Shīpiān 78

1 ( Yà sà de xùn huì shī ) wǒde mín nǎ , nǐ mén yào liú xīn tīng wǒde xùn huì , zhāi ĕr tīng wǒ kǒu zhōng de huà .

2 Wǒ yào kāikǒu shuō bǐyù . wǒ yào shuō chū gǔ shí de míyǔ .

3 Shì wǒmen suǒ tīngjian suǒ zhīdào de , yĕ shì wǒmen de zǔzong gàosu wǒmen de .

4 Wǒmen bù jiāng zhèxie shì xiàng tāmende zǐsūn yǐnmán . yào jiāng Yēhéhuá de mĕidé hé tāde nénglì , bìng tā qímiào de zuòwéi , shùshuō gĕi hòudaì tīng .

5 Yīnwei tā zaì Yǎgè zhōng lì fǎdù , zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng shè lǜfǎ , shì tā fēnfu wǒmen zǔzong , yào chuán gĕi zǐsūn de .

6 Shǐ jiāngyào shēng de hòudaì zǐsūn , kĕyǐ xiǎodé . tāmen yĕ yào qǐlai gàosu tāmende zǐsūn .

7 Hǎo jiào tāmen yǎngwàng shén , bù wàngjì shén de zuòwéi . wéi yào shǒu tāde mìnglìng .

8 Búyào xiàng tāmende zǔzong , shì wán gĕng beìnì jū xīn bù zhèng zhī beì , xiàng zhe shén xīn bù chéngshí .

9 Yǐfǎlián de zǐsūn , daì zhe bīngqì , ná zhe gōng , lín zhèn zhī rì , zhuǎn shēn tuì hòu .

10 Tāmen bù zūnshǒu shén de yuē , bù kĕn zhào tāde lǜfǎ xíng .

11 Yòu wàngjì tā suǒ xíng de , hé tā xiǎn gĕi tāmen qímiào de zuòwéi .

12 Tā zaì Āijí dì , zaì suǒ ān tián , zaì tāmen zǔzong de yǎnqián , shīxíng qí shì .

13 Tā jiāng hǎi fēnliè , shǐ tāmen guo qù . yòu jiào shuǐ lì qǐ rú lĕi .

14 Tā bái rìyòng yúncai , zhōng yè yòng huǒ guāng , yǐndǎo tāmen .

15 Tā zaì kuàngyĕ fēnliè pánshí , duō duō de gĕi tāmen shuǐ hē , rú cóng shēn yuān ér chū .

16 Tā shǐ shuǐ cóng pánshí yǒng chū , jiào shuǐ rú jiāng hé xià liú .

17 Tāmen què réngjiù dé zuì tā , zaì gan zào zhī dì beìnì zhìgāo zhĕ .

18 Tāmen xīn zhōng shìtan shén , suí zìjǐ suǒ yù de qiú shíwù .

19 Bìngqiĕ wàng lún shén , shuō , shén zaì kuàngyĕ qǐnéng bǎishè yánxí ma .

20 Tā céng jī dǎ pánshí , shǐ shuǐ yǒng chū , chéng le jiāng hé . tā hái néng cì liángshi ma . hái néng wèi tāde bǎixìng yùbeì ròu ma .

21 Suǒyǐ Yēhéhuá tīngjian , jiù fānù . yǒu lièhuǒ xiàng Yǎgè shāo qǐ , yǒu nùqì xiàng Yǐsèliè shang téng .

22 Yīnwei tāmen bù xìnfú shén , bù yǐ laì tāde jiùēn .

23 Tā què fēnfu tiānkōng , yòu chǎngkāi tiān shang de mén .

24 Jiàng mǎnǎ xiàng yǔ gĕi tāmen chī , jiāng tiān shang de liángshi cìgĕi tāmen .

25 Gèrén huò zuò rén chī dà néng zhĕ de shíwù . tā cì xià liángshi , shǐ tāmen bǎozú .

26 Tā lǐng dōng fēng qǐ zaì tiānkōng , yòu yòng nénglì yǐn le nán fēng lái .

27 Tā jiàng ròu xiàng yǔ zaì tāmen dāngzhōng , duō rú chéntǔ , yòu jiàng fēiniǎo , duō rú hǎi shā .

28 Luō zaì tāmende yíng zhōng , zaì tāmen zhù chù de sìmiàn .

29 Tāmen chī le , érqiĕ bǎozú . zhèyàng , jiù suí le tāmen suǒ yù de .

30 Tāmen tān ér wú yàn , shíwù háizaì tāmen kǒu zhōng de shíhou ,

31 Shén de nùqì , jiù xiàng tāmen shang téng , shā le tāmen neì zhōng de féizhuàng rén . dǎdǎo Yǐsèliè de shàonián rén .

32 Suī shì zhèyàng , tāmen réngjiù fàn zuì , bù xìn tā qímiào de zuòwéi .

33 Yīncǐ tā jiào tāmende rìzi , quán guī xū kòng , jiào tāmende niánsuì , jǐn shǔ jīngkǒng .

34 Tā shā tāmende shíhou , tāmen cái qiú wèn tā , huí xīn zhuǎn yì , qiē qiè de xúnqiú shén .

35 Tāmen yĕ zhuī niàn shén shì tāmende pánshí , zhìgāo de shén , shì tāmende jiùshú zhǔ .

36 Tāmen què yòng kǒu xiàn meì tā , yòng shé xiàng tā shuōhuǎng .

37 Yīn tāmende xīn xiàng tā bù zhèng , zaì tāde yuē shang , yĕ bù zhōngxīn .

38 Dàn tā yǒu liánmǐn , shèmiǎn tāmende zuìniè , bù mièjué tāmen . érqiĕ lǚcì xiāo tāde nùqì , bù fā jǐn tāde fèn nù .

39 Tā xiǎng dào tāmen bù guo shì xuèqì , shì yī zhèn qù ér bù fǎn de fēng .

40 Tāmen zaì kuàngyĕ beìnì tā , zaì huāng dì jiào tā dǎn yōu , hé jī duō ne .

41 Tāmen zaì sān shìtan shén , rĕ dòng Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ .

42 Tāmen bù zhuī niàn tāde nénglì ( yuánwén zuò shǒu ) , hé shú tāmen tuōlí dírén de rìzi .

43 Tā zĕnyàng zaì Āijí dì xiǎn shénjī , zaì suǒ ān tián xiǎn qí shì .

44 Bǎ tāmende jiāng hé , bìng hé chà de shuǐ , dōu biàn wèi xuè , shǐ tāmen bùnéng hē .

45 Tā jiào cāngying chéngqún , luō zaì tāmen dāngzhōng , xī jǐn tāmen . yòu jiào qīngwā miè le tāmen .

46 Bǎ tāmende tǔchǎn jiāo gĕi mā zhà , bǎ tāmen xīnkǔ dé lái de jiāo gĕi huángchóng .

47 Tā jiàng bīngbaó dǎ huaì tāmende pútàoshù . xià yán shuāng dǎ huaì tāmende sāngshū .

48 Yòu bǎ tāmende shēngchù jiāo gĕi bīngbaó , bǎ tāmende qún xù jiāo gĕi shǎndiàn .

49 Tā shǐ mĕng liè de nùqì , hé fèn nù , nǎohèn , kǔnàn , chéng le yī qún jiàng zāi de shǐzhĕ , líndào tāmen .

50 Tā wèi zìjǐ de nùqì xiū píng le lù , jiāng tāmen jiāo gĕi wēnyì , shǐ tāmen sǐwáng .

51 Zaì Āijí jī shā yīqiè zhǎngzǐ , zaì Hán de zhàngpéng zhōng , jī shā tāmen qiángzhuàng shí tóushēng de .

52 Tā què lǐng chū zìjǐ de mín rú yáng , zaì kuàngyĕ yǐn tāmen rú yáng qún .

53 Tā lǐng tāmen wĕn wĕntuǒ tuǒ de , shǐ tāmen bù zhì haìpà . hǎi què yānmò tāmende chóudí .

54 Tā daì tāmen dào zìjǐ shèng dì de biānjiè , dào tā yòushǒu suǒ dé de zhè shān dì .

55 Tā zaì tāmen miànqián gǎn chū waìbāngrén , yòng shéngzi jiāng waì bāng de dì liáng gĕi tāmen wèi yè , jiào Yǐsèliè zhīpaì de rén , zhù zaì tāmende zhàngpéng lǐ .

56 Tāmen réngjiù shìtan beìnì zhìgāo de shén , bù shǒu tāde fǎdù .

57 Fǎn dǎo tuì hòu , xíng guǐzhà , xiàng tāmende zǔzong yíyàng . tāmen gǎibiàn , rútóng fān bēi de gōng .

58 Yīn tāmende qiū tán , rĕ le tāde nùqì , yīn tāmen diāokè de ǒuxiàng , chù dòng tāde fènhèn .

59 Shén tīngjian , jiù fānù , jíqí zēngwù Yǐsèliè rén .

60 Shènzhì tā lí qì shì luō de zhàngmù , jiù shì tā zaì rénjiān suǒ dā de zhàngpéng .

61 Yòu jiāng tāde yuē guì yuánwén zuò nénglì jiāo yǔ rén lǔ qù , jiāng tāde róngyào jiāo zaì dírén shǒu zhōng .

62 Bìng jiāng tāde bǎixìng jiāo yǔ dāo jiàn , xiàng tāde chǎnyè fānù .

63 Shàonián rén beì huǒshào miè . chǔnǚ yĕ wú xǐ gē .

64 Jìsī dǎo zaì dāo xià . guǎfu què bù āikū .

65 Nàshí zhǔ xiàng shìrén shuì xǐng , xiàng yǒng shì yǐn jiǔ hūhǎn .

66 Tā jiù dá tuì le tāde dírén , jiào tāmen yǒng méng xiūrǔ .

67 Bìngqiĕ tā qì diào Yūesè de zhàngpéng , bù jiǎnxuǎn Yǐfǎlián zhīpaì ,

68 Què jiǎnxuǎn Yóudà zhīpaì , tā suǒ xǐaì de Xīānshān .

69 Gaìzào tāde shèng suǒ , hǎoxiàng gāofēng , yòu xiàng tā jiànlì yǒng cún zhī dì .

70 Yòu jiǎnxuǎn tāde púrén Dàwèi , cóng yángjuàn zhōng jiāng tā zhào lái .

71 Jiào tā bù zaì gēn cóng nàxiē daì nǎi de mǔ yáng , wèi yào mù yǎng zìjǐ de bǎixìng Yǎgè , hé zìjǐ de chǎnyè Yǐsèliè .

72 Yúshì tā àn xīn zhōng de chún zhèng , mù yǎng tāmen , yòng shǒu zhōng de qiǎo miào , yǐndǎo tāmen .

Shīpiān 78 Commentary

Chapter 78

Attention called for. (1-8) The history of Israel. (9-39) Their settlement in Canaan. (40-55) The mercies of God to Israel contrasted with their ingratitude. (56-72)

Verses 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.

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!

40-55. Let not those that receive mercy from God, be thereby made bold to sin, for the mercies they receive will hasten its punishment; yet let not those who are under Divine rebukes for sin, be discouraged from repentance. The Holy One of Israel will do what is most for his own glory, and what is most for their good. Their forgetting former favours, led them to limit God for the future. God made his own people to go forth like sheep; and guided them in the wilderness, as a shepherd his flock, with all care and tenderness. Thus the true Joshua, even Jesus, brings his church out of the wilderness; but no earthly Canaan, no worldly advantages, should make us forget that the church is in the wilderness while in this world, and that there remaineth a far more glorious rest for the people of God.

Verses 56-72 After the Israelites were settled in Canaan, the children were like their fathers. God gave them his testimonies, but they turned back. Presumptuous sins render even Israelites hateful to God's holiness, and exposed to his justice. Those whom the Lord forsakes become an easy prey to the destroyer. And sooner or later, God will disgrace his enemies. He set a good government over his people; a monarch after his own heart. With good reason does the psalmist make this finishing, crowning instance of God's favour to Israel; for David was a type of Christ, the great and good Shepherd, who was humbled first, and then exalted; and of whom it was foretold, that he should be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. On the uprightness of his heart, and the skilfulness of his hands, all his subjects may rely; and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. Every trial of human nature hitherto, confirms the testimony of Scripture, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, and nothing but being created anew by the Holy Ghost can cure the ungodliness of any.

Chapter Summary

Maschil of Asaph. Or for "Asaph" {f}; a doctrinal and "instructive" psalm, as the word "Maschil" signifies; see Psalm 32:1, which was delivered to Asaph to be sung; the Targum is, "the understanding of the Holy Spirit by the hands of Asaph." Some think David was the penman of it; but from the latter part of it, in which mention is made of him, and of his government of the people of Israel, it looks as if it was wrote by another, and after his death, though not long after, since the account is carried on no further than his times; and therefore it is probable enough it was written by Asaph, the chief singer, that lived in that age: whoever was the penman of it, it is certain he was a prophet, and so was Asaph, who is called a seer, the same with a prophet, and who is said to prophesy, 2 Chronicles 29:30 and also that he represented Christ; for that the Messiah is the person that is introduced speaking in this psalm is clear from Matthew 13:34 and the whole may be considered as a discourse of his to the Jews of his time; giving them an history of the Israelites from their first coming out of Egypt to the times of David, and in it an account of the various benefits bestowed upon them, of their great ingratitude, and of the divine resentment; the design of which is to admonish and caution them against committing the like sins, lest they should be rejected of God, as their fathers were, and perish: some Jewish writers, as Arama observes, interpret this psalm of the children of Ephraim going out of Egypt before the time appointed.