Welcome to Day 2687 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2687 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:56-72 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2687

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2687 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart’s Persistent Wanderings – From Abandonment to the Shepherd-King - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 78:56-72

Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the poignant and pivotal conclusion of our extensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 56 through 72.

In our journey through this monumental didactic psalm, Asaph, the psalmist, has meticulously recounted Israel’s history. We’ve seen their early failures, their ungrateful rebellion in the wilderness despite God’s astounding miracles—from the splitting of the Red Sea to the daily manna and water from rocks. We also explored God’s righteous judgment for their persistent unbelief, even as His enduring compassion spared them from complete annihilation. We watched as God faithfully led them into the Promised Land, driving out nations and settling them securely in their inheritance.

Now, as we delve into this final segment, the story unfolds into a new phase of Israel’s unfaithfulness, occurring after they had entered and settled the Promised Land. This leads to profound divine judgment: God’s abandonment of His dwelling place at Shiloh and His subsequent, sovereign choice of Mount Zion and the Davidic dynasty. This narrative culminates in the powerful affirmation of David as the shepherd-king, foreshadowing the ultimate Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ.

This section explains a critical shift in God’s dealings with Israel, shedding light on the reasons behind the establishment of Jerusalem as the spiritual center and the unique covenant with David. It's a sobering reminder of the consequences of persistent unfaithfulness, but also a beautiful testament to God's ultimate plan and His ability to choose and raise up faithful leaders.

So, let’s lean in and absorb the final, crucial lessons from Israel’s history of wandering hearts and God’s sovereign direction.

(Reads Psalm 78:56-64 NLT)

But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High, refusing to obey his decrees. They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a crooked bow. They angered him by building pagan shrines; they made him furious with their idols. When God heard them, he was furious and completely rejected Israel. He abandoned his Tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had lived among them. He allowed their Ark of the Covenant—his glory—to be captured; he surrendered his people to their enemies. He sent fire to consume their young men and caused their young women to die in battle. Their priests were slaughtered by the sword, and their widows could not mourn.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph brings the historical lesson into the period after the conquest of Canaan, demonstrating that entering the Promised Land did not end Israel’s cycle of rebellion: "But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High, refusing to obey his decrees." The persistent nature of their sin, already highlighted multiple times in the psalm, is underscored once more. Even in the land God had given them, they continued their pattern of testing God's patience and openly defying His "decrees" (or "testimonies"), His specific instructions for living in covenant relationship.

Their unfaithfulness manifested in a profound disloyalty: "They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a crooked bow." They reverted to the ways of their forefathers, characterized by spiritual backsliding. The vivid simile "as unreliable as a crooked bow" powerfully illustrates their deceitful nature. A bow that is crooked cannot shoot straight; it is unreliable and betrays the archer. So too, Israel’s heart was not true to God; their loyalty could not be counted on, constantly straying from the target of obedience.

Their disloyalty plunged them into idolatry, the ultimate affront to God’s holiness: "They angered him by building pagan shrines; they made him furious with their idols." The "pagan shrines" (bâmōt, "high places") were sites of worship built on hills or elevated areas, often for Canaanite deities. These were explicitly forbidden by God, yet Israel repeatedly engaged in this syncretistic worship. Their "idols" provoked God to "furious" anger and "jealousy" (as revealed elsewhere in Scripture), for He is a God who tolerates no rivals. This idolatry was the epitome of their covenant breaking.

God’s response to this persistent rebellion and idolatry was severe judgment: "When God heard them, he was furious and completely rejected Israel." God's anger was justly provoked. The term "completely rejected" (ma'as) signifies a decisive, temporary disownment, a profound turning away from them due to their unfaithfulness. This leads to the painful historical events associated with the period of the Judges and early monarchy.

A major consequence of this rejection was the abandonment of His dwelling place: "He abandoned his Tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had lived among them." Shiloh was the significant spiritual center during the period of the Judges, where the Tabernacle (God’s dwelling tent) was established (Joshua 18:1). For God to "abandon" Shiloh meant He had withdrawn His presence from that sacred site, a clear sign of His displeasure with the people’s unfaithfulness. This event is typically linked to the Philistine defeat of Israel and the capture of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4).

The ultimate humiliation was the capture of the Ark: "He allowed their Ark of the Covenant—his glory—to be captured; he surrendered his people to their enemies." The Ark of the Covenant symbolized God’s presence, His throne, and His glory among Israel. Its capture by the Philistines was a cataclysmic event, perceived as God giving up His own glory and abandoning His people to their foes. It was a profound sign of judgment, allowing Israel to be conquered and "surrendered...to their enemies."

The human cost of this judgment was immense: "He sent fire to consume their young men and caused their young women to die in battle. Their priests were slaughtered by the sword, and their widows could not mourn." "Fire" consuming young men could refer to the consuming wrath of battle or actual divine judgment by fire. Young women dying in battle was particularly tragic, affecting future generations. The death of the priests by the sword (referring to Hophni and Phinehas in 1 Samuel 4:11) was a devastating blow to their spiritual leadership. And for widows to be unable to mourn (perhaps due to the overwhelming number of dead, or the desperate circumstances that prevented proper burial rites) signifies an extreme level of national trauma and despair. This was a truly dark chapter, demonstrating God’s severe judgment against a consistently unfaithful people.

This section vividly portrays the tragic consequences of Israel’s persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry, leading to divine rejection, the abandonment of Shiloh, and profound national suffering.

Now, let’s move to the final verses, 65 through 72, where Asaph recounts God's decisive intervention, His rejection of Ephraim (Shiloh), and His sovereign choice of Judah and David, establishing a new era of faithful leadership.

(Reads Psalm 78:65-72 NLT)

Then the Lord woke up as though waking from sleep, like a mighty warrior roused from a drunken stupor. He routed his enemies and drove them to everlasting shame. He rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. Instead, he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loved. There he built his sanctuary like the heavens, to stand forever like the earth. He chose David his servant, calling him from the sheepfolds. He took David from tending the ewes with their lambs and made him shepherd of Jacob, his people, shepherd of Israel, his own special possession. And David tended them with a pure heart and guided them with skillful hands.

Guthrie Chamberlain: After the devastating judgment, God dramatically intervenes: "Then the Lord woke up as though waking from sleep, like a mighty warrior roused from a drunken stupor." This is a powerful anthropomorphism, not implying God was actually asleep or drunk, but conveying His sudden, decisive, and overwhelming intervention after a period of apparent inaction. It's like a powerful warrior, after a period of resting or waiting, suddenly rising with full force. This image strongly connects to Psalm 74:23, "Arise, O God, and plead your cause!" Here, God actually does arise, powerfully and decisively.

The result of God's awakening is the decisive defeat of His enemies: "He routed his enemies and drove them to everlasting shame." God Himself acts, utterly defeating those who had tormented His people and disgraced His name. They are driven to "everlasting shame," a permanent humiliation that reverses their earlier boasts and triumphs. This echoes the justice proclaimed in Psalm 75, where God brings down the proud.

Then comes a crucial shift in divine favor, the culmination of the lessons from Israel’s history: "He rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. Instead, he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loved." "The tents of Joseph" and "the tribe of Ephraim" refer to the Northern tribes, particularly Ephraim, which had been so prominently mentioned for its unfaithfulness in verse 9. By rejecting Ephraim, God symbolically rejects the spiritual center at Shiloh, which was within Ephraim’s territory and had been repeatedly desecrated.

Instead, God "chose the tribe of Judah" – from which David would come – and "Mount Zion, which he loved" – Jerusalem. This marked a profound shift. God chose a new earthly dwelling place and a new lineage for kingship, not based on human prominence or tradition, but on His sovereign choice and ultimately, on the faithfulness He would find in David. This highlights God’s freedom to choose and His intention to establish a lasting, faithful dwelling and leadership.

God's new sanctuary in Zion is then described in grand terms: "There he built his sanctuary like the heavens, to stand forever like the earth." Unlike the vulnerable Tabernacle at Shiloh, this new sanctuary in Jerusalem (the Temple) is envisioned as being built by God with cosmic permanence, as enduring "like the heavens" and "like the earth." This signifies its divine origin, its stability, and its lasting significance as God's chosen dwelling place, providing a new, secure spiritual center for His people.

Finally, Asaph introduces the ideal leader chosen by God: "He chose David his servant, calling him from the sheepfolds. He took David from tending the ewes with their lambs and made him shepherd of Jacob, his people, shepherd of Israel, his own special possession." God's choice is sovereign and surprising. He didn't choose a king from a prominent family or a military hero; He chose "David his servant," a humble shepherd. God took him directly "from the sheepfolds," from the lowly task of tending "ewes with their lambs." This imagery is rich with meaning. David, the literal shepherd, becomes the metaphorical "shepherd of Jacob, his people, shepherd of Israel, his own special possession." This highlights the tender, protective, and guiding nature of David's rule, a stark contrast to the oppressive kings of other nations. He was chosen to care for God’s flock.

David’s qualities as a godly leader are then celebrated: "And David tended them with a pure heart and guided them with skillful hands." David’s leadership was characterized by a "pure heart" (or "integrity of heart"), signifying his inner devotion to God, his sincerity, and his genuine desire to lead righteously. This directly contrasts with the "deceitful hearts" and "unreliable" nature of previous generations (v. 37, 57). And his leadership was also practical and effective: he "guided them with skillful hands," possessing the wisdom, competence, and ability to govern justly and lead effectively. David represents the ideal leader, a true shepherd who embodies both spiritual integrity and practical wisdom.

Psalm 78, in its entirety, serves as a powerful didactic poem, a comprehensive history lesson designed to warn future generations against the sins of their ancestors—particularly unfaithfulness, testing God, and idolatry—and to anchor their hope in God’s unwavering faithfulness, His sovereign choices, and His ultimate provision of a righteous shepherd-king.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these concluding verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, these verses are a sobering reminder that inheriting blessings (like the Promised Land) does not guarantee faithfulness. Persistent rebellion and idolatry, even in a land flowing with milk and honey, provoke God's righteous anger and can lead to severe consequences, including the temporary abandonment of His presence.

Secondly, God is sovereign in His choices. He can "reject" one path (Shiloh, Ephraim) and "choose" another (Zion, Judah, David), demonstrating His freedom to work according to His perfect plan and to raise up leaders who are genuinely devoted to Him.

Thirdly, the ideal of the "shepherd-king" is crucial. David, chosen from tending sheep, faithfully led God's people with a "pure heart" and "skillful hands." This calls us to value leaders, in any sphere, who embody both integrity of character and practical competence, reflecting the heart of God. It also points to Jesus, the ultimate Good Shepherd.

Finally, Asaph’s entire psalm is a testament to the power of remembering and recounting God’s history. Learning from the triumphs and failures of the past is essential for breaking cycles of sin, setting our hope on God, and living faithfully for Him in our own generation.

Let us heed Asaph’s lesson, reflecting on our own hearts, and strive to be faithful, humble shepherds in our own spheres of influence, looking to the ultimate Shepherd-King, Jesus, who perfectly leads us with a pure heart and skillful hands.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this profound and comprehensive trek through the conclusion of Psalm 78. I trust that this exploration of Israel’s history, divine judgment, and God’s sovereign choices has deepened your understanding and encouraged your heart today. Join me again next time as we embark on a new segment of Wisdom-Trek, continuing to uncover the timeless truths of God's Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.