Augustine reads Psalm 78 as a warning to the Church: God’s people must remember his gifts, receive his word with humility, and avoid the unbelief and ingratitude that brought judgment upon Israel. The Psalm’s parables and propositions demand inward interpretation. The Exodus becomes a series of figures fulfilled in Christ: the rock signifies Christ, the crossing of the sea Baptism, the cloud and fire divine guidance, and manna the Bread from Heaven communicated through Christ and the Gospel.

The plagues are interpreted allegorically as signs of vices and spiritual bondage, with the ten plagues corresponding to the commandments. Israel’s desert complaints expose a faith that seeks earthly benefits rather than God himself, while the “sons of Ephrem” represent outward observance without the grace of the Spirit. Augustine sees the Promised Land, Mount Sion, David, and the shepherd’s flock as figures of the Church and Christ, whose inheritance extends to the Gentiles. The Church is founded to endure forever, and believers are led by the innocence of Christ’s heart and the understanding of his hands.