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Psalms 78:40
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38 aBut He, being full of bcompassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time cHe turned His anger away,
And ddid not stir up all His wrath; 
39 For aHe remembered bthat they were but flesh,
cA breath that passes away and does not come again. 
40 How often they aprovoked Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert! 
41 Yes, aagain and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel. 
42 They did not remember His1 power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy, 
43 When He worked His signs in Egypt,
And His wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 aTurned their rivers into blood,
And their streams, that they could not drink. 
45 aHe sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
And bfrogs, which destroyed them. 
46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,
And their labor to the alocust. 
47 aHe destroyed their vines with hail,
And their sycamore trees with frost. 
48 He also gave up their acattle to the hail,
And their flocks to fiery1 lightning. 
49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
By sending angels of destruction among them.
50 He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare their soul from death,
But gave1 their life over to the plague, 
51 And destroyed all the afirstborn in Egypt,
The first of their strength in the tents of Ham. 
52 But He amade His own people go forth like sheep,
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock; 
53 And He aled them on safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea boverwhelmed their enemies. 
54 And He brought them to His aholy border,
This mountain bwhich His right hand had acquired. 
55 aHe also drove out the nations before them,
bAllotted them an inheritance by1 survey,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. 
56 aYet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
And did not keep His testimonies, 
57 But aturned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
They were turned aside blike a deceitful bow. 
58 aFor they provoked Him to anger with their bhigh places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. 
59 When God heard this, He was furious,
And greatly abhorred Israel,
60 aSo that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men, 
61 aAnd delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand. 
62 aHe also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance. 
63 The fire consumed their young men,
And atheir maidens were not given in marriage. 
64 aTheir priests fell by the sword,
And btheir widows made no lamentation. 
Commentaries:
Matthew Henry
<< Psalms 78:39   Psalms 78:41 >>


Psalms 78:1-72

Attention called for. (1-8) The history of Israel. (9-39) Their settlement in Canaan. (40-55) The mercies of God to Israel contrasted with their ingratitude. (56-72)

Verses 1-8 These are called dark and deep sayings, because they are carefully to be looked into. The law of God was given with a particular charge to teach it diligently to their children, that the church may abide for ever. Also, that the providences of God, both in mercy and in judgment, might encourage them to conform to the will of God. The works of God much strengthen our resolution to keep his commandments. Hypocrisy is the high road to apostacy; those that do not set their hearts right, will not be stedfast with God. Many parents, by negligence and wickedness, become murderers of their children. But young persons, though they are bound to submit in all things lawful, must not obey sinful orders, or copy sinful examples.

9-39. Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart. Forgetfulness of God's works is the cause of disobedience to his laws. This narrative relates a struggle between God's goodness and man's badness. The Lord hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of God's mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those cannot be said to trust in God's salvation as their happiness at last, who can not trust his providence in the way to it. To all that by faith and prayer, ask, seek, and knock, these doors of heaven shall at any time be opened; and our distrust of God is a great aggravation of our sins. He expressed his resentment of their provocation; not in denying what they sinfully lusted after, but in granting it to them. Lust is contented with nothing. Those that indulge their lust, will never be estranged from it. Those hearts are hard indeed, that will neither be melted by the mercies of the Lord, nor broken by his judgments. Those that sin still, must expect to be in trouble still. And the reason why we live with so little comfort, and to so little purpose, is, because we do not live by faith. Under these rebukes they professed repentance, but they were not sincere, for they were not constant. In Israel's history we have a picture of our own hearts and lives. God's patience, and warnings, and mercies, imbolden them to harden their hearts against his word. And the history of kingdoms is much the same. Judgments and mercies have been little attended to, until the measure of their sins has been full. And higher advantages have not kept churches from declining from the commandments of God. Even true believers recollect, that for many a year they abused the kindness of Providence. When they come to heaven, how will they admire the Lord's patience and mercy in bringing them to his kingdom!

40-55. Let not those that receive mercy from God, be thereby made bold to sin, for the mercies they receive will hasten its punishment; yet let not those who are under Divine rebukes for sin, be discouraged from repentance. The Holy One of Israel will do what is most for his own glory, and what is most for their good. Their forgetting former favours, led them to limit God for the future. God made his own people to go forth like sheep; and guided them in the wilderness, as a shepherd his flock, with all care and tenderness. Thus the true Joshua, even Jesus, brings his church out of the wilderness; but no earthly Canaan, no worldly advantages, should make us forget that the church is in the wilderness while in this world, and that there remaineth a far more glorious rest for the people of God.

Verses 56-72 After the Israelites were settled in Canaan, the children were like their fathers. God gave them his testimonies, but they turned back. Presumptuous sins render even Israelites hateful to God's holiness, and exposed to his justice. Those whom the Lord forsakes become an easy prey to the destroyer. And sooner or later, God will disgrace his enemies. He set a good government over his people; a monarch after his own heart. With good reason does the psalmist make this finishing, crowning instance of God's favour to Israel; for David was a type of Christ, the great and good Shepherd, who was humbled first, and then exalted; and of whom it was foretold, that he should be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. On the uprightness of his heart, and the skilfulness of his hands, all his subjects may rely; and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. Every trial of human nature hitherto, confirms the testimony of Scripture, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, and nothing but being created anew by the Holy Ghost can cure the ungodliness of any.


 
<< Psalms 78:39   Psalms 78:41 >>

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