Psalm 79:13
Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise.
Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,

Israel belonged to the Lord by covenant, redeemed from Egypt and sustained through the wilderness. The shepherd image portrays God’s attentive rule, provision, and protection over a dependent people. David later confessed the same care in Psalm 23, and Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).

Psa 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us,…
Psa 95:7 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture…
Ezk 34:31 “You are My flock, the sheep of My pasture,”…

will thank You forever;

Deliverance from enemies moved the faithful remnant to gratitude rather than self-exaltation. God’s mercy toward His people was not temporary, and their worship anticipated the unending praise of the redeemed before His throne.

Psa 30:12 that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.…
Psa 52:9 I will praise You forever, because You have done it.…
Psa 86:12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart;…

from generation to generation

Israel was commanded to preserve the knowledge of God’s works by teaching children and grandchildren His covenant, commandments, and mighty acts (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). Each generation bears responsibility to testify that the Lord remains faithful.

Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children…
Psa 145:4 One generation will commend Your works to the next,…
Psa 89:1 A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the LORD…

we will declare Your praise.

Public worship proclaimed both God’s saving deeds and His holy character. The calling continues among all who belong to Christ, who are chosen to proclaim the excellencies of the One who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Psa 145:6-7 They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds,…
Psa 71:15 My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation…
Psa 22:22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Asaph
The author of Psalm 79, Asaph was a prominent Levite singer and seer in David's court, known for his role in temple worship and his contributions to the Psalms.

2. Israelites
Referred to as "Your people" in the verse, the Israelites are God's chosen people, often depicted as sheep under God's care.

3. Sheep of Your Pasture
This metaphor represents the Israelites as dependent on God for guidance, protection, and sustenance, emphasizing their relationship with Him as their Shepherd.

4. Generations
The verse speaks to the continuity of faith and worship, highlighting the importance of passing down the knowledge and praise of God through successive generations.

5. Jerusalem
While not directly mentioned in this verse, the context of Psalm 79 involves the destruction of Jerusalem, which is the backdrop for the lament and plea for restoration.
Teaching Points
God as Our Shepherd
Recognize and embrace the role of God as our Shepherd, who provides, guides, and protects us in all circumstances.

Perpetual Gratitude
Cultivate a heart of gratitude that extends beyond immediate circumstances, committing to thank God forever.

Generational Faithfulness
Emphasize the importance of passing down faith and the accounts of God's faithfulness to future generations.

Praise as a Testimony
Understand that our praise is not only an act of worship but also a testimony to others of God's goodness and faithfulness.

Community Identity
Acknowledge our identity as part of God's people, which calls us to live in unity and purpose as His flock.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of God as a shepherd in Psalm 79:13 enhance your understanding of His relationship with His people?

2. In what ways can you incorporate gratitude into your daily life, reflecting the commitment to thank God forever as mentioned in the verse?

3. How can you actively participate in passing down the knowledge and praise of God to the next generation?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's guidance and protection. How can sharing this testimony encourage others in their faith journey?

5. Considering the broader context of Psalm 79, how does the promise of future praise and gratitude provide hope in times of distress or difficulty?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 23
This well-known psalm also uses the imagery of God as a shepherd, providing a comforting and guiding presence for His people.

John 10:11-16
Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, drawing a direct connection to the Old Testament imagery of God as the shepherd of His people.

1 Peter 2:25
Peter speaks of believers as sheep who have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls, reinforcing the theme of divine guidance and care.

Exodus 34:30-31
The Israelites are described as God's people, His inheritance, emphasizing their special relationship with Him.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7
The command to teach God's commandments to future generations aligns with the call in Psalm 79:13 to recount God's praise from generation to generation.
Divine Relationships Our Best Plea in PrayerR. Tuck Psalm 79:13
God's People Should Speak God's PraiseAmos R. Wells.Psalm 79:13
An Imprecatory PsalmS. Conway Psalm 79:1-13
Good Men God's InheritanceHomilistPsalm 79:1-13
Prayer for Deliverance from SufferingC. Short Psalm 79:1-13
The Inhumanity of Man and the Mixture of Good and EvilHomilistPsalm 79:1-13
People
Asaph, Jacob, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
80, Asaph, Chief, Eduth, Flock, Forever, Forth, Generation, Generations, Glory, Musician, Pasture, Praise, Praising, Psalm, Recount, Sheep, Shew, Shoshanim, Thanks
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 79:13

     1220   God, as shepherd
     4684   sheep
     5694   generation
     7141   people of God, OT

Library
The Attack on the Scriptures
[Illustration: (drop cap B) A Greek Warrior] But troubled times came again to Jerusalem. The great empires of Babylon and Assyria had passed away for ever, exactly as the prophets of Israel had foretold; but new powers had arisen in the world, and the great nations fought together so constantly that all the smaller countries, and with them the Kingdom of Judah, changed hands very often. At last Alexander the Great managed to make himself master of all the countries of the then-known world. Alexander
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

How they are to be Admonished who Lament Sins of Deed, and those who Lament Only Sins of Thought.
(Admonition 30.) Differently to be admonished are those who deplore sins of deed, and those who deplore sins of thought. For those who deplore sins of deed are to be admonished that perfected lamentations should wash out consummated evils, lest they be bound by a greater debt of perpetrated deed than they pay in tears of satisfaction for it. For it is written, He hath given us drink in tears by measure (Ps. lxxix. 6): which means that each person's soul should in its penitence drink the tears
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500
In the second period of the history of the Church under the Christian Empire, the Church, although existing in two divisions of the Empire and experiencing very different political fortunes, may still be regarded as forming a whole. The theological controversies distracting the Church, although different in the two halves of the Graeco-Roman world, were felt to some extent in both divisions of the Empire and not merely in the one in which they were principally fought out; and in the condemnation
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History

The Formation of the Old Testament Canon
[Sidenote: Israel's literature at the beginning of the fourth century before Christ] Could we have studied the scriptures of the Israelitish race about 400 B.C., we should have classified them under four great divisions: (1) The prophetic writings, represented by the combined early Judean, Ephraimite, and late prophetic or Deuteronomic narratives, and their continuation in Samuel and Kings, together with the earlier and exilic prophecies; (2) the legal, represented by the majority of the Old Testament
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

A Summary of the Christian Life. Of Self-Denial.
The divisions of the chapter are,--I. The rule which permits us not to go astray in the study of righteousness, requires two things, viz., that man, abandoning his own will, devote himself entirely to the service of God; whence it follows, that we must seek not our own things, but the things of God, sec. 1, 2. II. A description of this renovation or Christian life taken from the Epistle to Titus, and accurately explained under certain special heads, sec. 3 to end. 1. ALTHOUGH the Law of God contains
Archpriest John Iliytch Sergieff—On the Christian Life

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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