Psalms 78:33-48: a reflection

33Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. 34When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly. 35They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer. 36But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. 37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant. 38But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath. 39He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again. 40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert! 41They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 42They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary; 43how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan, 44he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink. 45He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. 46He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust. 47He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost. 48He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

As this psalm recounts Israel's repeated turning and returning to God, insincere and half-hearted, it names a tender reason for God's patience with them: he remembered that they were but flesh. Their hearts were not right with him; they flattered him with their mouths and lied with their tongues; again and again they rebelled. And yet, the psalm says, he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn't destroy them; many times he turned his anger away. Why such patience with such a people? He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn't come again. God took account of their frailty; he remembered how weak and fleeting they were, and dealt with them gently for it. God remembers our frailty; he knows we are but flesh, weak and passing, and his dealings with us are tempered by that knowledge, gentle toward our weakness.

Notice the reason given for God's patience: he remembered that they were but flesh. Israel had given God every reason to deal harshly with them; their repentance was shallow, their hearts unfaithful, their rebellion repeated. Yet God was merciful, forgave, turned his anger away again and again. And the psalm gives the reason: he remembered that they were but flesh, weak, fleeting, a passing wind. God took account of their frailty in his dealings with them. He did not forget how weak and mortal they were, and this knowledge tempered his response, made him gentle where he might have been severe. This tells us something tender about God: he remembers what we are, our frailty, our weakness, our mortality, and deals with us mindful of it. He does not hold us to the standard of the strong when he knows we are but flesh; he remembers our frame, and is gentle. God's mindfulness of our frailty tempers his dealings with us. He knows we are dust, and deals with us accordingly.

That is worth resting in, for God remembers our frailty and deals with us gently, mindful that we are but flesh. We can fear that God expects of us a strength we do not have, that he forgets how weak and frail we are and will deal with us harshly for our failures; but the psalm says God remembered that his people were but flesh, and was gentle and patient with them for it. God knows our frailty; he remembers we are dust, weak and passing, and tempers his dealings with us accordingly. When you fear God expects more strength than you have, remember that he knows you are but flesh, and deals with you gently. Rest in the truth that God remembers your frailty and deals with you gently, mindful that you are but flesh, as the psalm says he forgave his people and turned his anger away because he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away; for God does not forget how weak and fleeting we are but takes account of our frailty in his dealings with us, tempering his response and being gentle where he might be severe, so that we need not fear he expects of us a strength we do not have, for he knows we are dust and remembers our frame.

Lord, as this psalm recounts Israel's repeated turning and returning to you, insincere and half-hearted, it names a tender reason for your patience with them: you remembered that they were but flesh. Their hearts were not right with you; they flattered you with their mouths and lied with their tongues; again and again they rebelled. And yet, the psalm says, you, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn't destroy them; many times you turned your anger away. Why such patience with such a people? You remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn't come again. You took account of their frailty; you remembered how weak and fleeting they were, and dealt with them gently for it. Show me the reason given for your patience: you remembered that they were but flesh. Israel had given you every reason to deal harshly with them; their repentance was shallow, their hearts unfaithful. Yet you were merciful, forgave, turned your anger away again and again. And the psalm gives the reason: you remembered that they were but flesh, weak, fleeting. You took account of their frailty. You did not forget how weak and mortal they were, and this knowledge tempered your response. This tells me something tender about you: you remember what I am, my frailty, my weakness, and deal with me mindful of it. You know I am dust. Let me rest in that, for you remember my frailty and deal with me gently, mindful that I am but flesh. I can fear that you expect of me a strength I do not have, that you forget how weak and frail I am and will deal with me harshly for my failures; but the psalm says you remembered that your people were but flesh. When I fear you expect more strength than I have, help me remember that you know I am but flesh, Lord, and deal with me gently, remembering my frame.