Psalms 78:42-43
They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights a crucial but often overlooked reason for Israel's repeated failures: they forgot not just God's power, but also the specific day of their deliverance. This points to a shallow remembrance that misses the tangible, historical reality of God's intervention, making it easier to doubt His presence in future challenges.
This psalm is a passionate retelling of Israel's history, focusing on God's mighty acts of deliverance and Israel's persistent forgetfulness and unfaithfulness. The psalmist recounts the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings not strictly chronologically, but to emphasize the recurring pattern of God's miraculous provision met by Israel's grumbling and rebellion, leading to judgment. This verse specifically highlights how, despite experiencing God's power firsthand, the people repeatedly failed to remember His intervention, particularly their liberation from Egypt.
Understand the original words
‘ōz · Hebrew Noun
The ability to bring about an effect, often associated with God's sovereign strength and ability to intervene in history to accomplish His redemptive purposes.
pādāh · Hebrew Verb
The act of setting someone free from bondage, debt, or slavery, typically through the payment of a price. In Scripture, it is a primary image for God's deliverance of His people from oppression or sin.
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’ôt · Hebrew Noun
A miraculous event or action intended to convey a divine message or attest to the truth of God's authority. It serves as a visual demonstration of God's presence and intervention.
môpēt · Hebrew Noun
Extraordinary acts that evoke wonder or amazement. These often refer to God's supernatural interventions in history that defy natural explanation, demonstrating His sovereignty over nature.
This psalm was likely written long after the Exodus, during or after the divided kingdom, as a stern reminder to the people that their ongoing struggles were a direct result of their repeated forgetfulness of God's mighty acts of deliverance, particularly the Exodus and Red Sea crossing.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
~1446 BC
The Song of Moses
After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God, recounting His power and their deliverance.
~1445-1405 BC
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites spend forty years wandering in the wilderness, during which they experience God's provision (manna, water from the rock) and His judgment due to their disobedience.
~1405 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
After entering the Promised Land, the Israelites engage in wars and conquests, often falling into idolatry and forgetting God's past faithfulness.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
David is established as king, marking a period of national strength and religious revival, yet the memory of past unfaithfulness remains a concern.
c. 970 BC— this verse
Psalms of Asaph Written
The psalms attributed to Asaph, including Psalm 78, are composed, reflecting on Israel's history to teach future generations about God's faithfulness and the consequences of forgetting Him.
This passage highlights the immediate fear and doubt that gripped the Israelites, even as God was actively delivering them, mirroring the forgetfulness mentioned in Psalms 78:42.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14Moses warns the Israelites not to forget the Lord their God in the wilderness and to remember the powerful deeds He performed, directly addressing the theme of remembrance central to Psalms 78:42.
Joshua 24:5-7This passage recounts God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and their subsequent wandering, emphasizing their lack of remembrance and God's continued action, echoing the historical critique in the psalm.
Nehemiah 9:9-11In a prayer of confession, Nehemiah reminds God of His mighty acts in Egypt and the Red Sea, contrasting His faithfulness with Israel's forgetfulness, aligning with the psalmist's message.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4Paul uses the Exodus experience, including the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, as a spiritual example for the early church, warning them not to repeat Israel's pattern of forgetfulness and rebellion.
ellicottPsalms 78:42: "They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy."
(42) The reminiscence of the plagues that follows is not a complete enumeration, and does not proceed in the order of the historic narrative.
expositorsPsalms 78:1-72: "Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth."
Psalm 78:1-72 THIS psalm is closely related to Psalm 105:1-45 ; Psalm 106:1-48 ; Psalm 107:1-43 . Like them, it treats the history of Israel, and especially the Exodus and wilderness wanderings, for purposes of edification, rebuke, and encouragement. The past is held up as a mirror to the present generation. It has been one long succession of miracles of mercy met by equally continu…
The verse highlights a crucial but often overlooked reason for Israel's repeated failures: they forgot not just God's power, but also the specific day of their deliverance. This points to a shallow remembrance that misses the tangible, historical reality of God's intervention, making it easier to doubt His presence in future challenges.
This psalm is a passionate retelling of Israel's history, focusing on God's mighty acts of deliverance and Israel's persistent forgetfulness and unfaithfulness. The psalmist recounts the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings not strictly chronologically, but to emphasize the recurring pattern of God's miraculous provision met by Israel's grumbling and rebellion, leading to judgment. This verse specifically highlights how, despite experiencing God's power firsthand, the people repeatedly failed to remember His intervention, particularly their liberation from Egypt.
This psalm is a passionate retelling of Israel's history, focusing on God's mighty acts of deliverance and Israel's persistent forgetfulness and unfaithfulness. The psalmist recounts the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings not strictly chronologically, but to emphasize the recurring pattern of God's miraculous provision met by Israel's grumbling and rebellion, leading to judgment. This verse specifically highlights how, despite experiencing God's power firsthand, the people repeatedly failed to remember His intervention, particularly their liberation from Egypt.
"They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan." — The verse highlights a crucial but often overlooked reason for Israel's repeated failures: they forgot not just God's power, but also the specific day of their deliverance. This points to a shall…
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