Discovery BoxPsalms 78:8
Context78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God. 1
Psalms 78:10-37
Context78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God, 2
and they refused to obey 3 his law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done, 4
the amazing things he had shown them.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors,
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 5
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it;
he made the water stand in a heap.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day,
and with the light of a fire all night long.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,
and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea. 6
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock,
and made the water flow like rivers.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,
and rebelled against the sovereign One 7 in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God 8
by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying, 9
“Is God really able to give us food 10 in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, 11 he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When 12 the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up 13 against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God,
and did not trust his ability to deliver them. 14
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,
and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them the grain of heaven. 15
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. 16
He sent them more than enough to eat. 17
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,
and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,
birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores. 18
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,
all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; 19
he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up, 20
their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed some of the strongest of them;
he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,
and did not trust him to do amazing things. 21
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied 22
and filled with terror. 23
78:34 When he struck them down, 24 they sought his favor; 25
they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector, 26
and that the sovereign God was their deliverer. 27
78:36 But they deceived him with their words, 28
and lied to him. 29
78:37 They were not really committed to him, 30
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
[78:8] 1 tn Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3).
[78:10] 2 tn Heb “the covenant of God.”
[78:12] 4 sn The region of Zoan was located in the Egyptian delta, where the enslaved Israelites lived (see Num 13:22; Isa 19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek 30:14).
[78:15] 5 tn Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”
[78:17] 6 tn Heb “rebelling [against] the Most High.”
[78:18] 7 tn Heb “and they tested God in their heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the center of their volition.
[78:19] 8 tn Heb “they spoke against God, they said.”
[78:19] 9 tn Heb “to arrange a table [for food].”
[78:21] 10 tn Heb “therefore.”
[78:21] 11 tn Heb “and also anger went up.”
[78:22] 11 tn Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”
[78:24] 12 sn Manna was apparently shaped like a seed (Exod 16:31), perhaps explaining why it is here compared to grain.
[78:25] 13 sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[78:25] 14 tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”
[78:27] 14 tn Heb “and like the sand of the seas winged birds.”
[78:29] 15 tn Heb “and they ate and were very satisfied.”
[78:30] 16 tn Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”
[78:32] 17 tn Heb “and did not believe in his amazing deeds.”
[78:33] 18 tn Heb “and he ended in vanity their days.”
[78:33] 19 tn Heb “and their years in terror.”
[78:34] 19 tn Or “killed them,” that is, killed large numbers of them.
[78:34] 20 tn Heb “they sought him.”
[78:35] 20 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
[78:35] 21 tn Heb “and [that] God Most High [was] their redeemer.”
[78:36] 21 tn Heb “with their mouth.”
