Psalms 78
1 An exhortation both to learn and to preach, the law of God.
9 The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient.
67 The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David.
well-written song <04905> [A.M. 3074. B.C. 930. (Title.) Maschil. or, A Psalm for]
Asaph, to give instruction.
This Psalm was probably written, as Calmet and others suppose, by Asaph in the days of Asa, who had gained, by the aid of the Syrians, a great victory over the Israelites, and brought back to the pure worship of God many out of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. .# 2Ch 15:1-16:14
[See on Ps.]
sing ......... make <06605 05042> [I will.]
insightful observations <02420> [dark sayings.]
hide <03582> [We will.]
tell <05608> [shewing.]
praiseworthy acts <08416> [praises.]
established <06965> [For he.]
rule <05715> [testimony.]
The word testimony is used for the ark, and for the law, written on tables of stone, put within the ark, and covered with the mercy seat. This testified the Lord's gracious presence with his people, and seemed to point out to them both the way of access and acceptance, and the standard or rule of their duty.
known <03045> [that they.]
generation <01755> [That.]
grow up <06965> [who.]
Then .... place <07760> [set.]
forget <07911> [not forget.]
<05341> [keep.]
ancestors <01> [as their.]
committed <03559 03820> [set not. Heb. prepared not.]
<07307> [whose.]
Ephraimites <01121> [The children.]
Some think this refers to a defeat of the Ephraimites mentioned in 1 Ch 7:20-22; but it probably refers to the conduct and defeat of the ten tribes of which Ephraim was the head. Nothing is recorded in the history of Israel concerning the cowardice of the Ephraimites, as distinct from that of the other tribes: some therefore think, "that the children of Ephraim" is put by a figure of speech for the nation in general.
armed <07411> [carrying. Heb. throwing forth. turned.]
amazing <06382> [Marvellous.]
Zoan <06814> [Zoan.]
Zoan, the ancient capital of the Pharaohs, where Moses wrought so many miracles, is rendered by the Chaldee, {Tanium,} LXX. [Tanis,] Vulgate, {Tanis,} and Coptic, {Tan‚,} from the Coptic, {ten,} plain, flat, level; being situated in the low ground of the Delta, on one of the eastern branches of the Nile, bearing its own name, near a large lake, now called the lake of Menzala, 44 miles west of Pelusium, and 169 miles east of Alexandria, according to the Antonine Itinerary, and three miles from the Mediterranean, according to the Geograph. Nubiens. Clim. 3, par. 3. There are ruins still remaining to mark the site of Zoan, or Tanis, called San by the Arabs; comprising broken obelisks, capitals of the Corinthian order, a granite monument, etc.
divided <01234> [He divided.]
water <04325> [made.]
asking ... food <07592 0400> [by asking meat.]
insulted <01696> [Yea.]
God ... able <03201 0410> [Can God.]
give <06186> [furnish. Heb. order.]
struck <05221> [he smote.]
can .... give <03201 05414> [can he give.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
fire <0784> [a fire.]
command <06680> [Though.]
opened <06605> [opened.]
rained <04305> [had rained.]
grain ... heaven <08064 01715> [the corn of heaven.]
The manna fell about their camp in the form of seeds; and as it appeared to come down from the clouds, it was not improperly termed {degan shamayim,} the corn of heaven or heavenly grain. See notes on Ex 16:22, 31.
Man <0376> [Man, etc.]
Or, Every one did eat the bread of the mighty. {Lechem abbeerim,} "bread of the mighty:"--they ate such food as could only be expected at the tables of the rich and great;--the best, the most delicate food. Or, it might be so called because it rendered the people healthy and vigorous, and fit for their marches.
sent <07971> [he sent.]
east wind <06921> [He caused.]
brought <05265> [blow. Heb. go.]
rained down <04305> [He rained.]
birds <05775 03671> [feathered fowls. Heb. fowl of wing.]
gave <0935> [for he gave.]
food <0400> [But.]
knees <03766> [smote down. Heb. made to bow. chosen men. or, young men.]
sin <02398> [they sinned.]
trust <0539> [believed.]
unsatisfied <03117> [days.]
terror <08141> [years.]
remembered <02142> [remembered.]
God .... protector ...... God <0410 0430 06697> [God was.]
sovereign <05945> [the high.]
{Ail ‚lyon go„lom,} "the strong God, the Most High, their redeemer," or kinsman: that one who possessed the right of redemption; the nearest akin to him who had forfeited his inheritance, as the word originally means; and hence is used for a redeemer; and here denotes Him who redeemed them from Egyptian bondage.
deliverer <01350> [their redeemer.]
deceived <06601> [Nevertheless.]
lied <03576> [lied.]
<03820> [their heart.]
unfaithful <0539> [stedfast.]
compassionate <07349> [But he.]
often <07235> [many.]
stir <05782> [did not.]
remembered <02142> [For he.]
wind <07307> [a wind.]
Or, as the Hebrew {roo„ch holaich welo yashoov} may be rendered, "the spirit goeth away and returneth not again." To this purpose the Arabic, "He remembered that they were flesh; and a spirit which when it departs, returneth not again." The human being is composed of flesh and spirit, or body and soul: these are easily separated, and when separated, the body turns to dust, and the spirit returns no more to animate the body in a state of probation.
How .... rebelled <04100 04784> [How oft.]
rebelled ...... wilderness <04784 04057> [provoke him. or, rebel against him. grieve.]
again <07725> [Yea.]
offended <08428> [limited.]
remember <02142> [remembered.]
<03117> [the day.]
enemy <06862> [the enemy. or, affliction.]
performed <07760> [How.]
performed <07760> [wrought. Heb. set. wonders.]
The miracles mentioned in this and the four subsequent verses, evidently shew the power of God over the elements of nature, which at that time were the objects of Egyptian worship.
sent <07971> [sent.]
frogs <06854> [frogs.]
gave ... crops <05414 02981> [gave also.]
[the caterpillar.]
{Chosal,} from {chasal,} to consume, eat up, is rendered [\~broucov\~, brouchos] by the LXX., in 2 Ch 6:28, and Aquila here, and also the Vulgate in Chron. and Isa 33:4 and Jerome here, {bruchus,} the chaffer, which every one knows to be a great devourer of the leaves of trees. The Syriac in Joel 1:4; 2:25, renders it {tzartzooro,} which Michaelis, from the Arabic {tzartzar,} a cricket, interprets the mole-cricket, which in its grub state is also very destructive to corn, grass, and other vegetables, by cankering the roots on which it feeds.
destroyed <02026> [destroyed. or, killed. with hail.]
[sycamore.]
From the value of the sycamore in furnishing wood for various uses, from the grateful shade which its wide spreading branches afforded, and on account of the fruit, which Mr. Maillet says the Egyptians hold in the highest estimation, we may conceive somewhat of the loss they sustained when "their vines were destroyed with hail; and their sycamore trees with frost." See Note on 1 Ch 27:28.
driving rain <02602> [frost. or, great hailstones.]
rained ... down <05462> [gave up. Heb. shut up. hot thunderbolts. or, lightnings.]
sent <07971> [cast.]
lashed out <04917> [by sending.]
sent <06424> [made away. Heb. weighed a path. he spared.]
lives over ... destruction <05462 01698 02416> [life over to the pestilence. or, beasts to the murrain.]
struck <05221> [smote.]
firstfruits <07225> [the chief.]
tents <0168> [tabernacles.]
people <05971> [But.]
flock <05739> [like a.]
<06342> [so that.]
sea <03220> [but.]
covered <03680> [overwhelmed. Heb. covered.]
brought <0935> [And he.]
right hand <03225> [his right.]
[cost.]
assigned <05307> [divided.]
tribes <07626> [and made.]
unfaithful <05472> [But.]
unreliable <02015> [they were.]
pagan shrines <01116> [their high.]
jealous <07065> [moved.]
pagan shrines ........ idols <01116 06456> [with.]
God <0430> [God.]
completely <03966> [greatly.]
strong <05797> [his strength.]
That is, the ark, where his power and glory were displayed.
splendor <08597> [glory.]
delivered <05462> [gave.]
[wrought.]
Fire <0784> [fire.]
virgins <01330> [maidens.]
unmarried <01984> [given to marriage. Heb. praised.]
priests <03548> [priests.]
widows <0490> [widows.]
Lord <0136> [Then.]
warrior <01368> [and like.]
drove <05221> [And he.]
target <05414> [he put.]
chose <0977> [chose.]
Mount <02022> [mount.]
enduring <01129> [And he.]
<07311> [high.]
earth <0776> [earth.]
established <03245> [established. Heb. founded.]
chose <0977> [chose.]
took <03947> [and took.]
following <0310> [From following. Heb. From after. ewes.]
took <0935> [brought.]
shepherd <07462> [feed.]
motives <08537> [according.]
led <05148> [guided.]
