Psalms 78:2

2 I shall open my mouth in parables; I shall speak perfect reasons from the beginning (I shall speak perfect reasoning from the old days).

Psalms 78:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:2

I will open my mouth
Speak freely, boldly, and without reserve, ( Ephesians 6:19 ) , so Christ opened his mouth, ( Matthew 5:2 ) ,

in a parable;
not that what follows in this psalm was such, but what were delivered by our Lord in the days of his flesh, who spake many parables; as of the sower, and of tares, and of the grain of mustard seed, and many others, and without a parable he spake not, and so fulfilled what he here said he would do, ( Matthew 13:34 Matthew 13:35 ) ( Mark 4:33 Mark 4:34 ) .

I will utter dark sayings of old;
sayings that relate to things of old; meaning not to the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and what follows in the psalm, delivered, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe, in figurative and topical terms, as in ( Psalms 78:19 Psalms 78:21 Psalms 78:23-25 Psalms 78:61 ) , but to the things which were from the foundation of the world, as the phrase is rendered in ( Matthew 13:35 ) , spoken of Christ in his ministry, such as the fall of the angels, the ruin of man by Satan, the murder of Abel, Abraham's sight of his day with joy, and many things that were said by them of old, ( Luke 10:18 ) ( John 8:44 John 8:56 ) ( Matthew 23:35 ) ( 5:21 ) or rather this refers to the Gospel, and the sayings and doctrines of it, which were kept secret since the world began, ( Matthew 13:3 ) ( Romans 16:25 ) , yea, which were ordained before the world was, and therefore called the everlasting Gospel, ( 1 Corinthians 2:7 ) ( Revelation 14:6 ) and here in the Arabic version, "eternal mysteries"; such as concerning the everlasting love of God to his people, his everlasting choice of them, and everlasting covenant with them: and the sayings or doctrines of the Gospel may he called "dark", because secret, hidden, and mysterious; and were so under the legal dispensation, in comparison of the more clear light under the Gospel dispensation; they having been wrapped up in types and shadows, and in the rites and ceremonies of the law, but now held forth clearly and plainly in the ministry of Christ and his apostles, as in a glass: these Christ says he would "utter" or deliver out as water from a fountain, in great plenty, as he did; he came in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel; and being full of grace and truth, the doctrines of grace and truth, these came by him, and were delivered from him in all their fulness and glory.

Psalms 78:2 In-Context

1 The learning of Asaph. My people, perceive ye my law; bow your ear into the words of my mouth. (The teaching of Asaph. My people, listen ye to my teaching; bow down your ear to the words of my mouth.)
2 I shall open my mouth in parables; I shall speak perfect reasons from the beginning (I shall speak perfect reasoning from the old days).
3 How great things have we heard, and we have known those; and our fathers told to us. (What great things we have heard, and we have known; and our fathers told us.)
4 Those be not hid from the sons of them; in another generation. And they told the praisings of the Lord, and the virtues of him; and his marvels, which he did. (We will not hide these things from their sons and daughters; yea, from the generations to come. We shall tell out the praises of the Lord, and his strength, or his power; and the marvellous deeds which he did.)
5 And he raised witnessing in Jacob; and he setted law in Israel. How great things commanded he to our fathers, to make those known to their sons; (And he raised up a testimony in Jacob; and he set a law in Israel. He commanded to our fathers to make these things known to their sons and daughters;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.