Psalm 78

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:36

Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth ,.... In prayer to him, they only drew nigh to him with their mouths, and honoured him with their lips; they showed much love to him and his ways and ordinances hereby; but their hearts were not with him, but after their lusts; they made fine speeches and fair promises, but their hearts and mouths did not agree; they spoke with a double heart, thinking and endeavouring to "deceive" the Lord, as the word F2 ויפתוהו "quamvis conarentur... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:37

For their heart was not right with him ,.... Neither prepared and ready to any good work, but reprobate thereunto; nor steady, fixed, and established, as a good man's heart is, trusting in the Lord; but wavering, fickle, and inconstant; nor true, faithful, and upright; but turning aside like a deceitful bow, as is afterwards said, Psalm 78:57 , neither were they steadfast in his covenant ; which was made with them at Sinai, though they promised to be obedient, and to do all the Lord... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:38

But he, being full of compassion ,.... Or merciful; having bowels of mercy, as a tender mother to the son of her womb; a word from the same root as this signifies the womb: the mercies of God are tender and abundant; there is a multitude of them; he is rich and plenteous in mercy, and so ready to forgive; hence it follows, forgave their iniquity ; forgiveness of sin flows from the tender mercy of God; it is according to the multitude of his mercies, and the riches of his grace; yet is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:39

For he remembered that they were but flesh ,.... Or "children of flesh", as the Targum; poor, frail, weak, mortal creatures, unable to bear the weight of his displeasure, the stroke of his hand, and the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his wrath; that they must be crushed before him, and would sink, and fail, and die; see Psalm 103:14 , or that they were naturally sinful and corrupt, prone to evil, easily drawn into sin; it was what their depraved natures inclined unto;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:40

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness ,.... Where they were not only at his mercy, having nothing to help themselves with, but had many singular mercies bestowed upon them; and yet were continually committing such sins against God as provoked the eyes of his glory; ten times they tempted him, the Lord says, Numbers 14:22 , therefore that dispensation is called the provocation and day of temptation; for it was a series of rebellion and sin, Psalm 95:8 , and grieve him in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:41

Yea, they turned back, and tempted God ,.... They talked of going back to Egypt, and of choosing a captain to lead them back thither, Numbers 14:3 , and they turned back from the Lord, and from his good ways, and chose their own ways, and followed after idols; or the sense is, they again tempted God, not only at Meribah, but elsewhere; they tempted him again and again, even ten times, as before observed: and limited the Holy One of Israel ; or "signed" F4 התוו "signaverunt",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:42

They remembered not his hand ,.... Which brought them out of Egypt, and dashed their enemies in pieces, and which had been so often opened to supply their wants in the wilderness; the Targum renders it, the miracles of his hand: nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy ; Pharaoh king of Egypt; that very memorable day in which they were delivered out of his hands, that selfsame day which had been fixed, by promise and prophecy many hundreds of years before, in which the hosts of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:43

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt ,.... The plagues which he brought upon the Egyptians, for refusing to let Israel go: and his wonders in the field of Zoan , or in the country of Zoan, that is, Tanis, as the Targum renders it; so the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; see Psalm 78:12 , an enumeration of these signs and wonders follows; but not of all, nor in the order in which they were: only seven are mentioned, with which compare the seven vials or last plagues, Revelation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:44

And had turned their rivers into blood ,.... The river Nile and its seven streams; this was the first of the plagues of Egypt, Exodus 7:20 , and was a just retaliation for drowning the infants of the Israelites in their river, Exodus 1:22 , a like plague will be inflicted on spiritual Egypt, and with equal justice; see Revelation 11:8 , and their floods, that they could not drink ; the rivulets that flowed from the Nile, and every spring or confluence of water; or rather by these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:45

He sent divers sorts of flies among them ,.... This was the fourth plague; see Exodus 8:24 , the word signifies a "mixture" F6 ערב "mixtionem", Montanus; "miscellam", Vatablus; "a mixed swarm", Ainsworth. , and the Targum renders it "a mixture of wild beasts;' so Josephus F7 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 14. sect. 3. understood this plague of various sorts of beasts of different forms, and such as had never been seen before. Aben Ezra, on Exodus 8:24 interprets it of evil beasts... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:36

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:37

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:38

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:39

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:40

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:41

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:42

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:43

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:44

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:45

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