Psalms 78:8 - Exposition

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation (comp. Deuteronomy 21:18 , Deuteronomy 21:20 , for the combination of the two words). The "stubbornness" of Israel is noted in Deuteronomy 9:27 ; 2:19 ; and frequently by Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 3:17 ; Jeremiah 7:24 ; Jeremiah 9:14 ; Jeremiah 11:8 , etc.); their "rebelliousness" in Deuteronomy 9:7 , Deuteronomy 9:24 ; Isaiah 30:1 , Isaiah 30:9 ; Isaiah 65:2 ; Jeremiah 5:23 ; Ezekiel 2:3-8 ; Ezekiel 3:9 , Ezekiel 3:26 , Ezekiel 3:27 ; Ezekiel 12:2 , Ezekiel 12:3 , etc. (compare also for the idea 2 Kings 17:14-17 ; 2 Chronicles 36:14-16 ; Ezra 9:6 , Ezra 9:7 ; Nehemiah 1:6 , Nehemiah 1:7 ; Daniel 9:5-11 ; and Acts 7:51 , "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye"). A generation that set not their heart aright; literally, that prepared not their heart— did not make it ready to receive Divine influences (see 1 Samuel 7:3 ; Job 11:13 ; 2 Chronicles 20:33 ). And whose spirit was not steadfast with God. It was not that Israel was wholly without religious feeling, but the feeling was fickle, unsteadfast, never to be depended on (comp. Exodus 32:1-6 ; Numbers 16:41 , Numbers 16:42 ; 2:17 , etc.).