These are a Few of My Favorite Adversative Conjunctions - Psalm 78
February 16, 2023 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
I love adversative conjunctions because, most of the time, they exalt the power and grace of God. There are occasions in Scripture where the writer uses the adversative conjunction to highlight human sinfulness. Psalm 78 is one of those places where the writer does both.
Psalm 78 is 72 verses long, so it is too long to include the full text here. The psalm is a recounting of the exodus story and the 40 years of wandering afterwards. The psalmist states that his purpose is to educate the next generation and warn “that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation” (v. 8). The writer uses the adversative conjunction throughout the psalm to emphasize the utter foolishness and irrationality of human sin in contrast with the gracious work of God.
The psalmist begins by recounting the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the miraculous provision of water from a rock (v. 9-16). If anyone had a front row seat for such wonderful works, surely he would faithfully follow God, right? That is just the irony emphasized with an adversative conjunction in verse 17. The writer says, “Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.” The people complained and did not trust in God.
What would be a “normal” response to such an ungrateful and complaining spirit? You and I would probably cut off the relationship and find people who appreciate the things we give. If it were our children, we would discipline them. But God? Even though he would have been perfectly just to abandon the Israelites in the wilderness, he graciously provided for them. Psalm 78 highlights this in verse 23, “Yet he commands the skies above and opened the doors of heaven…” God provided manna and quail to satisfy the cravings of the people.
Now the people would be grateful, right? Unfortunately, no. Verse 32 reads, “In spite of all this, they still sinned, despite his wonders, they did not believe.” The adversative conjunction, this time a phrase, “in spite of all this,” stresses the absurdity of human sin. God is abundantly gracious, and yet, people still rebel against him! The psalmist continues this contrast between the compassion and grace of God with the rebellion of the people through the end of the psalm.
What benefit can we glean from this emphasis?
- We must admit that we are no different from the Israelites. God graciously provides for our needs and time and time again we rebel against him. We don’t love him as we should. We don’t trust him as we should. We don’t give thanks as we should. We tend to complain. We tend to forget. We are no better. Psalm 78 is a lesson on the depravity of sin. Anytime we begin to think we are better than any other person, we need this reminder. We have never, and will never, deserve God’s gracious provision for our needs.
- The contrast exalts the goodness of God all the more! The whole point of the grammatical use of adversative conjunctions is to shine the spotlight on the astonishing nature of God’s grace. It should blow our minds! The psalmist composed Psalm 78 to teach the next generation “the glorious deeds of the Lord” (v. 4). Will we learn such a lesson?
Careful Bible reading, which involves paying attention to the words and the grammatical constructions used, will lead us deeper into knowing our magnificent God. What do you pay attention to when you read the Bible?
