Show Don't Tell: Psalm 78

Instead of saying "Remember Israel's history to avoid their mistakes," watch the pattern repeat. A maskil of Asaph—the longest historical psalm. "My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD." Teaching the children what parents taught us. "They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him." Don't repeat the pattern. Then the history: "He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall." Sea walls. "He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas." Rock-water. "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved." Testing after miracles. "He rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Human beings ate the bread of angels." Bread from sky. "But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, God's anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them." Meat in mouths, judgment falling. The pattern: miracle, rebellion, judgment, mercy—repeated through Egypt, wilderness, conquest, and kingship.