Psalm 78:30-42 NIV

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 78:30

They were not estranged from their lust ,.... By the goodness and liberality of God unto them, they were not brought to repentance for their sin of lusting; nor did they abstain from their fleshly lusts, or deny themselves of them, which the grace of God teaches to do; or else the sense is, what they lusted after, flesh, was not withheld from them, or they restrained from eating it; they were indulged with it for a whole month together; to which agrees what follows: but while their meat... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:31

The wrath of God came upon them ,.... Either by causing fire to come down from heaven, or by suffering them to be surfeited by excessive eating, or by sending a plague among them; see Numbers 11:33 , and slew the fattest of them ; such perhaps who had been most guilty of the sin of gluttony, and had fed the most inordinately upon the flesh that was sent them; or this designs the chief among their princes and nobles, though not only them, but them as well as the common people; so the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:32

For all this they sinned still ,.... Those that survived, not being brought to repentance by mercies, nor by judgments; not by mercies, such as before mentioned, though they were great and many, and some of them continued, and of which they were very unworthy; the goodness of God should, but it does not always, lead persons to repentance; mercies, unless they are sanctified, often prove snares and temptations to sin yet more and more; nothing short of the grace of God will bring persons to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:33

Therefore their days did he consume in vanity ,.... They were not immediately cut off by the hand of God, though some were; but the greatest part spent their time, for about eight and thirty years together, in fruitless marches to and fro in the wilderness, and never entered into the land of Canaan, where they were gradually wasted and consumed, till at length all their carcasses fell in the wilderness; see Numbers 14:32 , time spent in sin is all waste time, and is spent in vanity; let a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:34

When he slew them ,.... Some of them, the spies particularly; or when he threatened to slay them, or was about to do it: then they sought him ; that is, those who either survived the slain, or were threatened with destruction; these sought the Lord by prayer and supplication, that he would not destroy them; the Targum is, "they repented and sought him;' see Numbers 14:37 , and they returned ; from their evil ways, and by repentance, at least in show and appearance: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:35

And they remembered that God was their Rock ,.... Who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, had strengthened them against them, and supported and protected them, as well as supplied them with all good things, of whom they had been greatly unmindful; but affliction was a means of refreshing their memory; see Deuteronomy 32:15 , and the high God their Redeemer ; who had redeemed them out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, with a high hand and a mighty arm, and thereby... read more

John Gill

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:30

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:32

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:33

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:34

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:35

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

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

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