Psalm 78:43-51

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 78:43

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 Gill

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

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