Tell The Next Generation | Psalm 78
From the Sermon Series: Highs, Lows, & Hallelujahs: Psalms for Every Season
Sermon Guide for June 28, 2026
How to Use This Guide:
These guides are designed to help you engage more deeply with my weekly sermon or serve as stand-alone, self-guided Bible studies. Use them to prepare your heart before worship or to reflect on God’s Word throughout the week.
Parents, use the “Family Practice” section to lead meaningful conversations that nurture your kids' faith and help them grow in God’s love.
Tell The Next Generation | Psalm 78
Big Idea
Faith does not pass from one generation to the next by accident. God calls every generation to intentionally tell the next who he is, what he has done, and why he is worthy of our trust.
Key Verse: Psalm 78:4, ESV
"We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done."
What Must We Pass On to the Next Generation?
1: The Priority of God's Word (Psalm 78:1-8)
The Text: God established a law in Israel and commanded that it be taught to their children so that future generations might set their hope in God, remember his works, and keep his commands.
The Application: Scripture is the primary tool for knowing God. Silence or neglect is functionally equivalent to hiding God’s glorious deeds from the next generation (v. 4).
Reflect: Honestly evaluate your daily habits. Is the Word of God visible and vocal in your home or sphere of influence, or is it hidden by silence?
2: The Gravity of Sin & The Character of God (Psalm 78:17-22)
The Text: Despite God's provision, Israel rebelled and tested God by demanding what they craved. Verse 21 notes that God was full of righteous wrath because they did not trust his saving power.
The Application: The next generation must learn both the seriousness of sin and the character of the God against whom we sin. Teach them that God is a righteous Judge who will hold rebellion accountable, and a loving Father who warns us of sin because it destroys the people he loves. Emphasizing only one of these truths distorts God's character, making him seem either harsh and unloving or permissive and unconcerned with evil.
Reflect: How do you talk about sin with your children or others? Does your explanation reflect both God's holiness and his love? How can you help others see that God's commands flow from his desire for our good?
3: The Reality of God's Mercy (Psalm 78:38-39)
The Text: Despite Israel's repeated failures, God remained compassionate. He forgave their iniquity, restrained his wrath, and remembered that they were weak and frail.
The Application: Preaching rules without the gospel produces either self-righteous performance or crushing despair. Psalm 78 reminds us that although sin is serious, God's compassion is abundant. The next generation must know that failure is never the end of the story for those who return to him.
Reflect: When you fail, are you more likely to become pridefully focused on your performance or overwhelmed by hopelessness? How does the cross of Jesus free you from both?
4: The Provision of the Shepherd (Psalm 78:70-72)
The Text: God chose David to shepherd his people with an upright heart and skillful hands.
The Application: David was a foreshadowing of his ultimate descendant, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lived perfectly where we failed, defeated sin and death, and laid down his life for his flock. The most important thing we can teach the next generation is to set their hope in Jesus, the Good Shepherd who is worthy of their trust and worthy of their lives.
Reflect: How does knowing that Jesus has already secured the victory change the way you navigate current personal trials or parenting anxieties?
Practical Habits for Passing Faith to Your Children
Don't let a day go by without your children hearing something from God's Word (it doesn't have to be much!)
Don't let a day go by without praying with your children.
Prioritize corporate worship (One of the strongest predictors of long-term faith is consistent participation in the life of the church).
Make your home a place where confession is safe (we can encourage our kids to bring their sins into the light by embodying the compassion of God).
Model what you want them to become (through repentance, service, worship, trusting God in trials, etc.).
Psalm 78 Is Not Just For Parents!
Grandparents
Never underestimate your influence. One of the greatest gifts you can give your grandchildren is a lifetime of stories about God's faithfulness. Your testimony can strengthen their faith for years to come.
Singles and Young Adults
You do not have to be a parent to help pass on the faith. Teach a Bible class, mentor a younger believer, volunteer with the youth ministry, or simply build meaningful relationships with children and families in the church.
Empty Nesters and Older Adults
Become spiritual grandparents. Learn the names of the children in your church. Pray for them, encourage them, celebrate their milestones, and invest in their lives. Your wisdom and example are gifts God intends to use.
The Whole Church
A healthy church is one where every generation helps the next generation know and love God. Together, we have the privilege and responsibility of ensuring that God's Word, God's works, God's mercy, and God's Son are never hidden from those who come after us.
Family Practice
Choose one or two together:
Read one Bible story together each day this week.
Pray together before bedtime.
Share a story about how God has been faithful in your family's life.
Memorize Psalm 78:4 together.
Write down one reason your family is thankful for Jesus.
Family Prayer
Father, thank you for loving our family. Help us to know your Word, trust you, turn away from sin, receive your mercy, and follow Jesus every day. Help us tell the next generation about your greatness so they will put their hope in you. In Jesus' name, amen.
