Psalm 78:12

Psalm 78:12, in plain English

Specifically, God did amazing things right in front of their ancestors in Egypt, particularly in the region of Zoan where Pharaoh's court was. They witnessed God's power against the greatest power on earth.

Why it's here

Now he's starting to recount the Exodus story in detail. He's giving specific, vivid reminders of things his people should have remembered but apparently forgot.

Who's speaking

Asaph, beginning the recitation of God's mighty acts.

Where it sits in the story

This is the beginning of a retelling of Exodus through Deuteronomy—the foundational story of Israel's identity. It's what every generation should know by heart.

The scholarly reading

The speaker now begins the historical record, recounting God's miraculous interventions in Egypt, specifically in the region of Zoan (Tanis), the capital of the Delta.

Language and setting

The Exodus tradition is the foundational narrative of Israel's identity—it is the supreme instance of divine power and gracious intervention. Zoan specifically was a major administrative center, emphasizing that God's signs were performed before Egypt's power-centers, not in marginalia. The location functions as metonym for Egyptian civilization itself.

Voice

The historical narrator, setting the stage for the catalogue of wonders.

Significance

This inaugurates the systematic rehearsal of God's mighty acts—the pedagogical antidote to forgetting. Every subsequent verse will detail a specific miracle, building a cumulative case for divine faithfulness.

10They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.

11They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.

12He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.

13He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.

14He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.

Read all of Psalm 78 — The longest historical psalm — a retelling of Israel's journey from Egypt to David. Remember, so the next generation won't forget.