Psalm 78

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:46

He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar ,.... A kind of locust, and the same with the locust in the next clause; for we read but of the locust only in Exodus 10:13 . and their labour unto the locust ; which devoured the increase of the field, all green grass and trees, all sorts of corn, wheat, barley and rye, and the increase of vineyards, and all fruit trees, on which much labour had been used to manure and cultivate; see Revelation 9:3 this was the eighth plague. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:47

He destroyed their vines with hail ,.... Or "killed" F11 יהרג "occidit", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "interfecit", Gejerus. them; for there is a vegetative life in plants: this was the seventh plague of Egypt, attended with thunder and lightning, and was very terrible to Pharaoh, Exodus 9:23 , with this compare Revelation 16:21 , and their sycamore trees with frost : sycamore trees, according to Kimchi, were a sort of wild figs, and these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:48

He gave up their cattle also to the hail ,.... For the hail fell upon man and beast, as well as upon herbs and trees, Exodus 9:22 , and their flocks to hot thunderbolts : which were killed by them: this is to be understood of the fire that was mingled with the hail, and ran upon the ground, and destroyed their flocks, Exodus 9:23 . Jarchi, out of the Midrash, interprets the words of fowls which devoured the sheep killed by the hail. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:49

He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger ,.... This with the following words, wrath, and indignation, and trouble , are thought by some to intend the other plagues, which are not particularly mentioned; or rather they express the manner in which they were all inflicted, in great wrath and hot displeasure for their sins and iniquities, and which particularly were shown by sending evil angels among them ; not evil in themselves, but because they were the instruments God made use... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:50

He made a way to his anger ,.... Or, "for" it, so that nothing could obstruct it, or hinder the execution of it; or "he weighed a path for his anger" F13 יפלס נתיב לאפו "ponderavit semitam furori suo", Pagninus, Vatablus; "libravit semitam irae suae", Tigurine version; "iter ad iram suam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; he weighed it in the balance of justice, and proportioned his anger to their crimes, and punished them according to their just deserts: he spared not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:51

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt ,.... From the prince to the peasant; and not only the firstborn of men, but of beasts also, Exodus 12:29 , the chief of their strength ; or first of it, as the firstborn is called, Genesis 49:3 , in the tabernacles of Ham ; in the several cities, towns, villages, and houses of the Egyptians, the descendants of cursed Ham; for Mizraim, from whom the Egyptians have their name, and from whence they sprung, was a son of Ham's, Genesis 10:6 .... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:52

But made his own people to go forth like sheep ,.... The people of Israel, whom the Lord chose to be his peculiar people above all others; these he caused to go forth out of Egypt, with a mighty hand and stretched out arm; like sheep, weak, timorous, unarmed, harmless, and inoffensive, not a dog daring to move his tongue at them: the power of God was wonderfully displayed in the delivery of his poor, helpless, and oppressed people, well may it be ascribed to him; for it was not their arm,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:53

And he led them on safely ,.... Through the sea, where the waters were on each side; and through the wilderness, in which were serpents and scorpions, and where they were attacked by many powerful enemies: so that they feared not ; for though they feared for a while at the Red sea, yet their fears were soon silenced, and they by faith passed through the Red sea as on dry land; and especially their fears were gone, when they saw the Egyptians dead on the sea shore; wherefore it follows: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:54

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary ,.... Of the land of Canaan, which the Lord had sanctified, and set apart for them; and of Jerusalem, the holy city, the city of the great God, and of the temple where his residence was to be; so the Targum, "to the border of the place of the house of his sanctuary:' even to this mountain, which his right hand purchased ; the mount Moriah, on which the temple was built; this psalm being composed, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi think, after it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:55

He cast out the Heathen also before them ,.... The seven nations, the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, Deuteronomy 7:1 . and divided them an inheritance by line : the land of Canaan was divided among the nine tribes and a half by Joshua, the other two and a half having had their portion assigned them on the other side; this distribution was made very exactly by lot, by line, and measure, so that every tribe had their proper portion and... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:46

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:47

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:48

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:49

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:50

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:51

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:52

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:53

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:54

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:55

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