Psalm 78:9-16

A Review of Israel’s History as a Source of Consolation

The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, fully equipped for battle, turned back in the day of battle; although this tribe possessed the privileges, and therefore should have fulfilled the duties, of the first-born, by being leaders of the nation in everything that was good, its members showed their leadership rather in apostasy from God.

V. 10. They kept not the covenant of God, they were backsliders almost from the start, permitting idolatry within their coasts almost immediately after the conquest of Canaan, and refused to walk in His Law; v. 11. and forgat His works and His wonders that He had showed them, not heeding the impressive lessons connected with the guidance of the Lord.

So much is said, by way of introduction and summary, to prepare the way for the warning contained in the remainder of the hymn.

THE NARRATIVE OF GOD’S DEEDS. — V. 12. Marvelous things did He in the sight of their fathers, before the exodus, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan, this being the residence of the Pharaohs at the time of the deliverance from Egypt, Num. 14, 22. The miracles performed by Moses were probably all done in or near this capital, and it is mentioned also at a later date because it was located in the most easterly portion of Egypt, in the part nearest to the land of Canaan.

V. 13. He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, Ex. 14, 21; and He made the waters to stand as an heap, Ex. 15, 8. V. 14. In the daytime also He led them with a cloud and all the night with a light of fire, this pillar of fire being mentioned frequently in the account of the wilderness journey, Ex. 13, 21. 22.

V. 15. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, on two different occasions, Ex. 17, 5; Num. 20, 11, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. V. 16. He brought streams also out of the rock, in performing the miracles just referred to, and caused waters to run down like rivers.