781 Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us: 4 We will not hide [them] from their sons, shewing forth to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his marvellous works which he hath done. 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know [them], the children that should be born; that they might rise up and tell [them] to their children, 7 And that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but observe his commandments; 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that prepared not their heart, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9 The sons of Ephraim, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle. 10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; 11 And forgot his doings, and his marvellous works which he had shewn them. 12 In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan. 13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and made the waters to stand as a heap; 14 And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire. 15 He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as out of the depths, abundantly; 16 And he brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 17 Yet they still went on sinning against him, provoking the Most High in the desert; 18 And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust; 19 And they spoke against God: they said, Is God able to prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, he smote the rock, and waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; is he able to give bread also, or provide flesh for his people? 21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel: 22 Because they believed not in God, and confided not in his salvation; 23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of the heavens, 24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of the heavens. 25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty; he sent them provision to the full. 26 He caused the east wind to rise in the heavens, and by his strength he brought the south wind; 27 And he rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the seas, 28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations: 29 And they did eat, and were well filled; for that they lusted after, he brought to them. 30 They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths, 31 When the anger of God went up against them; and he slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 32 For all this, they sinned still, and believed not in his marvellous works; 33 And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. 34 When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early after God; 35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and God, the Most High, their redeemer. 36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue; 37 For their heart was not firm toward him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 78:1-37
Commentary on Psalm 78:1-8
(Read Psalm 78:1-8)
These are called dark and deep sayings, because they are carefully to be looked into. The law of God was given with a particular charge to teach it diligently to their children, that the church may abide for ever. Also, that the providences of God, both in mercy and in judgment, might encourage them to conform to the will of God. The works of God much strengthen our resolution to keep his commandments. Hypocrisy is the high road to apostacy; those that do not set their hearts right, will not be stedfast with God. Many parents, by negligence and wickedness, become murderers of their children. But young persons, though they are bound to submit in all things lawful, must not obey sinful orders, or copy sinful examples.
Commentary on Psalm 78:9-39
(Read Psalm 78:9-39)
Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart. Forgetfulness of God's works is the cause of disobedience to his laws. This narrative relates a struggle between God's goodness and man's badness. The Lord hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of God's mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those cannot be said to trust in God's salvation as their happiness at last, who can not trust his providence in the way to it. To all that by faith and prayer, ask, seek, and knock, these doors of heaven shall at any time be opened; and our distrust of God is a great aggravation of our sins. He expressed his resentment of their provocation; not in denying what they sinfully lusted after, but in granting it to them. Lust is contented with nothing. Those that indulge their lust, will never be estranged from it. Those hearts are hard indeed, that will neither be melted by the mercies of the Lord, nor broken by his judgments. Those that sin still, must expect to be in trouble still. And the reason why we live with so little comfort, and to so little purpose, is, because we do not live by faith. Under these rebukes they professed repentance, but they were not sincere, for they were not constant. In Israel's history we have a picture of our own hearts and lives. God's patience, and warnings, and mercies, imbolden them to harden their hearts against his word. And the history of kingdoms is much the same. Judgments and mercies have been little attended to, until the measure of their sins has been full. And higher advantages have not kept churches from declining from the commandments of God. Even true believers recollect, that for many a year they abused the kindness of Providence. When they come to heaven, how will they admire the Lord's patience and mercy in bringing them to his kingdom!