Psalm 78, one of the longest in the psalter, stands as an extended meditation on the history of God’s saving work among God’s people, the people of Israel.  As the Psalm outlines, God “worked marvels,” “divided the sea,” led the people “with a cloud,” gave them the “grain of heaven,” “brought them in safety,” “built his sanctuary like the high heavens,” and “chose his servant David” (NRSV).  This recitation of the works of the Lord has a very clear purpose: to teach the next generation, “so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God” (78:7-8).  We might think of this psalm as an early “Sunday School lesson,” which served the vital liturgical function of teaching the children what they need to know about the God of Israel.

Hebrew Bible scholar Konrad Schaefer offers this probing analysis: “The poet introduces the reflection as a parable and ‘dark sayings’ or enigmas (78:2).  He or she intends to review God’s benefactions, the people’s failure to respond ade-

quately, and God’s loyalty (3-6).  Tradition is, besides a lesson, a ‘decree’ of God, who revealed himself and intended this revelation to be handed on.  The purpose of the instruction is that the next generation not repeat the past but rather stay loyal to God (7-8), that they not ‘forget’ but ‘remember’ (7, 11, 35, 39, 42).  To ‘forget’ God is a capital crime and the major theme of this psalm” (Schaefer, Berit Olam Series: Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry, p. 192).

For the ancient Israelites, it is clear that children and young people play a crucial role in society.  In each generation, to them is given the task of learning, remembering, and retelling the character of their God and the history of their

salvation.  For example, in Deuteronomy 6 – which continues to this day to function as a central part of Jewish prayer – God commands the people of Israel: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.  Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise” (Deut. 6:4-7, emphasis added).  Thus, the society had both the grave responsibility and the joyous opportunity to consistently engage in teaching children about God.  This teaching was to take place at all times and places, and the extent to which leaders failed to properly instruct young people became, in time, the extent to which society forgot the Lord.  

BY CHRIS LIU BEERS, PROGRAM ASSOCIATE,