At our Sunday night service (yes, some churches still have those) we sang Psalm 78 (at least we sang the first eight verses) as praise to God, and to remind each other of the responsibility that God has given to each of us to raise our children in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” The Psalmist speaks of “not hiding God’s sayings from our sons,” of “telling the race to come of Yahweh’s praises and strength,” of encouraging those “yet unborn…to trust in God, recall God’s works, and His commandments heed,” and to not be faithless as so many of their fathers were.
We sang this wonderful Psalm to the tune, ELLENCOMBE.
O ye my people, to my law
Attentively give ear;
The words that from my mouth proceed
Incline yourselves to hear.
My mouth shall speak a parable,
The sayings dark of old,
Which we have listened to and known
As by our fathers told.
We will not hide them from their sons
But tell the race to come
Jehovah’s praises and His strength,
The wonders He has done.
His word He unto Jacob gave,
His law to Is-ra-el,
And bade our fathers teach their sons
The coming race to tell,
That children yet unborn might know
And their descendants lead
To trust in God, recall God’s works,
And His commandments heed,
And not be like their fathers were,
A race of stubborn mood,
Which never would prepare its heart
Nor keep its faith with God.
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