1An exhortation both to learn and to preach the law of God. 9The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient. 67The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David.
0Maschil1 of 2Asaph.
1 See Psalm 32 in the title.
2 See Psalm 50 in the title.
1GIVE ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Ia will open my mouth in a 3parable: I will utter 4dark sayings of old:
a Psalm 49:4; Mat. 13:35.
3 Or, proverb. See 1 Kings 4 on verse 32, and of the opening of the mouth Job 33 on verse 2.
4 As a fountain I will pour out or stream forth acute, excellent and remarkable proverbs and matters, which occurred in past times, in which are contained hidden secrets. See of the Hebrew word (which likewise signifies riddles) Judges 14 on verse 12; 1 Kings 10 on verse 1; Mat. 13:35 and further of the other Hebrew word, signifying to bubble forth, Psalm 19 on verse 2.
3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the 5praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 Hebr. lauds or praises, understand God’s praise-worthy acts, as is declared by the sequel.
5Forb 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:
b Deut. 4:9; 6:7.
6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8And might not be as their fathers, a stubbornc and rebellious generation; a generation that 6set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
c Exod. 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6, 13; 31:27.
6 According to the will of the Lord to serve and fear God. See 2 Chron. 12 on verse 14.
97The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
7 Seeing that in the sequel are related the wonderful works of God, which He wrought before the eyes of the fathers of the Ephraimites, this may be applied to the history in 1 Samuel 4, where the Israelites (among whom the Ephraimites were the most considerable and powerful, in whose country likewise the ark was at Shiloh, 1 Sam. 4:3, 4) were defeated by the Philistines, and put to flight, and the ark carried away, 1 Sam. 4:10, 11. Compare below the verses 60, 61, 62, 67. Some understand it of the destruction of the kingdom and captivity of the ten tribes by the Assyrians, the said tribes being frequently understood by Ephraim in the prophets. See Isa. 7:5, 17; Hosea 12:1; 13:1, etc., and besides 2 Kings 17 and Hosea 10:11, 14. Others apply it to 1 Chron. 7:21, 22.
10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the 8field of Zoan.
8 That is, in the territory or region of Zoan, which was a very old and famous royal metropolis in Egypt. See Num. 13 on verse 22; Isa. 19:13; 30:3, 4.
13Hed divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
d Exod. 14:21.
14In the daytime also hee led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
e Exod. 13:21; Psalm 105:39.
15Hef clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the 9great depths.
f Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11; Psalm 105:41; 1 Cor. 10:4.
9 That is, so plentifully, as if they had been deep waters.
16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their 10lust.
10 Hebr. soul. See Psalm 27 on verse 12.
19Yea,g they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
g Num. 11:1, 4.
20Behold,h he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
h Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11.
21Thereforei the LORD 11heard this, and was 12wroth: so a 13fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
i Num. 11:1, etc.
11 That is, He observed it as a Judge; or, He showed indeed that He had heard and observed, or taken notice of it. Also in verse 59.
12 Spoken of God after the manner of men by similitude.
13 See Job 31 on verse 12.
22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23Though he had 14commanded the clouds from above, and opened the 15doors of heaven,
14 Or, commanded, and so in the sequel; meaning, His disposing and ordering of them by His government.
15 A figurative expression by way of similitude. Compare 2 Kings 7:2, 19.
24Andj had rained down 16manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the 17corn of heaven.
j Exod. 16:14.
16 See Exod. 16 on verse 15.
17 Which fell down out of the air, and could be ground as corn and would serve unto corn. See Num. 11:8.
25Mank did eat 18angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.
k John 6:31; 1 Cor. 10:3.
18 That is, of the angels, so called by reason of the power and might which they received of God to exploit and perform great and mighty things, especially for the service of His elect. See Psalm 103:20; Heb. 1:14. The manna is called the bread of the angels, for God had sent it down by their ministry, or it was given from heaven (the angels’ dwelling-place); or because of the excellency of it, as the tongues of angels, 1 Cor. 13:1, that is, the most pleasant and harmonious.
26Hel caused an east wind to blow in the 19heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
l Num. 11:31.
19 That is, in the air.
27He rained flesh also upon them as 20dust, and feathered 21fowls like as the sand of the sea:
20 In such plenty and abundance.
21 Namely, quails.
28And he let it fall in the midst of 22their camp, round about their 23habitations.
22 Yet so, notwithstanding, that it fell likewise far outside the camp. See Num. 11:31. He calls Israel God’s camp, for the LORD was the Head and King and Leader thereof.
23 This may be understood of God’s tabernacle, wherein there were several habitations; or of the people’s dwellings which may be called God’s habitations for the same reason, as the camp God’s camp.
29So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own 24desire;
24 That is, abundance of that food they lusted after.
30They were not 25estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
25 They had scarcely gratified their lust; their appetite was not quite over.
31Them wrath of God came upon them, and slew the 26fattest of them, and smote down the 27chosen men of Israel.
m Num. 11:33; 1 Cor. 10:5.
26 That is, some of their principal, richest, strongest, goodliest, liveliest men. Compare Judges 3 on verse 29. Hebr. fatnesses.
27 Other, young men. Also verse 63.
32For all this they sinned 28still, and believed not 29for his wondrous works.
28 Murmured again for all that. See Numbers 14; 16; 17.
29 Compare Deut. 1 on verse 32. That is, they would not trust God, notwithstanding all these wonders which He wrought among them.
33Therefore their days did he consume in 30vanity, and their years in trouble.
30 See Num. 14:28, 29, 33, 34, 35.
34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36Nevertheless they did 31flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
31 Or, gave him good or fair words, as if they meant to beguile Him. See of the Hebrew word Judges 14:15.
37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
38But he, being full of compassion, 32forgave their iniquity, and 33destroyed them not: yea, 34many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up 35all his wrath.
32 That is, He left off the temporal punishment or withheld the same, in regard of those hypocrites; and pardoned them, in pursuance of His Covenant of Grace, for the atonement of the Messiah, in regard of the elect.
33 See of the Hebrew word Judges 20 on verse 21.
34 Hebr. he multiplied turning away or diverting, etc.
35 For to destroy them altogether and at once.
39For he remembered that they were but 36flesh; a 37wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
36 See Psalm 56 on verse 4.
37 Compare James 4:14.
40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and 38grieve him in the desert!
38 See Gen. 6 on verse 6.
41Yea, they 39turned back and tempted God, and 40limited the 41Holy One of Israel.
39 Or, they tempted God again.
40 Or, constrained Him, that is, they would set Him limits and measures; confine His Divine almighty power and government within certain limits, as it were; as if He could or must do no otherwise then it pleased them or they judged feasible; they would even overrule Him.
41 See Psalm 71 on verse 22.
42They remembered not his 42hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the 43enemy.
42 That is, His mighty power which He had manifested in delivering His people.
43 Or, from distress.
43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of 44Zoan:
44 As verse 12.
44Andn had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
n Exod. 7:20.
45Heo sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; andp45frogs, which destroyed them.
o Exod. 8:24.
p Exod. 8:6.
45 Hebr. a frog.
46Heq gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their 46labour unto the locust.
q Exod. 10:13.
46 That is, the fruits of the earth, for which they had taken pains, and bestowed their labor upon.
47Her47destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with 48frost.
r Exod. 9:23.
47 That is, He made them wither and decay, go out and die.
48 This Hebrew word is only found in this place. Some hold that the fire mixed with the hail (Exod. 9:24, 25) is called thus for piercing, splitting and spoiling all it lighted (or as it were lodged or camped) upon.
48He 49gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to 50hot thunderbolts.
49 Or, he concluded their cattle under the hail, etc., that they were under the power of the hail, as an hedged or imprisoned person, who was not able to escape it: and so verses 50, 62.
50 Or, fiery sparks, that is, the fiery flashes of lightning. Compare 2 Sam. 22:9, 13.
49He cast upon them the 51fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending 52evil 53angels among them.
51 That is, most grievous and heavy plagues and punishments, the effects of His wrath. See Job 21:30; Ezek. 7:3 with the annotations.
52 Hebr. of evils, that is, of much evil or calamity.
53 Hereby some understand destroying angels; others, Moses and Aaron, by whom God caused these plagues to be announced upon Pharaoh.
50He 54made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave theirs55life over to the pestilence;
54 Hebr. He weighed a path, that is, in the scales of His justice, weighing His punishments against their deserts; even as God uses to proceed in punishing, when men go on in sins and obstinacy. See Lev. 26:21, 23, 24, 27, 28.
s Exod. 9:6.
55 Other, their cattle, as Job 33:18, 22, 28.
51Andt smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the 56chief of their strength in the 57tabernacles of Ham:
t Exod. 12:29.
56 Or, firstfruits. See Gen. 49 on verse 3.
57 In the dwelling places of Egypt, in Hebrew called Mizraim, after the name of Ham’s son. See Gen. 10 on verse 6.
52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: butu the 58sea overwhelmed their enemies.
u Exod. 14:27, 28; 15:10.
58 The Red Sea, or Reed Sea.
54And he brought them to the 59border of his sanctuary, even to this 60mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
59 Namely, Canaan. Compare Exod. 15:13, 17. That is, His holy borders. Or, the borders of his sanctuary.
60 Namely, Zion, as verse 68. Other, these mountains, that is to say, the land of the Jews which is surrounded by mountains.
55He cast out the heathen also before them, and 61divided them anv62inheritance by 63line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
61 That is, He gave them Canaan, as it were, by the lot of inheritance, and caused the land to be divided among them by lot. See Num. 34:2, etc.; Joshua 14; 15; 16; 17.
v Joshua 13:7; Psalm 136:21, 22.
62 Of the Israelites.
63 See Deut. 32 on verse 9; Psalm 16 on verses 5, 6.
5664Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his 65testimonies:
64 This has regard to the sin, which Israel, being come into Canaan, has committed in the days of the judges. See verses 59, 60, etc., and further Deut. 6 on verse 16.
65 That is, His laws and commandments. See Num. 1 on verse 50; Deut. 4 on verse 45.
57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their 66fathers: they were turned aside like a 67deceitful bow.
66 Had done in the wilderness.
67 Hebr. a bow of deceit, which shoots the bolt backward, and not forward to the mark, or which hurts the shooter, or turns away in his hand that he either fails to shoot or the shot miscarries. So Hosea 7:16.
58For they provoked him to 68anger with their 69high places, andw moved him to 70jealousy with their graven images.
68 Compare Deut. 32:21.
69 Where they committed idolatry, after the manner of the heathen. See Lev. 26 on verse 30; Deut. 12 on verse 2, etc.
w Deut. 32:16:21.
70 See Exod. 20 on verse 5.
59When God 71heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
71 Compare with verse 21.
60So that he forsook the tabernacle of 72Shiloh, the tent which he placed among 73men;
72 See 1 Sam. 4:4, 11; Jer. 7:14; 26:6, 9.
73 The Israelites, whom here are simply called men to express the great favor of God, that He establishes His dwelling among wretched people.
61Andx delivered his 74strength into captivity, and his glory into the 75enemy’s hand.
x 1 Sam. 4:10, 11.
74 That is, the ark of the covenant, whereby God manifested otherwise His help and power in His people’s behalf. See 2 Chron. 6:41; Psalm 132:5, 8. The same is likewise called here the glory or honorableness, ornament of God, as 1 Sam. 4:21. Some do understand by his strength the strong men and heroes of God’s people.
75 Namely, of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4:11.
62He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
63The 76fire consumed 77their young men; and their maidens were not given to 78marriage.
76 The wrath of God, through the sword and the fury of the Philistines.
77 Hebr. his, namely, of the people of Israel; and so in the sequel.
78 Namely, with nuptial hymns, as was the custom at their weddings and espousals; that is, they were not married in any solemn or honorable, or joyful manner. This is likewise implied in Jer. 7:34; 16:9; 25:10.
64Theiry79priests fell by the sword; and their 80widows made no lamentation.
y 1 Sam. 4:11, 18, 19.
79 This may be understood in particular of the sons of Eli, the high priest, 1 Sam. 4:11.
80 For astonishment and terror, by reason of the immense common calamities, which so withdrew their sense and mind from their own circumstances that they could not think on them nor find the usual time to that end. See 1 Sam. 4:19, 20; Job 27:15; Ezek. 24:23.
65Then the Lord 81awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth 82by reason of wine.
81 Seeming to have been asleep, for permitting the Philistines to prevail thus and to carry away the ark. Compare Psalm 44:23.
82 Strengthened by a liberal draught of wine, and thereby made courageous and undaunted to fall upon his enemy. Other, rising up from wine, that is, as a strong man, having slept out his wine, bestirs himself exceedingly to show his valor, when as before, while he was asleep, he seemed to have none at all.
66Andz he smote his 83enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a 84perpetual reproach.
z 1 Sam. 5:6; 6:4.
83 The Philistines. See 1 Sam. 5:6, etc.; 6:4, 5, 11, 15, 17.
84 Hebr. reproach of eternity.
67Moreover he refused the 85tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
85 The tabernacle, which was at Shiloh in the tribe of Ephraim, was not permitted by God to continue there, nor the ark to return thither again for any reposing.
68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69And he built his 86sanctuary like 87high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
86 That is, the temple, by Solomon. See 1 Kings 6.
87 Or, like high places. As high as any high palace and as firm as the earth which is unmovable forever.
70Heaa chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
aa 1 Sam. 16:11; 2 Sam. 7:8.
71From following the 88ewes great with young he brought him toab89feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
88 Other, sucking sheep.
ab 2 Sam. 5:2; 1 Chron. 11:2.
89 See 2 Sam. 5 on verse 2.
72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the 90skilfulness of his hands.
90 Hebr. with understanding of his palms; that is, he governed the kingdom and managed the affairs thereof with great wisdom, prudence and discretion.