Psalms 78:40-72
The forgetfulness of His people and their ingratitude lead God to rehearse from the beginning all that He had done for them. The plagues of Egypt are recalled up to v. 51, then the exodus (v. 52), the journey (v. 53), and the entry of the people into Canaan (v. 54). V. 55 sums up the book of Joshua, while the subsequent verses take us back to the time of the Judges and the 1st book of Samuel. Vv. 60, 61 allude to the capture of the ark by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1-22). Then we see the Lord intervening again in a threefold way: He smites their enemies (v. 66); He sets aside the ten unfaithful tribes represented by Joseph and Ephraim (v. 67; historically it refers to the kingship of Saul and those who followed him: 2 Samuel 2:8-11). Finally Exodus 15:17 is fulfilled (v. 69) and Judah is exalted, because it is the royal tribe of David. The sovereign choice of God and His grace are magnified (cf. John 15:16; Romans 9:15), for nowhere is it mentioned that this tribe was any less guilty than the others. But Judah is indissolubly linked with the One who is the LORD’s anointed. It is moreover on this same basis that God chooses and loves us (v. 68: we belong to Christ, His well-Beloved; cf. John 17:6; John 17:9-10).