Psalm 78:36 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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:36

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth - What idea could such people have of God, whom they supposed they could thus deceive? They promised well, they called him their God, and their fathers' God; and told him how good, and kind, and merciful he had been to them. Thus, their mouth flattered him. And they said that, whatever the Lord their God commanded them to do, they would perform. And they lied unto him - I think the Vulgate gives the true sense of the Hebrew: Dilexerunt... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:36

Verse 36 36.And they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. Here they are charged with perfidiousness, because they neither confessed their guilt with sincerity of heart, nor truly ascribed to God the glory of their deliverance. We are not to suppose that they made no acknowledgement at all; but it is intimated that the confession of the mouth, as it did not proceed from the heart, was constrained and not voluntary. This is well worthy of being noticed; for from it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:1-72

The psalm is, as the title also declares, one of "instruction." It seeks to keep the people faithful to David and his house, and to check their tendency to place themselves under the leadership of the tribe of Ephraim, by recalling the whole course of God's dealings with Israel in the past, from the time of the sojourn in Egypt to the establishment of David's kingdom. It also seeks to keep them faithful to God, by showing how all their past calamities and sufferings had arisen out of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:1-72

Whole psalm: Warnings against unbelief. I. ITS PURPOSE . 1 . To warn Ephraim; not to taunt and exult over him, but to warn. This psalm seems to belong to the period of the disruption. Ephraim, with the other northern tribes, had broken away from Judah and from the worship of God, and this psalm seems designed, by its recital of their old sins and the consequences thereof, to warn them against like sin in the future (cf. 2 Chronicles 13:1-22 .). 2 . To warn Judah. If... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:9-72

The historical portion of the psalm now follows. It commences with some general remarks on the transgressions of Ephraim, i.e. of Israel while under the guidance of Ephraim—from Joshua to Samuel (verses 9-11). It then proceeds to details, and sketches the Israelite history. from the deliverance out of Egypt to the establishment of David's kingdom (verses 12-72). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:32-39

God's tender mercy. This passage describes the conduct of the rebellious and lustful Israelites in the wilderness, and sets forth three things—God's chastisement of their sin; their superficial repentance; God's pitiful compassion. I. GOD 'S CHASTISEMENT OF SIN . ( Psalms 78:33 , Psalms 78:34 .) "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." 1 . Their sin was sensual indifference to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:36

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth. The Revised Version is simpler and better, But they flattered him with their mouth. All that they said or did when alarmed by some judgment of God's was a mere pretence—an attempt to "flatter" and cozen God, and so win his favour. And they lied unto him with their tongues. They offered him a lip service, which was a "lie," a mere semblance of real religion. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:36

The worship that God hates. I. IT IS ALL TOO COMMON . This psalm is all taken up with the record of such worship. And it did not begin with the people told of here. What was Cain's worship but so much flattery and lying unto God? And all through the prophetic history, the like worship is perpetually denounced. The one class of people whose presence and contact even the wonted gentleness of our Lord could not abide were such as these—hypocrites. We know with what scathing words... read more

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:36

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:36

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:1-72

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:1-72

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:9-72

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:32-39

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:36

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:36

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