Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

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 78:27

He rained flesh also upon them as dust ,.... By "flesh" is meant fowl, as the following clause shows; for there is flesh of birds, as well as of other creatures, see 1 Corinthians 15:39 and the quails which are here meant may be very fitly called flesh, since they are, for their size, a very plump, fat, and fleshy bird: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea ; or "fowl of wing" F8 עוף כנף "volucres alatas", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.... 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 78:12-31

God's marvellous doings. The marvel of God's doings is always this—He is ever rescuing, delivering, restoring, redeeming, saving, or, as we may say, putting things straight. The type of all God's doings was, to the Jew, the rescue of the race from Egyptian bondage. The Divine attributes are not best seen in punishments or scenes of terror; throughout the history of the world they have been most fully revealed in God's savings, deliverings, and redeemings. Moses composed a song when the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 78:27

He rained flesh also upon them . With the expression, "rained flesh," comp. Exodus 16:4 , "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven;" and see also Genesis 19:24 and Exodus 9:23 . As dust; i.e. "as thick as dust" (Prayer book Version). The quails lay "as it were two cubits high" for the distance of a day's journey round about each encampment (see Numbers 11:31 ). And feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea. The commonest image of multiplicity ( Genesis 22:17 ; Deuteronomy... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 78:27

He rained flesh also upon them as dust - The flesh of quails, Numbers 11:31. The word “rained” means that they seemed to come upon them like a copious shower. The word dust denotes their great abundance.And feathered fowls - Margin, as in Hebrew, “fowl of wing.” This is a poetic expression, designed to give beauty to the description by the image of their fluttering wings.Like as the sand of the sea - An expression also designed to denote their great numbers, Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12;... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 78:26-29

Psalms 78:26-29. He caused an east wind to blow, &c. First an eastern, and afterward a southern wind. He rained flesh, &c., and feathered fowls like as the sand Hebrew, עו Š כנ Š, gnoph chanap, fowl of wing, or winged fowl; but God took away from them the use of their wings, and made them fall into the hands of the Israelites. And let it fall in the midst of their camp Hebrew, מחנהו , machanehu, his camp; that is, either Israel’s camp, or God’s camp; for, seeing Israel... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:1-68

Psalms 78:0 Lessons from historyBeing a true teacher, the psalmist is concerned for the spiritual condition of his people. His present intention is to comment on events in the history of Israel so that people of future generations may take heed (1-4). God gave his law to his people to guide them. The record of his faithfulness will be an encouragement, the record of Israel’s failures a warning (5-8).The first reminder is of the stubbornness of the tribe of Ephraim in one of Israel’s early... read more

Group of Brands