Psalms 78:65

[kenan]

Psalms 78:65 - "Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine."

Does this verse suggest that our Lord was in a drunken sleep?

 

[cyberjosh]

No, infact it poetically speaks of how suddenly God reacted, as one startled suddenly from sleep and the accompanying cry of surprise which is loud (and drunken men almost always talk loud). This speaks of an outbreak and reaction to an event. And the context is God punishing his people, in reaction to their sin. It is a metaphor given in human terms to describe how God reacted. If it helps you, picture how Samson reacted when Delilah suddenly woke him saying, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" and he awoke like a "mighty man" suddenly, and snapped the cords holding his hair suddenly and violently, mostly effortlessly. The Lord does not have the caprices and limitations of mankind, but the way He reacts under His own knowledge and will (while never being truly surprised) can be compared to ways man reacts to their circumstances, thus the figure of speech empoyed here.

Also in my sig you will see that it says that God is a "man of war" yet elsewhere God clearly says that he is not a man (that he should lie - Numbers 23:19). Rather "man of war" is an anthropomorphic phrase meant to be taken as a figure of speech.

Hope that helps.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[kenan]

Yep that does help, thanks :D

 

[GraceBwithU]

Psalms 78:65 - "Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine."

Does this verse suggest that our Lord was in a drunken sleep?

"Then the Lord awaked"

He seemed as if he had totally disregarded what was done to his people, and the reproach that seemed to fall on himself and his worship by the capture of the ark.

"Like a mighty man"

Like a hero that shouteth by reason of wine. One who, going forth to meet his enemy, having taken a sufficiency of wine to refresh himself, and become a proper stimulus to his animal spirits, shouts-gives the war-signal for the onset; impatient to meet the foe, and sure of victory. The idea is not taken from the case of a drunken man. A person in such a state would be very unfit to meet his enemy, and could have little prospect of conquest.

"That shouteth by reason of wine"

The proper idea here is that of singing, or lifting up the voice in exultation and rejoicing; the idea of a man who sings and shouts as he is excited by wine, and as he presses onward to conflict and to victory. It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to compare God, as he goes forth to accomplish his purposes on his enemies, with a warrior.

Hope this also helps. :wink:

 

[kenan]

it does, cheers :D

 

[marsie]

In verse 65, the psalmist is singing in a poetic, non-literal sense about how God went from the state of watching his people reject him, to the state of taking action for his people.

Verse 65 sounds like God takes naps and doesn't pay attention to what's going on in the world he created -- but God is almighty and he is not bound by human characteristics that we are limited to (like tiredness) because he is not human.

Psalm chapter 78 tells how God delivered his people out of Egypt (after the ten plagues), led them through the desert, took care of them and loved them, but they kept rejecting him and forgetting him. So God watched and got hurt byhow his people rejected him and turned to idols -- and then God "awoke as from sleep" and took action to show them once again how much he loves them by beating their enemies (v66), building a sanctuary to stay closer to them (v68), choosing his servant David to lead them and shepherd them (v70-72).

God is patient and loving and kind -- so he waits patiently for our hearts to turn to him. But God also takes action when he is tired of watching us go down the wrong path. Hence he "awakes as from sleep" and comes closer to us and leads us back to him.

Thank you Lord, for waiting so patiently for a sinner like me. Even though I always end up forgetting your power and goodness over my life, you always take action to show me (sometimes shaking me) that you are my Lord. Thank you for sending Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away my sins and leads me back to you!

One Word: Jesus is the action that God took to save us.

 

[marsie]

In verse 65, the psalmist is singing in a poetic, non-literal sense about how God went from the state of watching his people reject him, to the state of taking action for his people.

Verse 65 sounds like God takes naps and doesn't pay attention to what's going on in the world he created -- but God is almighty and he is not bound by human characteristics that we are limited to (like tiredness) because he is not human.

Psalm chapter 78 tells how God delivered his people out of Egypt (after the ten plagues), led them through the desert, took care of them and loved them, but they kept rejecting him and forgetting him. So God watched and got hurt byhow his people rejected him and turned to idols -- and then God "awoke as from sleep" and took action to show them once again how much he loves them by beating their enemies (v66), building a sanctuary to stay closer to them (v68), choosing his servant David to lead them and shepherd them (v70-72).

God is patient and loving and kind -- so he waits patiently for our hearts to turn to him. But God also takes action when he is tired of watching us go down the wrong path. Hence he "awakes as from sleep" and comes closer to us and leads us back to him.

Thank you Lord, for waiting so patiently for a sinner like me. Even though I always end up forgetting your power and goodness over my life, you always take action to show me (sometimes shaking me) that you are my Lord. Thank you for sending Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away my sins and leads me back to you!

One Word: Jesus is the action that God took to save us.