Words, Words, Words

Psalm 78:34-39

34When God killed some of them, the rest finally sought him.

They repented and turned to God.

35Then they remembered that God was their rock,

that their redeemer was the Most High.

36But they followed him only with their words;

they lied to him with their tongues.

37Their hearts were not loyal to him.

They did not keep his covenant.

38Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins

and didn’t destroy them all.

Many a time he held back his anger

and did not unleash his fury!

39For he remembered that they were merely mortal,

gone in a moment like a breath of wind, never to return.

The prophet Hosea was called by God to marry an unfaithful woman. Can you imagine the ups and downs of Hosea’s relationship? There must have been times when his wife came running back to him spouting apologies, but then she would dash his hopes by wandering after yet another lover. Could he ever believe what she said?

The pain Hosea felt mirrored the pain that God felt as his beloved bride, Israel, turned away from him. In Hosea 6:1 the prophet tries to put words of repentance in the mouth of his people: “Come let us return to the Lord!” But a few verses later we see the Lord shaking his head: “What should I do with you? . . . For your love vanishes like the morning mist.”

In the history lesson of Psalm 78, we find the Israelites following the Lord “only with their words.” They knew what to say, but they didn’t know how to live. They would come to God’s Temple with sacrifices, but they would not offer him their hearts. “I want you to be merciful,” God said through Hosea and others. “I don’t want your sacrifices” (Hosea 6:6). The people were going through the motions, but not letting God’s emotions go through them.

Many of us still live like that. God wants a deep, passionate, loving relationship with you. Don’t be like the Israelites and turn away from such a wonderful gift.

Nought can I bring Thee, Lord, for all I owe;

Yet let my full heart give what it can bestow;

Myself my gift; let my devotion prove,

Forgiven greatly, how I greatly love.

SAMUEL JOHN STONE

Bible Networking

It may be helpful to read Hosea 5:15–6:6 along with this part of Psalm 78, for both passages speak of God’s mercy toward his people’s unfaithfulness.

Notable Quotable

“[The Israelites] wanted God’s blessing and their own way. Yet, [God] was compassionate.”

JOHN I. DURHAM