 16–17). 2. Wilderness wanderings (Numbers 11–14, 21) climaxed in Kadesh-Barnea unbelief (Deuteronomy 1:26-32). 3. Conquest period under Joshua (Joshua 6–11) ended with partial obedience; tribes left Canaanites in the land (Judges 1). 4. Judges era (ca. 1380-1050 BC) displayed recurring apostasy (Judges 2:10-19). 5. United monarchy culminates in David (v.70), God’s gracious answer to centuries of failure. The Covenant at Sinai: Obligations and Blessings • Ratified in Exodus 19–24: Israel pledged, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8). • Covenant terms: exclusive worship (Exodus 20:2-5), moral obedience (Exodus 20:12-17), social justice, Sabbaths, and feasts. • Blessings for obedience: prosperity, security, God’s presence (Leviticus 26:3-13; Deuteronomy 28:1-14). • Curses for disobedience: famine, defeat, exile (Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Psalm 78 catalogues the onset of these curses (e.g., vv.59-64). Manifestations of Covenant Breach Documented in Psalm 78 • Recurrent unbelief despite miracles (vv.17-22, 32). • Idolatry: “They provoked Him with their high places” (v.58; cf. Judges 2:11-13). • Moral rebellion: testing God (vv.18, 56), lying tongues (v.36), stubborn hearts (v.8). • Military cowardice: “The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle” (v.9), likely alluding to lost battles in Judges or 1 Samuel 4. Root Spiritual Causes of the Covenant Failure 1. Forgetfulness of God’s works (vv.11, 42). 2. Hardened hearts inherited from “a stubborn and rebellious generation” (v.8). 3. Lack of genuine faith: “Their hearts were disloyal… they were unfaithful to His covenant” (v.37). 4. Preference for visible idols over the unseen God (Exodus 32; Psalm 78:58). 5. Absence of the Spirit’s indwelling regeneration later promised in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27). Cultural and External Pressures in Canaan • Canaanite fertility cults offered immediate agricultural “benefits,” tempting Israel (Deuteronomy 12:29-32). • Political alliances: marrying foreign women led to syncretism (Judges 3:6). • Incomplete conquest left pagan altars as perpetual snare (Exodus 23:33; Judges 2:1-3). Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Corroboration • Merneptah Stele (c. 1210 BC) names “Israel” already settled in Canaan, affirming biblical timeframe of conquest. • Destruction layer at Jericho (City IV) with fallen walls outward (John Garstang, renewed by Bryant Wood) aligns with Joshua 6 chronology c. 1400 BC. • Tel Dan Inscription mentions “House of David,” corroborating Davidic dynasty that Psalm 78 concludes with (vv.70-72). • Elephantine papyri (5th century BC) show Jewish community still reading Exodus and adhering to Passover, indicating stable transmission of covenant documents. These finds uphold the psalm’s historical claims and demonstrate that covenant texts were known and ignored, not absent. Theological Ramifications: Law, Judgment, and Mercy Psalm 78 shows the perfect justice of Yahweh in disciplining sin (vv.59-64) and His persistent mercy in forgiveness and provision (vv.38-39). The final answer is not Israel’s resolve but God’s electing grace in choosing Judah and David (vv.67-72), prefiguring the Messiah (Luke 1:32-33). Thus human inability highlights the necessity of divine salvation. Typological Foreshadowing of the New Covenant • Wilderness manna → Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:31-35). • Stricken rock → Christ slain, giving living water (1 Corinthians 10:4). • Davidic shepherd-king (Psalm 78:70-72) → Jesus, “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). Israel’s failure magnifies the sufficiency of the resurrected Christ who perfectly kept covenant on behalf of His people (Romans 5:19) and seals believers with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Practical and Contemporary Applications • Vigilant remembrance: continual rehearsal of God’s deeds through Scripture, communion, and testimony counters forgetfulness. • Heart obedience over ritualism: external conformity without regenerate hearts repeats Israel’s error (Matthew 15:8). • Inter-generational discipleship: reading, singing, and living the Word before children (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 78:5-7). • Avoid syncretism: cultural accommodation remains a threat; believers must demolish modern “high places” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Summary Israel did not keep God’s covenant in Psalm 78:10 because, despite overwhelming revelation, the people forgot His works, retained unbelieving hearts, succumbed to idolatry, and yielded to cultural pressures. The psalm indicts the human condition, validates the justice of divine judgment, and heralds the necessity and triumph of God’s redemptive plan culminating in Christ, the only covenant-keeper and Savior. |
    |