The Super Epic Psalms book 3 (Psalms 78 and 89, the 2nd and 3rd longest Psalms)

Book 3 has the 2nd and 3rd longest Psalms in the book of
Psalms. Book 3 is poetically like Leviticus. Both will
support that.
Book 3 of Psalms
Psalms 73 through 89

Both songs sung in the ﬁrst person and can be
thought of as Jesus singing about his work
Book 3 of Psalms
Psalms 78 and 89

• Psalm 78 A history of Israel’s sins and points to a
redeemer - a way back to holiness
• Psalm 89 Following the darkest lament in Psalms
(Ps 88), there is a song about the anointed and his
covenant (Ps 89) - a resurrection following the
ultimate sacriﬁce.
Book 3 of Psalms
Psalms 78 and 89

A super epic song of Israel’s history
and a person who is a parable
and tells parables
The 2nd longest Epic Psalms
of Psalms with 72 verses
Psalm 78

The gospel of Matthew has a many parables together
in chapter 13 with a tie in to the Old Testament which
was from Psalm 78:2
“I will open my mouth in parables
I will utter what has been hidden since the creation of
the world” Matt 13:34
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus
Psalm 78

Jesus had parables and was a parable.
He recapitulated the history Israel but being sinless, ,
he relived it getting it right as far as godliness and
holiness
He is the hope of holiness for others and the good
shepherd pointed to, the son of David.
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus
Psalm 78

This could be the Levite Asaph (Asaph the seer) who
David appointed to sing before the Ark when it was on
Mount Zion before the temple was made
Could be one of the tribe of Asaph who were musicians in
the temple
The author is Asaph
Psalm 78

In and on History
a ‘historical’ Psalm
This is a historical psalm. There are 3:
• Psalm 78 recounts Israel’s sins,
(particularly after the Exodus) pointing to
a son of David
• Psalm 105 A history of God’s faithfulness
• Psalm 106 A history of Israel’s
unfaithfulness
The Psalms paint a picture of moral need
with a faithful God and promise of a good sheered

Psalm 78, opens with a call to listen.
“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

I will open my mouth in parables…”

Psalm 78 - the 2nd longest Psalm in Psalms with 72 verses
First - reading as about Israel
Outline
• It’s important to pass on godly knowledge as a safeguard for children
• God was faithful but Israel’s history is given in terms of lists of
unwarranted sins here. No false sense of security offered here.
• The solution, it seems is not in themselves but in the coming son of David
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus
We can read this correctly three ways
about us, about Israel, about Jesus

Second - reading as about us
Outline
• It’s important to pass on godly knowledge as a safeguard for children
• We should not have a false sense of security and human nature is prone
to wander
• The solution is not in ourselves but in the Son of David
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus

Third - Reading as about Jesus
Outline
• Jesus opens his mouth in parables (and quoted such in the gospels)
• Jesus recapitulated the history of Israel, getting it right without sin
• Jesus is the son of David who will is a good shepherd
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus

Memorable words, phrases, key verses
I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old, (vs 2)

spoken in the ﬁrst person and quoted in the gospels

about Jesus use of parables

… he commanded our fathers

    to teach to their children,

that the next generation might know them,

    the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

    so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God… (vs 5-7)

He drove out nations before them;

    he apportioned them for a possession

    and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God

    and did not keep his testimonies, (vs 55-56)

One of many such statements recounted

see other God’s faithfulness contrasted with Israel’s sins in

vs 10-11, 17-20, 31-32, 36-37, 42-43,

Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

    they were not faithful to his covenant.

Yet he, being compassionate,

    atoned for their iniquity

    and did not destroy them;

he restrained his anger often

    and did not stir up all his wrath. (vs 37-38)

God is patient, compassionate, merciful and long suﬀering

For they provoked him to anger with their high places;

they moved him to jealousy with their idols.

When God heard, he was full of wrath,

and he utterly rejected Israel. (vs 58-59)

utterly rejected is a strong statement

He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,

like the earth, which he has founded forever. (vs 69)

The moral failures of man will not stop God from

accomplishing his purposes

In and on History
a ‘historical’ Psalm
Psalm 78 recounts a history of moral failures particularly
in the time surrounding and following the Exodus and wandering
in the dessert during the life of Moses. It ends with God
choosing the shepherd king David.
( This pattern continued in the time of Judges
and also leading to the times of judgement of the southern kingdoms
sent to Assyria and the northern kingdom sent to Babylon. )

What you see about God:
• God is rock, redeemer
• God’s faithfulness is contrasted with man’s
unfaithfulness
• God deals with sin and has wrath
• God is merciful and long suffering
• God atones for sin
• God will ‘establish his sanctuary’ forever
• God sent a gentle shepherd in David
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus

In the closing verse in a stark contrast to a history of
sinning we are reminded of how David
was a gentle shepherd (and points us forward
to the good shepherd)
( vs 70 -72)
He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
    to shepherd Jacob his people,
    Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
    and guided them with his skillful hand.

A super epic song of the anointed. He is the
Messiah, the anointed and said so three times. In
his covenant his seeds are blessed
Their security is not in themselves but in Jesus
as God will never abandon them because of
his covenant with Jesus.
The 3rd longest Epic Psalms
of Psalms with 52 verses
Psalm 89

Psalm 88 is the bleakest of all Psalms with no
upturn. Psalm 89 starts on a note of praise
and ends on a bleak note (unusual for Psalms)
Together they portend the death of Jesus
and look forward to a resurrection
The author is Ethan
Along with Heman of Psalm 88, Ethan was among the wisest in the land.
Psalm 89

Psalm 89, opens with praise spoken as I, in the ﬁrst person singular
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever

You have said, “I have made a covenant with my
chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant
(vs 3)
(like Psalm 78, Psalm 89 reminds us of God’s
promise to always have a descendent of Davis on the
throne)

I will establish his oﬀspring forever

and his throne as the days of heaven (vs 29)
(cannot say it stronger than ‘as the days of heaven’)

If his children forsake my law
    and do not walk according to my rules,

if they violate my statutes

    and do not keep my commandments,

then I will punish their transgression with the rod

    and their iniquity with stripes,

but I will not remove from him my steadfast love

    or be false to my faithfulness.

I will not violate my covenant

    or alter the word that went forth from my lips. (vs 30-34)

I will not violate my covenant

    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;

    I will not lie to David.

His oﬀspring shall endure forever,

    his throne as long as the sun before me.

(vs 34-36 )
(those taking refuge in him are secure because of him not themselves)

I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers

He shall cry out to me ‘My Father

and the rock of my Salvation

and I will make him my ﬁrstborn

the highest of the kings of the earth

(vs 25-26)
( David never was recorded as calling God father )

You have renounced your covenant

with your servant

and have deﬁled his crown in the dust

(vs 30)
(His covenant secure but the head the king will suffer
humiliation and did at the cross)

Remember how the servants are mocked…
blessed be the Lord forever (again sayin ‘I’ , speaking in
ﬁrst person singular as the Psalm started)
Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
and how I bear in my heart the insults[f] of all the
many nations,
with which your enemies mock, O Lord,
with which they mock the footsteps of your
anointed.
Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
(vs 50 - 52 )

Psalm 78 points to the work of Jesus as good
shepherd
Psalm (88 and) 89 the levitical books of Psalms (Book
2 - poetically Exodus and Book 3 - poetically Leviticus)
end pointing to the ultimate sacriﬁce of Jesus death
and resurrection.
Psalm 89 points to the covenant of the anointed
which is the new covenant in Jesus based on the work
of Jesus, the anointed.
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus

Conclusion - tying it together:
• two songs pointing to Jesus
• both 78 and 89 are reminders of God’s
sure promises to David
• both reminders of the work of the messiah,
the son of David
• both sung in the ﬁrst person, literally
songs of Jesus
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus

The Super Epic Psalms book 3 (Psalms 78 and 89, the 2nd and 3rd longest Psalms)

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