Psalms 78:29-49

29 (77-29) So they did eat, and were filled exceedingly, and he gave them their desire:

30 (77-30) they were not defrauded of that which they craved. As yet their meat was in their mouth:

31 (77-31) And the wrath of God came upon them. And he slew the fat ones amongst them, and brought down the chosen men of Israel.

32 (77-32) In all these things they sinned still: and they behaved not for his wondrous works.

33 (77-33) And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years in haste.

34 (77-34) When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came to him early in the morning.

35 (77-35) And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high God their redeemer.

36 (77-36) And they loved him with their mouth: and with their tongue they lied unto him:

37 (77-37) But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in his covenant.

38 (77-38) But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy them. And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle all his wrath.

39 (77-39) And he remembered that they are flesh: a wind that goeth and returneth not.

40 (77-40) How often did they provoke him in the desert: and move him to wrath in the place without water?

41 (77-41) And they turned back and tempted God: and grieved the holy one of Israel.

42 (77-42) They remembered not his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the hand of him that afflicted them:

43 (77-43) How he wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanis.

44 (77-44) And he turned their rivers into blood, and their showers that they might not drink.

45 (77-45) He sent amongst them divers sorts of flies, which devoured them: and frogs which destroyed them.

46 (77-46) And he gave up their fruits to the blast, and their labours to the locust.

47 (77-47) And he destroyed their vineyards with hail, and their mulberry trees with hoarfrost.

48 (77-48) And he gave up their cattle to the hail, and their stock to the fire.

49 (77-49) And he sent upon them the wrath of his indignation: indignation and wrath and trouble, which he sent by evil angels.

Psalms 78:29-49 Meaning and Commentary

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.