For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Psalm 78 is the account of how richly God blessed His people and how poorly they repaid Him for His benefits, making only a poor return and poor response to what He had bestowed upon them. The verse means that God remembered that the people were but flesh, like a wind that passes away and does not return again. That flesh and passing wind is their human frailty and transience and mortality.
Israel repeatedly sinned and was unfaithful, constantly working against a good God, turning from Him and proving unsteadfast in His covenant. Through disobedience they were brought into the condition that was the sure result of their own course of action, and under rebuke and chastisement they repented, but under temptation they fell again through self-indulgence and self-gratification. The history behind this is that the children of Israel complained when trials came and forgot the source of their strength. Because He remembered their frailty, God had compassion on them in their unfaithfulness, forgave their wrongdoing and sin and iniquity, spared them, and repeatedly turned His anger away and restrained it rather than bringing all His wrath upon them or destroying them. Those with Christ abiding in them and connected with the source of all wisdom and power will not follow that complaining and forgetfulness, but will keep continually advancing in the divine life and becoming strong men and women in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 78 is the account of how richly God blessed His people and how poorly they repaid Him for His benefits, making only a poor return and poor response to what He had bestowed upon them. The verse means that God remembered that the people were but flesh, like a wind that passes away and does not return again. That flesh and passing wind is their human frailty and transience and mortality.
Israel repeatedly sinned and was unfaithful, constantly working against a good God, turning from Him and proving unsteadfast in His covenant. Through disobedience they were brought into the condition that was the sure result of their own course of action, and under rebuke and chastisement they repented, but under temptation they fell again through self-indulgence and self-gratification. The history behind this is that the children of Israel complained when trials came and forgot the source of their strength. Because He remembered their frailty, God had compassion on them in their unfaithfulness, forgave their wrongdoing and sin and iniquity, spared them, and repeatedly turned His anger away and restrained it rather than bringing all His wrath upon them or destroying them. Those with Christ abiding in them and connected with the source of all wisdom and power will not follow that complaining and forgetfulness, but will keep continually advancing in the divine life and becoming strong men and women in Christ Jesus.