John Calvin Commentary Psalms 78:1

"Give ear, O my people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth." — Psalms 78:1 (ASV)

Give ear, O my people, to my law. From the end of the psalm, it can likely be conjectured that it was written long after David's death, for there we find celebrated the kingdom established by God in David's family. There also the tribe of Ephraim, which is said to have been rejected, is contrasted with and set in opposition to the house of David. From this it is evident that the ten tribes were at that time separated from the rest of the chosen people, for there must be some good reason why the kingdom of Ephraim is branded with a mark of dishonor as being illegitimate and bastard.

Whoever the inspired writer of this psalm was, he does not introduce God speaking, as some think, but he himself addresses the Jews in the character of a teacher. It is no objection to this that he calls the people his people and the law his law, since it was not uncommon for the prophets to borrow the name of Him by whom they were sent, so that their doctrine might have greater authority.

Indeed, the truth committed to their trust can properly be called theirs. Thus Paul, in Romans 2:16, glories in the gospel as his gospel—an expression not to be understood as implying that it was a system that originated with him, but that he was a preacher and a witness of it.

I am somewhat doubtful whether interpreters are strictly correct in translating the word תורה (torah) as law. Its meaning seems to be somewhat more general, as appears from the following clause, where the Psalmist uses the phrase the words of my mouth in the same sense.

If we consider how inattentively even those who profess to be disciples of God listen to His voice, we will admit that the prophet had good reason to introduce his lessons of instruction with a solemn call for attention.

It is true, he does not address the unteachable and obstinate, who stubbornly refuse to submit to the word of God. But since even true believers themselves are generally too reluctant to receive instruction, this exhortation, far from being superfluous, was highly necessary to stir up the sluggish and inactive among them.

To secure greater attention, he declares his purpose to discuss profound and difficult subjects. The word משל (mashal), which I have translated a parable, denotes serious and striking sentences, such as adages, proverbs, and pithy sayings. Since the subject matter itself, if it is weighty and important, awakens people's minds, the inspired writer affirms his purpose to utter only striking sentences and notable sayings.

The word חידות (chidoth), which, following others, I have rendered enigmas, is used here not so much for obscure sentences as for sayings that are pointed and worthy of special notice. He does not intend to obscure his song with ambiguous language, but to dwell clearly and distinctly on both God's benefits and the people's ingratitude.

Rather, as I have said, his design is to stimulate his readers to weigh and consider the proposed subject more attentively. This passage is quoted by Matthew (Matthew 13:35) and applied to Christ, when He kept the people's minds in suspense with parables they could not understand.

Christ’s object in doing so was to prove that He was a distinguished prophet of God, and so that He might be received with greater reverence. Since He then resembled a prophet because He preached sublime mysteries in a style of language above the ordinary, what the sacred writer here affirms concerning himself is properly transferred to Him.

If such majesty shines forth in this psalm that it may justly stir up and inflame readers with a desire to learn, we gather from it how earnestly we should receive the gospel, in which Christ opens and displays to us the treasures of His celestial wisdom.