Psalm 78:17-55

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 78:9-39

In these verses, I. The psalmist observes the late rebukes of Providence that the people of Israel had been under, which they had brought upon themselves by their dealing treacherously with God, Ps. 78:9-11. The children of Ephraim, in which tribe Shiloh was, though they were well armed and shot with bows, yet turned back in the day of battle. This seems to refer to that shameful defeat which the Philistines gave them in Eli's time, when they took the ark prisoner, 1 Sam. 4:10, 11. Of this the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 78:40-72

The matter and scope of this paragraph are the same with the former, showing what great mercies God had bestowed upon Israel, how provoking they had been, what judgments he had brought upon them for their sins, and yet how, in judgment, he remembered mercy at last. Let not those that receive mercy from God be thereby emboldened to sin, for the mercies they receive will aggravate their sin and hasten the punishment of it; yet let not those that are under divine rebukes for sin be discouraged... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:17

And they sinned yet more against him ,.... Or, "and they added yet to sin against him" F3 ויוסיפו עוד לחטוא לו "et addiderunt adhuc ad peccandum ei", Montanus, "vel peccare", Musculus, Gejerus, Michaelis. ; which was great ingratitude; they had sinned before, and it might have been hoped that the goodness of God to them would have engaged them to have sinned no more, at least at such a rate, and in such a manner, as they had done; but instead of sinning less, they sinned more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:18

And they tempted God in their heart ,.... Which is desperately wicked, and from whence all impiety flows; they entertained hard thoughts of God; they inwardly fretted at their present circumstances, and secretly repined and murmured against God, and wished for things they should not; not being contented with what they had, and thankful for them, as they ought to have been: by asking meat for their lust ; or, "for their soul"; such as their souls lusted after, and their sensitive... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:19

Yea, they spoke against God ,.... Not only thought ill of him, and tempted him in their hearts, but they expressed with their mouths what was in their hearts, and spoke against him, his power, and his providence, in plain words, though he had been so good and gracious to them, and had done such wonderful things for them: they said, can God furnish a table in the wilderness ? these are the words which they spoke against him, and by which they tempted him, questioning his power and his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:20

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed ,.... This they allow was done by him, for these are their words continued; suggesting, that though the waters did gush out upon smiting the rock, yet they might have been in the caverns of it before, and had remained there a long time, and might have come out of themselves; and therefore this was no such great matter, and might easily be accounted for: but can he give bread also ? solid, substantial bread,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:21

Therefore the Lord heard this ,.... What they said in their hearts, and what they expressed with their mouths, all their murmurings against him, their distrust of his power and providence, and disbelief of his promises; see Numbers 11:1 , and was wroth; exceeding wroth; he was highly displeased; there was an overflow of his indignation, as the word F1 יתעבר "transiit in hithpael de transitu vel exundatione bilis solet usurpari", Gejerus. signifies; it was running upon him, upon the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:22

Because they believed not in God ,.... That he was able to give them bread, and provide flesh for them, or bring them through the wilderness to Canaan's land, as he had promised. God, and he only, is the object of faith, and he is to be believed in at all times, and for all things temporal and spiritual; and nothing is more displeasing to him than unbelief; for as faith gives glory to him, unbelief reflects dishonour upon him; faith sets its seal to him as true, but unbelief makes him a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:23

Though he had commanded the clouds from above ,.... Which were round about him, his chariots, and the dust of his feet; and which were at his command to go here and there, and carry and let down provisions for his people, as they did: and opened the doors of heaven ; as a large granary, from whence the manna, afterwards called the corn of heaven, was given out in great abundance, which is signified by opening the doors; see Malachi 3:10 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:24

And had rained down manna upon them to eat ,.... So called, either from מנה , "manah", which signifies to prepare, appoint, and distribute, because this was food prepared of God for the Israelites without them, and was their provision, their appointed portion, and which was daily distributed to them in measure; or from the words מן הו , "man hu", what is it? which they used at first sight of the manna, they not knowing what it was, and hence called it "man"; or "manna"; this the Lord... read more

Group of Brands