Psalm 78 (77):61Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He articulately conveyed the reason for His rejection of the tabernacle when He stated that He chose to dwell among humanity. When they proved unworthy of His presence, it was fitting that He would forsake the tabernacle, which He had not established for His own sake, but rather for those whom He regarded as unworthy to reside with. He delivered their strength and splendor into the hands of their adversaries. The very Ark, which they believed granted them invincibility and upon which they took pride, He referred to as their virtue and glory. Ultimately, after they had led immoral lives and boasted of the temple of the Lord, He filled them with dread through the prophet, declaring, "See what I have done to Selom, where my tabernacle was" (Jer. 7:12).

Their stronghold and their virtues were taken captive. Their stronghold and their virtues was the community, which fell into the hands of the people of Azotus.

Due to their power and righteousness, the prophet refers to the community. Ophni and Phinehas, having carried it to assist their fellow tribespeople, faced consequences for their wrongdoings. However, the ark was seized by the foreigners as a prized possession, and they presented it as an offering to Dagon, the idol they worshiped. (1 Sam. 4, 1 Sam. 5)

Some interpret the term fortress and goodness as referring to the valiant Jews in battle, yet it is more fitting to understand it as the sacred tabernacle itself, which provided strength and served as a source of beauty for the people.

The text continues to address the tabernacle, which represented the strength and splendor of the people due to its sacred practices. This Tabernacle was delivered into captivity, not by human hands, but rather to a mental adversary; thus, only one enemy is referenced, highlighting that this pertains to a distinct foe. Some translators have sought to clarify this by rendering the phrase as being given into the hands of the adversary or the tormentor. The tabernacle was entrusted to this enemy because it had been tainted by the actions of the priests and had become disgraceful, lacking any divine worthiness, possessing only that which belonged to the foe it was surrendered to. Do not be surprised by this; for Isaiah also foretold concerning the ancient Jerusalem that God would hand it over to demons, sirens, and mythical creatures (Isaiah 13:21).

Once more, the prophet illustrates that God, observing the people brazenly pursuing sin and taking advantage of His patience, ultimately enacted severe punishment upon those who scorned Him. The analogy drawn from earthly judges frequently appears in Scripture; when it attributes hearing to God, it does not imply He requires examination. Rather, it signifies that He does not execute His judgments hastily or arbitrarily, preventing anyone from perceiving Him as impulsive. The essence of the message is that the people, persisting in their wickedness, exceeded all limits, causing their cries to ascend to heaven. The gravity of their transgressions is evident through the magnitude of their punishment.

This Psalm of David, rich in prophetic insight, was entrusted to Asaph, the leader of the singers, so that he might proclaim it for the enlightenment of all regarding the countless blessings bestowed by God Almighty upon the ungrateful lineage of the Jews. It admonishes them for their thanklessness and teaches others to express gratitude for the boundless compassion of God, particularly as manifested through Christ the Lord, who believes in His name. In this psalm, the prophet David speaks as if representing Christ to the believers, urging them to pay attention to the Gospel's teachings. The message of this psalm holds significance not only for the Jews but also for Christ's faithful: the old covenant serves as a foreshadowing of the new covenant.