Day 177 – Forgiveness

Psalm 78:1 (A Contemplation of Asaph.) Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, telling the generation to come the praises of JEHOVAH, His strength and the wonderful works He did. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; 6 that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 that they may set their hope in Elohiym, and not forget the works of Elohiym, but keep His commandments; 8 and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to Elohiym.

 9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. 10 They did not keep the covenant of Elohiym; they refused to walk in His law, 11 and forgot His works and His wonders He had shown them. 12 Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; and He made the water stand up like a heap. 14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, and throughout the night with a light of fire. 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them to drink in abundance like the depths. 16 He also brought streams out of the rock and caused water to run down like rivers. 17 However, they sinned even more against Him by rebelling against Elyown in the wilderness. 18 They tested Elohiym in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy. 19 Yes, they spoke against Elohiym. They said, “Can Elohiym prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, He struck the rock, so the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?” 21 Therefore, JEHOVAH heard this and was furious; so, a fire kindled against Jacob, and anger also came against Israel, 22 because they did not believe in Elohiym, and did not trust in His salvation. 23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24 had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. 25 Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full. 26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; and by His power He brought in the south wind. 27 He also rained meat on them like dust, feathered fowl like the sand of the seas; 28 and He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their dwellings. 29 Then they ate and were well filled, for He gave them their desire. 30 They were not deprived of their craving; but while their food was still in their mouths, 31 the wrath of Elohiym came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel. 32 In spite of this they still sinned and did not believe in His wondrous works. 33 Therefore, their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear. 34 When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and sought earnestly for Elohiym. 35 Then they remembered Elohiym was their rock, and Elyown Elohiym their Redeemer. 36 Nevertheless, they flattered Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue; 37 for their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant. 38 However, He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; 39 For He remembered they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again.

 40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, repeatedly they tempted El, and limited the Qadowsh of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the enemy, 43 when He worked His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan; 44 turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink. 45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. 46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost. 48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to fiery lightning. 49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them. 50 He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague, 51 and destroyed the firstborn in Egypt, the first of their strength in the tents of Ham. 52 However, He made His people go forth like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; 53 and He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54 He brought them to His holy border, this mountain which His right hand had acquired. 55 He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them an inheritance by survey, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. 56 Yet they tested and provoked Elyown Elohiym, and did not keep His testimonies, 57 but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. 58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. 59 When Elohiym heard this, He was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, 60 so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had placed among men, 61 and delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy’s hand. 62 He also gave His people over to the sword and was furious with His inheritance. 63 The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not given in marriage. 64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation. 65 Then JEHOVAH awoke as from sleep, like a mighty man who shouts because of wine. 66 He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach. 67 Moreover, He rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 68 but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. 69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He established forever. 70 He also chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds; 71 from following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. 72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

God’s names:

Elohiym – Supreme God

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elyown – Supreme Most High

El – Strength, Almighty, Power, God

Qadowsh – Sacred, God, Holy One

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Theos – Supreme Divinity

God’s character:

Strength

Anger

Salvation

Power

Provider

Rock

Redeemer

Compassionate

Forgiver

Wrath

Indignation

Trouble

Jealous

Guide

Do you need to remember where you came from and the kind of person you were? Many people, when they achieve their goals, forget where they come from. They focus, instead, on what they did to achieve their goals, especially when they came from a place of hardship and poverty. They want to forget those beginnings.

Asaph rebuked Israel when he told them where they came from, and how they got to the place they were. He reminded them about what JEHOVAH did for them in Egypt, and how He took care of them in the desert. He reminded them about the water Elohiym provided for them and the food. He also reminded them about their sin against Elohiym and His anger against them. Then Asaph reminded them about Elohiym’s compassion for them and how He chose Judah and David as their king and Jerusalem as His holy place.

Where were you when you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord? What did you choose to forget about your previous lifestyle before salvation?

We were sinners who fell short of Yeshuwa’s glory. None of us deserve His compassion and love.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Theos,

 (NKJV)

No one can justify their actions before Yeshuwa. However, Yeshuwa’s blood justifies us before the Father. It is only through Yeshuwa’s grace and unmerited favor, that we can come before Him, forgiven, and set apart for Him. Without His blood, we cannot stand before Theos or expect eternal life.

Asaph showed Israel that without JEHOVAH and the Covenant He made with them, they were no better than the people they displaced when they claimed their inheritance. They needed to repent and return to Elohiym. When they did, He forgave them.

When you repent of your pride and come before Yeshuwa in full repentance for your unfaithfulness, He will forgive you and restore you to the position He called you to work in Him. Then you will know His unfailing love for you and give Him praise for what He brought you through.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for reminding me where I came from, and what You brought me through. Help me to always remember what You did for me on the cross, and Your redeeming power in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 14 July 2025 by Valerie Routhieaux