Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 4: Psalms 60–80

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Psalm 78 with Augustine – Loving God above All Things Whenever God slew 1 them, they would seek him (v. 34) not for the sake of eternal life, but fearing to end their fleeting life too soon. Those who sought him were not those whom he had slain, but those who were afraid of being slain according to their example. They remembered that

God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer (v. 35). But all this is for the sake of acquiring good things on earth, and for avoiding evil things. For those who sought God for the sake of earthly blessings, sought not God, but

Augustine on Psalm 78 “Since God is found to be greater and better than all things, hemust be loved more than all things in order to be worshipped.”

material things. They worshipped him with fear, not free love. Thus God is not worshipped, for that thing is worshipped which is loved. Since God is found to be greater and better than all things, he must be loved more than all things in order to be worshipped. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant (vv. 36–37). He found one thing on their tongue, another thing in their heart, for to him the secret things of men are naked, and without obstacle he saw what they truly loved. Therefore when the heart seeks God for his sake, it is right with him. For one thing David desired of the Lord, that he may dwell in the house of the Lord forever, and may meditate on his beauty (Ps 27:4). As for the crooked generation, even when they seemed to seek God, they loved only with lying mouths, but their hearts were not right with

1 Slew – killed