Singing helps pull out our emotions. Songs stick with us and often we remember them to help us in times of need. Many of the songs we sing remind us of Biblical history and tell us about who God is and how He influences our lives. Paul says in Colossians 3:16 that we teach and admonish one another as we sing.
In Psalm 78 we are encouraged to not only remember the might deeds of the LORD but to share them with the generations to come. Passing on the stories of God’s faithfulness is a vital part of what we do. There are good reasons God wants us to do this:
1. Forgetting brings disaster. Ps. 78:9-66. The Israelites forgot God and His works. Judges 2 tells us of this very thing. When Joshua dies and all the elders who had been with him die, the people forgot God. The rest of the book of Judges is a repetitive cycle of the people forgetting God, God raising up a judge, the people repent and then eventually fall back into idolatry. This Psalm also talks about the importance of teaching our children so they will not forget. We teach them songs to help them remember. It’s the basis of the hope we have for those people who knew the truth and turned away. We hope the things they learned, buried in their memories, will eventually raise to the surface and cause them to repent . All these stories are meant to teach us to trust in God.
2. Remembering brings hope. Psalm 78:7. We tell the stories to the next generation to give them hope. Despite difficulties and trials, those who remember who God is can face all that. There is redemption in the Lord.
3. Jesus remembered. Psalm 22; 31:5. Jesus sees Himself in the stories of Israel, only He’s going to do things the right way. Even on the cross, He is teaching by the passages He quotes, and He is stating His trust in God. He feels the abandonment of God but still exclaims His faith in God. He quotes Psalm 22 which is a Psalm of trust in God.
Sermon by Brent Moody
