Psalms 78:32

32 But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.

Psalms 78:32 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:32

For all this they sinned still
Those that survived, not being brought to repentance by mercies, nor by judgments; not by mercies, such as before mentioned, though they were great and many, and some of them continued, and of which they were very unworthy; the goodness of God should, but it does not always, lead persons to repentance; mercies, unless they are sanctified, often prove snares and temptations to sin yet more and more; nothing short of the grace of God will bring persons to repentance for sin, or keep them from it: nor by judgments, which were last mentioned, and seem chiefly designed; these have no more effect than the other, unless the power of divine grace goes along with them; see ( Amos 4:6 Amos 4:11 ) it could not be thought, nor was it expected, that they should, after all these mercies and judgments, have lived without sin, which no man does, or can do; but then they went on in a course of sin, and were continually repeating their transgressions, and were guilty of sins of a very heinous nature, many of which are on record; as Aaron and Miriam, by speaking against Moses, the faithful servant of the Lord, which brought upon the latter the plague of leprosy; the spies which were sent to search the land, and brought an evil report of it, which set the people a murmuring, and put them on thoughts of returning to Egypt; those that were concerned in the business of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who were swallowed up in the earth, or burnt with fire from heaven; the whole congregation which murmured at Kadesh, whom Moses called rebels, and who afterwards expressed their loathing of the manna, for which fiery serpents were sent among them, ( Numbers 12:1 Numbers 12:10 ) ( 13:32 ) ( Numbers 14:2 Numbers 14:3 Numbers 14:4 ) ( Numbers 16:1 Numbers 16:2 Numbers 16:3 Numbers 16:31 Numbers 16:35 ) , ( Numbers 20:2-5 ) ( Numbers 21:5 Numbers 21:6 ) but their prevailing sin was unbelief, as follows:

and believed not for his wondrous works:
not "in" them, though the words will bear to be so rendered; for they did believe in them when they were wrought, and that they were wrought by the Lord; though they soon forgot them, and fell into distrust and unbelief; but "by" them {r}, or by means of them; though such wonderful things were done for them in providence, as before related, which should have engaged their faith and trust in the Lord; yet, notwithstanding these, they called in question his providence, power, and goodness.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wytalpnb) "per miracula ejus", Schmidt; so some in Gejerus.

Psalms 78:32 In-Context

30 But before they satisfied their craving, while the meat was yet in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them, and he killed their strongest men. He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.
32 But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
33 So he ended their lives in failure, their years in terror.
34 When God began killing them, they finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously.
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