And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
The mountain to which God brought Israel was Mount Moriah, the site where Solomon's temple was afterward built. To be brought there was to be brought to the border or boundary of His sanctuary, not into the sanctuary itself, so the land itself and the earth itself are not the sanctuary. That mountain is also identified as Mount Zion, land set apart as God's sanctuary, where He gave Israel an inheritance after driving out the nations before them.
The verse stands within a recounting of the rich blessings God bestowed on His people, that He brought them to the land of His sanctuary, to the mountain He secured for them. That recounting sets His blessings over against their poor return for the benefits received.
Psalm 78 was a song Israel was to keep in mind and sing as they marched through the wilderness. Its lessons call for faithfulness to God and warn against seeking help from human authorities instead of coming into harmony with God's people. The verse shows a good God dealing with Israel while they constantly worked against Him, bringing themselves by disobedience into the condition that was the sure result of their own course. Though they repented under rebuke and chastisement, they fell again when temptation came through self-indulgence and self-gratification.
The mountain to which God brought Israel was Mount Moriah, the site where Solomon's temple was afterward built. To be brought there was to be brought to the border or boundary of His sanctuary, not into the sanctuary itself, so the land itself and the earth itself are not the sanctuary. That mountain is also identified as Mount Zion, land set apart as God's sanctuary, where He gave Israel an inheritance after driving out the nations before them.
The verse stands within a recounting of the rich blessings God bestowed on His people, that He brought them to the land of His sanctuary, to the mountain He secured for them. That recounting sets His blessings over against their poor return for the benefits received.
Psalm 78 was a song Israel was to keep in mind and sing as they marched through the wilderness. Its lessons call for faithfulness to God and warn against seeking help from human authorities instead of coming into harmony with God's people. The verse shows a good God dealing with Israel while they constantly worked against Him, bringing themselves by disobedience into the condition that was the sure result of their own course. Though they repented under rebuke and chastisement, they fell again when temptation came through self-indulgence and self-gratification.