Psalms 78:40 - Homilies By S. Conway

How oft did they provoke.

I. ANSWER THE QUESTION . This long psalm supplies a sample of Israel's sin. Their provokings were so frequent that the whole history of the people, stretching over many generations and long centuries, seemed to be all of a piece, and is called "the day of provocation."

II. INQUIRE HOW THEY PROVOKED GOD ? By the perpetual repetition of the wretched round of sin, and then repentance. If they had done nothing else but sin, they would quickly have perished; it' they had sinned once, and done with it, their history would have been a far happier one; but it was this perpetual backsliding which provoked God.

III. WHY WAS IT ? There was:

1 . The force of example; all the nations round, the greatest and most glorious of them included, worshipped idols.

2 . Then the indulgence which idolatry gave to sin; it was such an easy religion.

3 . The difficulty of realizing the unseen, of living by faith.

4 . The cravings of a corrupt nature.

IV. WHAT MADE THEIR CONDUCT SO WICKED ?

1 . It was such madness. Nothing but evil had ever come of their sin, and yet they went after it again.

2 . Such ingratitude to God. What had he not done for them?

3 . The terrible harm they did to their children and to the whole world.

V. WHAT CAME OF IT ? What always must come—repeated and terrible chastisement, and rejection at the last.—S.C.