Recount the Stories
“Recount the Stories”
Categories: Congregational Bible Reading
BIBLE READING: Psalm 78
“I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (Psalm 78:2–4)
Psalm 78 is a history lesson, recounting the events from the Exodus to David being appointed King. But before the psalmist dives off into these details, we learn why he feels compelled to do this. We have a responsibility to tell future generations about God. How else will they know? The psalmist does this by aligning present choices with real historical events and their outcomes. He doesn’t revise or omit history. He doesn’t clump it all into a broad, generalized statement of you messed up. He doesn’t sweep it to the side like it doesn’t matter. He cannot. Their history is full of failure and neglect. It shows judgment and wrath for the continual rejection of God and the pursuit of their own ways. It paints a bleak picture… but it also shows a merciful, patient, long suffering God. You cannot get to that without the ugliness. You will struggle to get there without the long standing history of Israel’s fumbling fickleness. You cannot get there without the history.
This is not only how we should treat recent history, but especially the history contained in the biblical account. Many of us have come to know this history and be changed by it (Romans 15.4). But it is our responsibility to both know and share it. This is our work of ministry. To our children and families. To those who will listen.
Many people today live with a narrow view of history and of God. We can serve them by telling the stories of God over time. When we tell the history of God with his people, future generations will learn to ‘set their hope in God… keep his commandments’ (78.7) and ‘NOT forget his works or repeat the failures of past generations’ (78.8). They will see that He does not change. He is merciful wishing that none should perish but that all should reach repentance.
That’s what he wants for everyone including you and me. But sometimes we find ourselves in rebellion to God through our choices and we need to repent. What will it take for us to learn? We must recount the stories of God with our name in the blanks. We must understand that God doesn’t change but we must. We must acknowledge our foolish pride and choose not to repeat the sins of the past generation. That’s why this psalm exists. To expose and instruct us towards faithfulness to the merciful, gracious, longsuffering, just, righteous, Most High God of Israel.