Psalm 78 (77):37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He discovered that there was a discrepancy between their spoken words and the intentions of their hearts. For those to whom the hidden deeds of humanity are exposed, He perceived what they cherished most without any obstruction. Consequently, the heart aligns itself with God when it pursues Him purely for His own sake. It longs for one thing from the Lord: to reside continuously in His sanctuary and reflect on His goodness.

Yet they vowed to love Him with dishonest expressions, for their thoughts opposed these declarations, reasoning within themselves against the divine laws and refusing to accept the sacred truths.

Yet their hearts were not aligned with Him. Their hearts were not in harmony with God. The same sentiment was expressed earlier when it was stated that a generation had not transformed its heart. They professed belief in His covenant, similar to the earlier assertion, and you shall not make your spirit secure with God. This was because they possessed no true faith in the promises that God had made to them.

The prophet Isaiah spoke critically of the Israelites, stating, ‘This people draw near to Me with their mouth and honour Me with their tongue, but their heart is far from Me’ (Isaiah 29:13). How does this become apparent? Many individuals still exist who profess to honour God solely through their words. This is evident when the prophet notes that ‘they were not faithful to His covenant’; their lack of constancy to God's commandments reveals their indifference towards Him, as well as a lack of genuine conscience. The Apostle Paul also addressed this issue, declaring that ‘they say they know God, but in deeds they deny it’ (Titus 1:16).

What unfortunate endeavors! What a display of ingratitude and unfairness! What a failure of wisdom! Given such conduct, what positive outcomes can one anticipate, either from the natural consequences of unkind actions, or from earthly justice, and in the absence of these, from divine justice, which cannot be evaded or deceived? - “Worse things shall come to pass!”

Through these expressions, the offense of the Israelites is heightened. When they were found guilty of their transgressions, although they acknowledged the righteousness of their suffering as a punishment, they failed to submit to God with a sincere heart; instead, they uttered curses against Him with their vile pretense. Such malevolence in them was indeed unforgivable. A person who is insane may not be aware of their foolish actions and could be forgiven; however, one who, when pressed to acknowledge their obligation, remains corrupt or pretends to amend their ways while quickly reverting to the same sinful behaviors, demonstrates true and incurable wickedness.

This Psalm attributed to David, rich in prophetic insight, was entrusted to Asaph, the head of the musicians, so that he could proclaim it for the comprehension of all, highlighting the countless blessings bestowed by God Almighty upon the ungrateful people of Israel. It reproaches them for their lack of gratitude and serves as a reminder to others to appreciate the immense and indescribable kindness of God, particularly as revealed through Christ the Lord, who believes in His name. Within this psalm, David speaks as a representative of Christ to Christian believers, urging them to pay attention to the teachings of the Gospel. The message found in this psalm once applied to the Jews, but now it resonates with the faithful followers of Christ: the old covenant foreshadows the new.