I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Psalm 78:2 declares the teacher’s holy use of the mouth. Verse 1 called God’s people to give ear and incline their ears to the words of Asaph’s mouth. Now Asaph tells them what his mouth will do. He will not entertain curiosity, flatter Israel, or tell history as a bare record. He will open his mouth in a parable and utter dark sayings of old, so that Israel may learn God’s works, fear His judgments, remember His covenant, and teach the next generation.
“I will open my mouth.” The mouth is opened deliberately. Asaph does not speak rashly, proudly, or vainly. He opens his mouth as God’s instructor to the people. This is a noble use of words. The mouth may lie, flatter, murmur, boast, and deceive; but here the mouth is used to teach, warn, remember, and interpret the works of the LORD.
Matthew records the fulfillment. After the Lord Jesus taught the multitude by parables, Matthew wrote, “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:34-35). Asaph is that prophet, for Scripture calls him a seer (II Chronicles 29:30). The Holy Spirit, who moved him to write, explains his “dark sayings of old” as “things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” This makes the verse far greater. Asaph opened his mouth by the Spirit to teach Israel; Christ opened His mouth as the perfect Teacher, revealing the mysteries of the kingdom according to the will of God.
“In a parable.” A parable is instruction in a form that requires a hearing ear and an exercised heart. It reveals truth to the humble, but it is not designed to satisfy careless or rebellious hearers. Psalm 78 itself becomes such a parable: Israel’s history is not told for curiosity, but for doctrine, warning, and remembrance. Egypt, the wilderness, Ephraim, Shiloh, the ark, Judah, Zion, and David all become instruction. God’s past dealings are lessons for present faith.
This explains why Matthew applies the verse to Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:34-35). The Lord’s parables were not bare illustrations to make truth easy for every hearer. He said He spoke in parables because some, seeing, saw not, and hearing, heard not, neither did they understand (Matthew 13:13). To His disciples it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to hardened hearers the parables left them under the blindness they loved (Matthew 13:11-15). Asaph’s parable opened Israel’s history for obedient ears; Christ’s parables opened the mysteries of the kingdom for His disciples and left rebels without excuse.
This teaches how to read history in Scripture. The past is not dead. God’s works in former generations speak. Ephraim armed with bows yet turning back in battle is a parable of privilege without stedfastness (v.9). The Philistines smitten with reproach after capturing the ark are a parable of God’s jealous defence of His glory (v.66). History becomes wisdom when God explains it.
“I will utter.” The mouth not only opens; it utters. Truth must be brought out. Asaph will not leave the lessons buried in old events. He will speak them plainly enough for the people to hear and weightily enough for them to fear. Godly teaching gives words to the meaning of God’s works.
“Dark sayings.” These are weighty sayings that are not understood by careless hearers. They are not dark because God is unclear or deceitful, but because man is dull, forgetful, and slow to learn. Israel had seen wonders and still rebelled. They had eaten manna and still tempted God. They had watched judgment and still forgot His works. Dark sayings require a hearing ear and a remembering heart.
“Of old.” The lessons are ancient. Asaph reaches back to what fathers had heard, seen, and received. Old truth must not be despised because it is old. God’s former works are still profitable. What He did with Israel teaches later generations what to believe, what to fear, what to avoid, and where to set their hope.
This verse also teaches the duty of generational instruction. Dark sayings of old must be uttered, not buried. Children must hear more than stories; they must hear the meaning of God’s works. Fathers must not let God’s history become silent. A people that fails to teach the old works of God prepares a generation to turn back in the day of battle.
Psalm 78:2 therefore gives a holy pattern for teaching. Open the mouth, but open it with God’s truth. Speak history, but speak it as divine instruction. Tell old things, but tell them for present obedience. Above all, hear Jesus Christ, the perfect Teacher, who opened His mouth in parables and revealed the mysteries of the kingdom. Let every hearer give ear, lest privilege without understanding become rebellion without excuse.
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Psalm 78:2 declares the teacher’s holy use of the mouth. Verse 1 called God’s people to give ear and incline their ears to the words of Asaph’s mouth. Now Asaph tells them what his mouth will do. He will not entertain curiosity, flatter Israel, or tell history as a bare record. He will open his mouth in a parable and utter dark sayings of old, so that Israel may learn God’s works, fear His judgments, remember His covenant, and teach the next generation.
“I will open my mouth.” The mouth is opened deliberately. Asaph does not speak rashly, proudly, or vainly. He opens his mouth as God’s instructor to the people. This is a noble use of words. The mouth may lie, flatter, murmur, boast, and deceive; but here the mouth is used to teach, warn, remember, and interpret the works of the LORD.
Matthew records the fulfillment. After the Lord Jesus taught the multitude by parables, Matthew wrote, “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:34-35). Asaph is that prophet, for Scripture calls him a seer (II Chronicles 29:30). The Holy Spirit, who moved him to write, explains his “dark sayings of old” as “things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” This makes the verse far greater. Asaph opened his mouth by the Spirit to teach Israel; Christ opened His mouth as the perfect Teacher, revealing the mysteries of the kingdom according to the will of God.
“In a parable.” A parable is instruction in a form that requires a hearing ear and an exercised heart. It reveals truth to the humble, but it is not designed to satisfy careless or rebellious hearers. Psalm 78 itself becomes such a parable: Israel’s history is not told for curiosity, but for doctrine, warning, and remembrance. Egypt, the wilderness, Ephraim, Shiloh, the ark, Judah, Zion, and David all become instruction. God’s past dealings are lessons for present faith.
This explains why Matthew applies the verse to Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:34-35). The Lord’s parables were not bare illustrations to make truth easy for every hearer. He said He spoke in parables because some, seeing, saw not, and hearing, heard not, neither did they understand (Matthew 13:13). To His disciples it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to hardened hearers the parables left them under the blindness they loved (Matthew 13:11-15). Asaph’s parable opened Israel’s history for obedient ears; Christ’s parables opened the mysteries of the kingdom for His disciples and left rebels without excuse.
This teaches how to read history in Scripture. The past is not dead. God’s works in former generations speak. Ephraim armed with bows yet turning back in battle is a parable of privilege without stedfastness (v.9). The Philistines smitten with reproach after capturing the ark are a parable of God’s jealous defence of His glory (v.66). History becomes wisdom when God explains it.
“I will utter.” The mouth not only opens; it utters. Truth must be brought out. Asaph will not leave the lessons buried in old events. He will speak them plainly enough for the people to hear and weightily enough for them to fear. Godly teaching gives words to the meaning of God’s works.
“Dark sayings.” These are weighty sayings that are not understood by careless hearers. They are not dark because God is unclear or deceitful, but because man is dull, forgetful, and slow to learn. Israel had seen wonders and still rebelled. They had eaten manna and still tempted God. They had watched judgment and still forgot His works. Dark sayings require a hearing ear and a remembering heart.
“Of old.” The lessons are ancient. Asaph reaches back to what fathers had heard, seen, and received. Old truth must not be despised because it is old. God’s former works are still profitable. What He did with Israel teaches later generations what to believe, what to fear, what to avoid, and where to set their hope.
This verse also teaches the duty of generational instruction. Dark sayings of old must be uttered, not buried. Children must hear more than stories; they must hear the meaning of God’s works. Fathers must not let God’s history become silent. A people that fails to teach the old works of God prepares a generation to turn back in the day of battle.
Psalm 78:2 therefore gives a holy pattern for teaching. Open the mouth, but open it with God’s truth. Speak history, but speak it as divine instruction. Tell old things, but tell them for present obedience. Above all, hear Jesus Christ, the perfect Teacher, who opened His mouth in parables and revealed the mysteries of the kingdom. Let every hearer give ear, lest privilege without understanding become rebellion without excuse.