Psalm 78 (77):62Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He articulated beautifully the reason for His rejection of His dwelling place when He spoke of residing among humanity. If they proved unworthy of His presence, what justification was there for Him to continue in the tabernacle, a structure not established for His own benefit but rather for those He now regarded as undeserving of His company? He allowed their strength and splendor to fall into the hands of their adversaries. The very Ark that they believed made them invincible, and of which they boasted, He refers to as their honor and beauty. Eventually, when they lived wickedly yet bragged about the Temple of the Lord, He struck fear into their hearts through the prophet, declaring, "See what I have done to Shiloh, where My dwelling was" (Jer. 7:12).

And confine your people with strength. The prisoners perished, discovering no assistance from anyone, as their neighbors were consumed by flames.

He handed them over to their adversaries due to their profound wickedness. The prophet referred to them as a treasured possession, highlighting the continual loving guidance they received from God. In a similar manner, the esteemed Moses described them, stating, ‘And the portion of the Lord was the portion of the Lord, his people Jacob: already his inheritance, Israel (Deuteronomy 32:9).’ The Prophet then lists the various forms of punishment.

The esteemed Moses referred to them as God's treasured possession, signifying their unique relationship with the Divine. He proclaimed, “Be, saith he, the portion of the Lord, his people Jacob, the lot of his inheritance Israel.”

The accusation against the Jewish people lies in the fact that, despite being recognized as God's chosen people through their ancestors, they were disregarded and constrained by divine judgment—not only through the physical conflicts of war but also by the piercing truth of Scripture. “The word of God is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Thus, the Scriptures are aptly described as a sword. How did God confine them? He did so by instituting a physical circumcision in the law while presenting a spiritual circumcision in the gospel; establishing a carnal Sabbath then and a spiritual Sabbath now. Bound by these regulations, they find themselves unable to enter the kingdom of God. This is further exemplified by the statement, “their young men were consumed by fire, and their virgins were not mourned.”

In this passage, another form of defeat is referenced, which took place during the time of Elijah, the high priest. Through the crossing of the Ark, God made it evident to the Israelites that His favor had been removed from them, a reality underscored by this very act. The divine wrath, symbolized here by the term fire, obliterated all that was noble among the Israelites. Sacred Scripture recounts that at Shiloh, up to thirty thousand of the chosen warriors of Israel fell to the sword of their adversaries (1 Kings 4:10; 1 Sam. 4:10). This defeat is further illustrated by the situation where the lack of young men resulted in the virgins remaining unmarried. Additionally, the priests, whom God had specifically placed under His protection, suffered alongside the populace without distinction. The idea that the widows, according to the Hebrew text, refrained from weeping can be interpreted in two ways: either they succumbed to their sorrow prematurely, or, captured by their foes, they were prohibited from expressing their grief.

This Psalm, attributed to David and rich in prophetic insight, was entrusted to Asaph, the head of the singers, for the purpose of making clear the countless blessings bestowed by God Almighty upon the ungrateful lineage of the Jews. It serves to admonish them for their lack of gratitude and to teach others the importance of being thankful for the profound mercy of God, particularly as manifested through Christ the Lord, who believes in His name. In this psalm, the prophet David speaks as though representing Christ to the Christian faithful, urging them to observe the Gospel's law. The wisdom conveyed in this psalm is applicable not only to the Jews but also to Christ's followers; the old covenant foreshadows the new.