Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley, [1754-65], at sacred-texts.com
Psalms 78:1
psa 78:1
My law - The doctrine which I am about to deliver.
Psalms 78:2
psa 78:2
Parable - Weighty sentences. Dark sayings - Not that the words are hard to be understood, but the things, God's transcendent goodness, their unparallel'd ingratitude; and their stupid ignorance and insensibleness, under such excellent teachings of God's word and works, are prodigious and hard to be believed. Of old - Of things done in ancient times.
Psalms 78:5
psa 78:5
Established - This is justly put in first place, as the chief of all his mercies. A testimony - His law, called a testimony, because it is a witness between God and men, declaring the duties which God expects from man, and the blessings which man may expect from God.
Psalms 78:9
psa 78:9
Ephraim - That Ephraim is here put for all Israel seems evident from the following verses, wherein the sins, upon which this overthrow is charged, are manifestly the sins of all the children of Israel, and they who are here called Ephraim are called Jacob and Israel, Psa 78:21, and this passage may refer to that dreadful overthrow related, Sa1 4:10-11, which is particularly named, because as the ark, so the flight was in that tribe. And the psalmist having related this amazing providence, falls into a large discourse of the causes of it, namely, the manifold sins of that and the former generations, which having prosecuted from hence to Psa 78:60, he there returns to this history, and relates the sad consequence of that disaster, the captivity of the ark, and God's forsaking of Shiloh and Ephraim, and removing thence to the tribe of Judah and mount Zion. Bows - These are put for all arms.
Psalms 78:12
psa 78:12
Field - In the territory. Zoan - An ancient and eminent city of Egypt.
Psalms 78:15
psa 78:15
Wilderness - In Rephidim, and again in Kadesh.
Psalms 78:16
psa 78:16
Streams - Which miraculously followed them in all their travels, even to the borders of Canaan.
Psalms 78:17
psa 78:17
Wilderness - Where they had such singular obligations to obedience. This was a great aggravation of their sins.
Psalms 78:18
psa 78:18
Tempted - Desired a proof of God's power. Lust - Not for their necessary subsistence, but out of an inordinate and luxurious appetite.
Psalms 78:22
psa 78:22
Trusted not - That he both could, and would save them from the famine which they feared.
Psalms 78:23
psa 78:23
Heaven - Which he compares to a store - house, whereof God shuts or opens the doors, as he sees fit.
Psalms 78:25
psa 78:25
Angels food - Manna, so called, because it was made by the ministry of angels.
Psalms 78:26
psa 78:26
South wind - First an eastern, and afterwards a southern wind.
Psalms 78:27
psa 78:27
Fowl - But God took away from them the use of their wings, and made them to fall into the hands of the Israelites.
Psalms 78:31
psa 78:31
Mightiest - The most healthy and strong, who probably were most desirous of this food, and fed most eagerly upon it.
Psalms 78:33
psa 78:33
Vanity - In tedious and fruitless marches hither and thither. Trouble - In manifold diseases, dangers, and perplexities.
Psalms 78:34
psa 78:34
Returned - From their idols. Enquired - Speedily sought to God for ease and safety.
Psalms 78:35
psa 78:35
Redeemer - That God alone had preserved them in all their former exigencies, and that he only could help them.
Psalms 78:36
psa 78:36
Lied - They made but false protestations of their sincere resolutions of future obedience.
Psalms 78:42
psa 78:42
Hand - The glorious works of his hand. Enemy - That remarkable day, in which God delivered them from their greatest enemy, Pharaoh.
Psalms 78:45
psa 78:45
Flies - These flies were doubtless extraordinary in their nature, and hurtful qualities. And the like is to be thought concerning the frogs.
Psalms 78:46
psa 78:46
Labour - The herbs which were come up by their care and labour.
Psalms 78:47
psa 78:47
Sycamore - trees - Under these and the vines, all other trees are comprehended. This hail and frost destroyed the fruit of the trees, and sometimes the trees themselves.
Psalms 78:49
psa 78:49
Evil angels - Whom God employed in producing these plagues.
Psalms 78:51
psa 78:51
Ham - Of the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham, the cursed children of a cursed parent.
Psalms 78:54
psa 78:54
Holy place - The land of Canaan, separated by God from all other lands. Mountain - The mountainous country of Canaan; the word mountain is often used in scripture for a mountainous country.
Psalms 78:57
psa 78:57
Deceitful bow - Which either breaks when it is drawn, or shoots awry, and frustrates the archer's expectation.
Psalms 78:59
psa 78:59
Heard - Perceived or understood, it is spoken of God after the manner of men.
Psalms 78:60
psa 78:60
Shiloh - Which was placed in Shiloh. Among men - Whereby he insinuates both God's wonderful condescension, and their stupendous folly in despising so glorious a privilege.
Psalms 78:61
psa 78:61
His strength - The ark, called God's strength, Ch1 16:11, because it was the sign and pledge of his strength put forth on his people's behalf. Glory - So the ark is called, as being the monument and seat of God's glorious presence. Enemies - The Philistines.
Psalms 78:64
psa 78:64
Priests - Hophni and Phinehas. No lamentation - No funeral solemnities; either because they were prevented by their own death, as the wife of Phinehas was, or disturbed by the invasion of the enemy.
Psalms 78:66
psa 78:66
Smote - Them with the piles. Reproach - He caused them to perpetuate their own reproach by sending back the ark of God with their golden emrods, the lasting monuments of their shame.
Psalms 78:67
psa 78:67
Refused - He would not have his ark to abide any longer in the tabernacle of Shiloh, which was in the tribe of Joseph or Ephraim.
Psalms 78:68
psa 78:68
Chose - For the seat of the ark and of God's worship.
Psalms 78:69
psa 78:69
Sanctuary - The temple of Solomon. Palaces - Magnificent and gloriously. Established - Not now to be moved from place to place, as the tabernacle was, but as a fixed place for the ark's perpetual residence.