Ps. 78:0 THE ARGUMENT The scope of this Psalm is plainly expressed Ps. 78:6–8, and is this, that the Israelites might learn to hope and trust in God, and steadfastly to keep his laws and covenant; which great lesson he presseth upon them, from the sad effects of the contrary practices in their…

My people: if Asaph was the composer of this Psalm, he might well call the Israelites his people, not only as he was their prophet and teacher, but also because they were of the same country and parentage with him; upon which account this very phrase of my people is used of them, not only by queen…

Open my mouth, speak to you with all freedom and plainness, in a parable; uttering divers and weighty sentences (for such are oft called parables in Scripture) or passages of great moment for your instruction and advantage.

The praises, i.e. his glorious and praiseworthy actions, as the following words explain it.

He established: this is justly put in the first place, as the chief of all the following mercies, and the foundation both of their temporal and of their eternal felicity. A testimony, i.e.

That they might set their hope in God; that by the consideration of God’s gracious promises, and wonderful works wrought by God for his. people, they might be encouraged to trust in him.

That set not their heart aright; who though they outwardly and seemingly complied with the forms of worship which God had prescribed, yet did not direct or prepare their hearts to the obedience and service of God.

The children of Ephraim: this passage concerns, either, 1. The tribe of Ephraim, and some exploit of theirs, wherein they met with this disaster; whether it were that mentioned 1 Chron. 7:21, or some other not particularly related in any other place of Scripture.

Their disobedience was accompanied with obstinacy and contempt of God’s laws.

Forgat; not historically, but practically. They did not so remember them, as to love, and serve, and trust that God of whose infinite power and goodness they had such ample experience.

In the field, i.e. in the territory or jurisdiction, not excluding the city itself. In the like sense we read of the field of Edom, and of Moab, Gen. 32:3, Gen. 36:35, Num. 21:20. Zoan; an ancient, and eminent, and the royal city of Egypt. See Num. 13:22, Isa. 19:11, Isa. 30:4.

A cloud; which was very comfortable, both for a shadow from the scorching heat of the climate and season, and for a companion and director in their journey.

Rocks; he useth the plural number, because it was twice done; once in Rephidim, Ex. 17:6, and again in Kadesh, Num. 20:1, Num. 20:11. The great depths; in great abundance.

Which did miraculously follow them in all their travails even to the borders of Canaan. See Deut. 9:21, Ps. 105:41, 1 Cor. 10:4.

Where they had such strong and singular obligations to obedience, both from the great things which God had then and there done for them, and from their dependence upon God’s favour and help for their safety and subsistence. This was a great aggravation of their sin and folly.

Tempted; desired a trial and proof of God’s power, as the next verse plainly showeth. See Num. 11:4. For their lust; not for their necessary subsistence, for which they had manna, but out of an inordinate and luxurious appetite.

The waters gushed out; which, all things consider seems not so wonderful, since fountains of water something break forth unexpectedly from or through rocks. But it is far more difficult to give us bread and flesh, which we know not whether he can do.

A fire was kindled; either properly, as it was Num. 11:1; or figuratively, the fire of God’s anger, as it follows.

That he both could and would save them from the famine and destruction which they feared.

Which he compares to a granary or store-house, where God keeps the key, and either shuts or opens the doors it, either gives or withholds provisions, as he sees fit.

Which was made in heaven, or the air, and sent down thence to the earth.

Angels’ food; manna, so called, either, 1. Because was made by the ministry of angels. Or rather, 2. Because of its excellency, such food as might befit the angels they could cat food, and such as hath some resemblance with the blessed angels in regard of its heavenly origin; its pure and…

Either he brought in first an eastern, and afterwards a southern wind, or the wind was south-east; from which quarter these quails might come as well as from the west, where their more common abode is; this work being confessedly miraculous.

Feathered fowls, Heb. winged fowl; which is noted to show that it was a supernatural work, whereby God took away from them the use of their wings, and made them to fall into the hands of the Israelites.

Of their camp, Heb. of his camp; either Israel’s camp, or God’s camp; for seeing Israel was God’s people, and he dwelt among them, their camp was his camp.

What they desired both for quality and quantity.

The sense is either, 1. Whilst their greedy appetite yet continued, and was not fully satisfied, before, they began to loathe it, as they did afterwards, Num. 11:20. Or, 2.

The fattest of them; the most healthy and strong, who probably were most desirous of this food, and fed most eagerly upon it, and grew fatter by it, and least suspected their own danger.

In vanity; in tedious and fruitless marches hither and thither, sometimes forward, and sometimes backward, which they knew would never bring them in their own persons to their promised and much-desired land.

They sought him; they prayed to him to deliver them from their deadly dangers; which even Pharaoh frequently did. They returned, to wit, from their idols, unto the outward worship of God; or being moved with fear, they ceased for the present from their grossly wicked courses, which they might…

They considered that God, and God alone, had preserved them in all their former exigences, and that he only could now help them, and not those idols or creatures which they had preferred before him; and therefore being driven by absolute necessity, they fled to him for relief.

They made glorious but false professions and protestations of their sincere resolutions of future obedience, if God would spare them.

All their confessions and petitions were but hypocritical and forced, and did not proceed from an upright heart truly grieved for their former offences, and firmly resolved to turn unto the Lord. They discovered their hypocrisy by their apostacy from God as soon as their danger was past.

Forgave their iniquity; not simply and absolutely, for so it is undeniably certain from the Holy Scriptures that God pardons none but true penitents, such as these were not; but respectively, and so far as not to destroy them at that time, which he threatened, and was about to do, as the next words…

Flesh; which here notes either, 1. The corruption of their natures, which was perpetually inclining them to sin, and consequently exposing them to God’s wrath, which must needs have consumed them utterly and speedily, if God had let loose his anger upon them.

They limited either, 1. God’s power, as above, Ps. 78:19–20. Or, 2. God’s will, directing and prescribing to him what to do, and when, and in what manner, and murmuring at him if he did not always grant their particular and various desires.

His hand; the great and glorious works of his hand on their behalf. Nor the day; nor that remarkable and never to be forgotten day, that self-same day, as it is called, Ex. 12:41, which God had fixed four hundred years before, Gen.

The several branches and streams of the river Nilus, and those many rivulets which they brought from it.

Devoured them; or, destroyed them; which they might do by their cruel and numerous stings, for these flies were doubtless extraordinary in their nature and quantity, and poisonous and hurtful qualities.

The herbs and grains which were come up by their care and diligent labour.

Sycomore trees; or, wild fig trees, which were there in great plenty. Under these and the vines all other trees are comprehended. And this hail and frost did destroy the fruits of the trees, and sometimes the trees themselves.

He gave up, Heb. he shut up, as in a prison, that they could not escape them.

Indignation and trouble; other most grievous plagues, which were mixed with and were the effects of his anger and wrath; whereby their miseries were greatly aggravated, and distinguished from the afflictions which God sent upon the Israelites in Egypt, which were only fatherly chastisements, and…

He made a way, Heb. He weighed a path or causeway, i.e. he made a most smooth, and even, and exact path, as if he had done it by weight and measure, that so his anger might pass swiftly and freely without interruption.

The chief of their strength; another expression noting the first-born, who are so called, Gen. 49:3. Of Ham; of the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham, Gen. 10:6; which title he there gives them, to intimate that they were the cursed children of a cursed parent, Ham, Gen.

They feared not. But it is said that they were sore afraid, Ex. 14:10. Answ. 1. They were afraid at first, but after Moses had encouraged them they grew bold and secure; one evidence whereof was, that they confidently went into the middle of the sea, and passed between the vast heaps of water which…

Of his sanctuary; or, of his holiness, or his holy place i.e. the land of Canaan, which is so called, Ezra 9:8, Zech. 2:12;c., as being separated by God from all other lands for his people and service, and sanctified by his presence and dwelling in it. This mountain; either, 1.

Which either breaketh when it is drawn, or shooteth awry, and frustrateth the archer’s design and expectation So when they pretended, and both God and men expected, obedience and gratitude to their great Benefactor, they behaved themselves undutifully and unfaithfully towards him.

Heard, i.e. perceived or understood, as hearing is oft used, as Gen. 11:7, Gen. 41:15;c. It is spoken of God after the manner of men.

The tabernacle of Shiloh; which then was placed in Shiloh, from whence, as the Israelites fetched the ark, so God withdrew himself. Which he placed among men; whereby he insinuates both God’s wonderful condescension and favour to such worthless and wretched creatures, and their stupendous folly and…

His strength, to wit, the ark, called God’s strength, 1 Chron. 16:11, and the ark of his strength, Ps. 132:8, because it was the sign and pledge of his strength or power put forth on his people’s behalf.

Because the young men who should have married them were slain. Heb. were not praised, to wit, with marriage songs, which was usual at marriage solemnities among the Jews, as appears from Jer. 7:34, Jer. 16:9, Jer. 25:10.

Their priests, Hophni and Phinehas, and others. No lamentation; no funeral solemnities; either because they were prevented by their own death, as the wife of Phinehas was, or disturbed by the invasion of the enemy; or so overwhelmed with the sense of the public calamity, that the resentment of…

Awaked as one out of sleep; for God, by giving up not only his people, but his ark, to the contempt and insolency of the Philistines, might seem to be asleep, and insensible of his own honour and interest, till by a sudden and unexpected blow he convinced his enemies of the contrary.

Smote his enemies in the hinder part, with the disease of the emerods, which was both painful and shameful. He caused them to perpetuate their own reproach by sending back the ark of God with their golden emerods, the lasting monuments of their shame.

Moreover; and as he smote his enemies for their sins, so he punished his own people for the same cause. He refused the tabernacle of Joseph; either, 1. He rejected the kingdom of the ten tribes, whereof Ephraim was the head. But this Psalm reacheth not so far as the erection of that kingdom.

Chose the tribe of Judah; either, 1. For the seat of the kingdom. Or rather, 2. For the seat of the ark and of God’s worship. Object. Jerusalem was in the tribe of Benjamin, Josh. 18:28. Answ. 1. It was so in part, and part of it was in Judah, as appears from Josh.

His sanctuary; the temple of Solomon. High palaces; magnificent and glorious. Established for ever; not now to be removed from place to place, as the tabernacle was, but as a fixed place for the ark’s perpetual residence, unless the people by their apostasy should cause its removal.

Following the ewes great with young; by which employment he was inured to that care, and diligence, and self-denial which is necessary in a king or governor; and instructed to rule his people with all gentleness and tenderness.

He commends David for the two necessary ingredients of a good prince. 1. Integrity; whereby he sincerely sought the good and welfare of his people, avoiding and abhorring those counsels and courses which were contrary thereunto. 2.