1 > Hear my law, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, His strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which he commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; Who should arise and tell their children,
7 That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments,
8 And might not be as their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that didn't make their hearts loyal, Whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.
10 They didn't keep God's covenant, And refused to walk in his law.
11 They forgot his doings, His wondrous works that he had shown them.
12 He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He split the sea, and caused them to pass through; He made the waters stand as a heap.
14 In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, And all night with a light of fire.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 Yet they still went on to sin against him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 They tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.
19 Yes, they spoke against God. They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, Streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?"
21 Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, Anger also went up against Israel,
22 Because they didn't believe in God, And didn't trust in his salvation.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven.
24 He rained down manna on them to eat, And gave them food from the sky.
25 Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.
27 He rained also flesh on them as the dust; Winged birds as the sand of the seas.
28 He let them fall in the midst of their camp, Around their habitations.
29 So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.
30 They didn't turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
31 When the anger of God went up against them, Killed some of the fattest of them, And struck down the young men of Israel.
32 For all this they still sinned, And didn't believe in his wondrous works.
33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, The Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouth, And lied to him with their tongue.
37 For their heart was not right with him, Neither were they faithful in his covenant.
38 But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn't destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, And didn't stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes away, and doesn't come again.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, And grieved him in the desert!
41 They turned again and tempted God, And provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They didn't remember his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;
43 How he set his signs in Egypt, His wonders in the field of Zoan,
44 Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink.
45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; And frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, Their sycamore-fig trees with frost.
48 He gave over their cattle also to the hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, And a band of angels of evil.
50 He made a path for his anger. He didn't spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,
51 And struck all the firstborn in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 But he led forth his own people like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 He led them safely, so that they weren't afraid, But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, To this mountain, which his right hand had taken.
55 He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them for an inheritance by line, And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And didn't keep his testimonies;
57 But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
59 When God heard this, he was angry, And greatly abhorred Israel;
60 So that he forsook the tent of Shiloh, The tent which he placed among men;
61 And delivered his strength into captivity, His glory into the adversary's hand.
62 He also gave his people over to the sword, And was angry with his inheritance.
63 Fire devoured their young men; Their virgins had no wedding song.
64 Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows couldn't weep.
65 Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.
66 He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, And didn't choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he has established forever.
70 He also chose David his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes that have their young, He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, And Israel, his inheritance.
72 So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 78
Commentary on Psalms 78 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 78
Ps 78:1-72. This Psalm appears to have been occasioned by the removal of the sanctuary from Shiloh in the tribe of Ephraim to Zion in the tribe of Judah, and the coincident transfer of pre-eminence in Israel from the former to the latter tribe, as clearly evinced by David's settlement as the head of the Church and nation. Though this was the execution of God's purpose, the writer here shows that it also proceeded from the divine judgment on Ephraim, under whose leadership the people had manifested the same sinful and rebellious character which had distinguished their ancestors in Egypt.
1. my people … my law—the language of a religious teacher (Ps 78:2; La 3:14; Ro 2:16, 27; compare Ps 49:4). The history which follows was a "dark saying," or riddle, if left unexplained, and its right apprehension required wisdom and attention.
3-8. This history had been handed down (Ex 12:14; De 6:20) for God's honor, and that the principles of His law might be known and observed by posterity. This important sentiment is reiterated in (Ps 78:7, 8) negative form.
5. testimony—(Ps 19:7).
8. stubborn and rebellious—(De 21:18).
set not their heart—on God's service (2Ch 12:14).
9-11. The privileges of the first-born which belonged to Joseph (1Ch 5:1, 2) were assigned to Ephraim by Jacob (Ge 48:1). The supremacy of the tribe thus intimated was recognized by its position (in the marching of the nation to Canaan) next to the ark (Nu 2:18-24), by the selection of the first permanent locality for the ark within its borders at Shiloh, and by the extensive and fertile province given for its possession. Traces of this prominence remained after the schism under Rehoboam, in the use, by later writers, of Ephraim for Israel (compare Ho 5:3-14; 11:3-12). Though a strong, well-armed tribe, and, from an early period, emulous and haughty (compare Jos 17:14; Jud 8:1-3; 2Sa 19:41), it appears, in this place, that it had rather led the rest in cowardice than courage; and had incurred God's displeasure, because, diffident of His promise, though often heretofore fulfilled, it had failed as a leader to carry out the terms of the covenant, by not driving out the heathen (Ex 23:24; De 31:16; 2Ki 17:15).
12-14. A record of God's dealings and the sins of the people is now made. The writer gives the history from the exode to the retreat from Kadesh; then contrasts their sins with their reasons for confidence, shown by a detail of God's dealings in Egypt, and presents a summary of the subsequent history to David's time.
Zoan—for Egypt, as its ancient capital (Nu 13:22; Isa 19:11).
15, 16. There were two similar miracles (Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11).
great depths—and—rivers—denote abundance.
17-20. yet more—literally, "added to sin," instead of being led to repentance (Ro 2:4).
18. in their heart—(Mt 15:19).
for their lust—literally, "soul," or, "desire."
provoking—and—tempted—illustrated by their absurd doubts,
19, 20. in the face of His admitted power.
21. fire—the effect of the "anger" (Nu 11:1).
22. (Compare Heb 8:8, 9).
23-29. (Compare Ex 16:11-15; Nu 11:4-9).
25. angels' food—literally, "bread of the mighty" (compare Ps 105:40); so called, as it came from heaven.
meat—literally, "victuals," as for a journey.
29. their … desire—what they longed for.
30, 31. not estranged … lust—or, "desire"—that is, were indulging it.
31. slew … fattest—or, "among the fattest"; some of them—
chosen—the young and strong (Isa 40:31), and so none could resist.
33-39. Though there were partial reformations after chastisement, and God, in pity, withdrew His hand for a time, yet their general conduct was rebellious, and He was thus provoked to waste and destroy them, by long and fruitless wandering in the desert.
36. lied … tongues—a feigned obedience (Ps 18:44).
37. heart … not right—or, "firm" (compare Ps 78:8; Ps 51:10).
39. a wind … again—literally, "a breath," thin air (compare Ps 103:16; Jas 4:14).
40, 41. There were ten temptations (Nu 14:22).
41. limited—as in Ps 78:19, 20. Though some prefer "grieved" or "provoked." The retreat from Kadesh (De 1:19-23) is meant, whether—
turned—be for turning back, or to denote repetition of offense.
43. wrought—set or held forth.
45. The dog-fly or the mosquito.
46. caterpillar—the Hebrew name, from its voracity, and that of—
locust—from its multitude.
47, 48. The additional effects of the storm here mentioned (compare Ex 9:23-34) are consistent with Moses' account.
48. gave … cattle—literally, "shut up" (compare Ps 31:8).
49. evil angels—or, "angels of evil"—many were perhaps employed, and other evils inflicted.
50, 51. made a way—removed obstacles, gave it full scope.
51. chief of their strength—literally, "first-fruits," or, "first-born" (Ge 49:3; De 21:17).
Ham—one of whose sons gave name (Mizraim, Hebrew) to Egypt.
52-54. made his … forth—or, brought them by periodical journeys (compare Ex 15:1).
54. border of his sanctuary—or, "holy border"—i. e., region of which—
this mountain—(Zion) was, as the seat of civil and religious government, the representative, used for the whole land, as afterwards for the Church (Isa 25:6, 7).
purchased—or, "procured by His right hand" or power (Ps 60:5).
55. by line—or, the portion thus measured.
divided them—that is, the heathen, put for their possessions, so tents—that is, of the heathen (compare De 6:11).
56, 57. a deceitful bow—which turns back, and so fails to project the arrow (2Sa 1:22; Ho 7:16). They relapsed.
58. Idolatry resulted from sparing the heathen (compare Ps 78:9-11).
59, 60. heard—perceived (Ge 11:7).
abhorred—but not utterly.
60. tent … placed—literally, "caused to dwell," set up (Jos 18:1).
61. his strength—the ark, as symbolical of it (Ps 96:6).
62. gave—or, "shut up."
his people—(Ps 78:48; 1Sa 4:10-17).
63. fire—either figure of the slaughter (1Sa 4:10), or a literal burning by the heathen.
given to marriage—literally, "praised"—that is, as brides.
64. (Compare 1Sa 4:17); and there were, doubtless, others.
made no lamentation—either because stupefied by grief, or hindered by the enemy.
65. (Compare Ps 22:16; Isa 42:13).
66. And he smote … part—or, "struck His enemies' back." The Philistines never regained their position after their defeats by David.
67, 68. tabernacle of Joseph—or, "home," or, "tribe," to which—
tribe of Ephraim—is parallel (compare Re 7:8). Its pre-eminence was, like Saul's, only permitted. Judah had been the choice (Ge 49:10).
69. Exalted as—
high palaces—or, "mountains," and abiding as—the earth.
70-72. God's sovereignty was illustrated in this choice. The contrast is striking—humility and exaltation—and the correspondence is beautiful.
71. following … ewes, &c.—literally, "ewes giving suck" (compare Isa 40:11). On the pastoral terms, compare Ps 79:13.