3. brake ... the arrows--literally, "thunderbolts" ([Psa 78:48]), from their rapid flight or ignition (compare [Psa 18:14]; [Ep 6:16]).
the battle--for arms ([Ho 2:18]).
4. Thou--God.
mountains of prey--great victorious nations, as Assyria ([Is 41:15]; [Eze 38:11], ; [Zec 4:7]).
5. slept their sleep--died ([Psa 13:3]).
none ... found ... hands--are powerless.
6. chariot and horse--for those fighting on them (compare [Psa 68:17]).
7. may ... sight--contend with Thee ([De 9:4]; [Jos 7:12]).
8-9. God's judgment on the wicked is His people's deliverance ([Psa 9:12]; ).
10. Man's wrath praises God by its futility before His power.
restrain--or, "gird"; that is, Thyself, as with a sword, with which to destroy, or as an ornament to Thy praise.
11-12. Invite homage to such a God ([2Ch 32:23]), who can stop the breath of kings and princes when He wills ([Da 5:23]).
Psalm 77
Psa 77:1-20. To Jeduthun--(See on Psa 39:1, title). In a time of great affliction, when ready to despair, the Psalmist derives relief from calling to mind God's former and wonderful works of delivering power and grace
1. expresses the purport of the Psalm.
2. his importunacy.
my sore ran ... night--literally, "my hand was spread," or, "stretched out" (compare [Psa 44:20]).
ceased not--literally, "grew not numb," or, "feeble" ([Ge 45:26]; [Psa 38:8]).
my soul ... comforted--(compare [Ge 37:35]; [Jr 31:15]).
3-9. His sad state contrasted with former joys.
was troubled--literally, "violently agitated," or disquieted ([Psa 39:6]; ).
my spirit was overwhelmed--or, "fainted" ([Psa 107:5]; [Jon 2:7]).
10. Omitting the supplied words, we may read, "This is my affliction--the years of," &c., "years" being taken as parallel to affliction (compare [Psa 90:15]), as of God's ordering.
11-12. He finds relief in contrasting God's former deliverances. Shall we receive good at His hands, and not evil? Both are orderings of unerring mercy and unfailing love.
13. Thy way ... in the sanctuary--God's ways of grace and providence ([Psa 22:3]; ), ordered on holy principles, as developed in His worship; or implied in His perfections, if "holiness" be used for "sanctuary," as some prefer translating (compare [Ex 15:11]).
14-20. Illustrations of God's power in His special interventions for His people ([Ex 14:1-31]), and, in the more common, but sublime, control of nature ([Psa 22:11-14]; [Ha 3:14]) which may have attended those miraculous events ([Ex 14:24]).
Psalm 78
Psa 78:1-72. This Psalm appears to have been occasioned by the removal of the sanctuary from Shiloh in the tribe of Ephraim to Zion in the tribe of Judah, and the coincident transfer of pre-eminence in Israel from the former to the latter tribe, as clearly evinced by David's settlement as the head of the Church and nation. Though this was the execution of God's purpose, the writer here shows that it also proceeded from the divine judgment on Ephraim, under whose leadership the people had manifested the same sinful and rebellious character which had distinguished their ancestors in Egypt
1. my people ... my law--the language of a religious teacher ([Psa 78:2]; [La 3:14]; [Ro 2:16], 27; compare [Psa 49:4]). The history which follows was a "dark saying," or riddle, if left unexplained, and its right apprehension required wisdom and attention.
3-8. This history had been handed down ([Ex 12:14]; [De 6:20]) for God's honor, and that the principles of His law might be known and observed by posterity. This important sentiment is reiterated in ([Psa 78:7], ) negative form.
9-11. The privileges of the first-born which belonged to Joseph ([1Ch 5:1], ) were assigned to Ephraim by Jacob ([Ge 48:1]). The supremacy of the tribe thus intimated was recognized by its position (in the marching of the nation to Canaan) next to the ark ([Nu 2:18-24]), by the selection of the first permanent locality for the ark within its borders at Shiloh, and by the extensive and fertile province given for its possession. Traces of this prominence remained after the schism under Rehoboam, in the use, by later writers, of Ephraim for Israel (compare Ho 5:3-14; 11:3-12). Though a strong, well-armed tribe, and, from an early period, emulous and haughty (compare [Jos 17:14]; [Jud 8:1-3]; [2Sa 19:41]), it appears, in this place, that it had rather led the rest in cowardice than courage; and had incurred God's displeasure, because, diffident of His promise, though often heretofore fulfilled, it had failed as a leader to carry out the terms of the covenant, by not driving out the heathen ([Ex 23:24]; [De 31:16]; [2Ki 17:15]).
12-14. A record of God's dealings and the sins of the people is now made. The writer gives the history from the exode to the retreat from Kadesh; then contrasts their sins with their reasons for confidence, shown by a detail of God's dealings in Egypt, and presents a summary of the subsequent history to David's time.
Zoan--for Egypt, as its ancient capital ([Nu 13:22]; [Is 19:11]).
15-16. There were two similar miracles ([Ex 17:6]; [Nu 20:11]).
great depths--and--rivers--denote abundance.
17-20. yet more--literally, "added to sin," instead of being led to repentance ([Ro 2:4]).
21. fire--the effect of the "anger" ([Nu 11:1]).
22. (Compare [He 8:8], ).
23-29. (Compare [Ex 16:11-15]; [Nu 11:4-9]).
30-31. not estranged ... lust--or, "desire"--that is, were indulging it.
33-39. Though there were partial reformations after chastisement, and God, in pity, withdrew His hand for a time, yet their general conduct was rebellious, and He was thus provoked to waste and destroy them, by long and fruitless wandering in the desert.
40-41. There were ten temptations ([Nu 14:22]).
43. wrought--set or held forth.
45. The dog-fly or the mosquito.
46. caterpillar--the Hebrew name, from its voracity, and that of--