Flying into San Diego, I snapped this shot. The light shining on the hills along with the water in the distance and the wing of the plane in the foreground helped me to reflect on this passage. The Psalmist described God’s mighty works to the children of Israel. He delivered them (safe passage), he illuminated their way (pillar of fire), and he met their daily need (water). When you read the gospel of John, Jesus clearly proclaims his deity. He delivers us from sin (the way to the Father), he claims to be the light of the world (which helps us navigate through spiritual darkness), and he is the living water (eternally satiating our spiritual thirst). Will we trust his saving power? – Teresa #beamazed #besteadfast #befaithul #believe”panisangelicus”

Psalm 78

1

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2 

I will open my mouth in a parable;

    I will utter dark sayings from of old,

3 

things that we have heard and known,

    that our fathers have told us.

4 

We will not hide them from their children,

    but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

    and the wonders that he has done.

5 

He established a testimony in Jacob

    and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

    to teach to their children,

6 

that the next generation might know them,

    the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

7 

    so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

    but keep his commandments;

8 

and that they should not be like their fathers,

    a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 

The Ephraimites, armed with[b] the bow,

    turned back on the day of battle.

10 

They did not keep God’s covenant,

    but refused to walk according to his law.

11 

They forgot his works

    and the wonders that he had shown them.

12 

In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders

    in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

13 

He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

    and made the waters stand like a heap.

14 

In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

    and all the night with a fiery light.

15 

He split rocks in the wilderness

    and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

16 

He made streams come out of the rock

    and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17 

Yet they sinned still more against him,

    rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18 

They tested God in their heart

    by demanding the food they craved.

19 

They spoke against God, saying,

    “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

20 

He struck the rock so that water gushed out

    and streams overflowed.

Can he also give bread

    or provide meat for his people?”

21 

Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;

    a fire was kindled against Jacob;

    his anger rose against Israel,

22 

because they did not believe in God

    and did not trust his saving power.

23 

Yet he commanded the skies above

    and opened the doors of heaven,

24 

and he rained down on them manna to eat

    and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 

Man ate of the bread of the angels;

    he sent them food in abundance.

26 

He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

    and by his power he led out the south wind;

27 

he rained meat on them like dust,

    winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28 

he let them fall in the midst of their camp,

    all around their dwellings.

29 

And they ate and were well filled,

    for he gave them what they craved.

30 

But before they had satisfied their craving,

    while the food was still in their mouths,

31 

the anger of God rose against them,

    and he killed the strongest of them

    and laid low the young men of Israel.

Footnotes:

a Psalm 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term

b Psalm 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

John 14:6 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

John 8:12 (ESV)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

John 4:10-14 (ESV)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:10-14

John 6:35 (ESV)

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. – John 6:35