1<Maschil. Of Asaph.> Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth. 2Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times; 3Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers. 4We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done. 5He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children; 6So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children; 7So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws; 8And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God. 9The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight. 10They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law; 11They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see. 12He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 13The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that. 14In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire. 15The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters. 16He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers. 17And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land; 18Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire. 19They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land? 20See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people? 21So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel; 22Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation. 23And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open; 24And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven. 25Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure. 26He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power. 27He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea, 28And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents. 29So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire; 30But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths, 31The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel. 32For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders. 33So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble. 34When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care; 35In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour. 36But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him; 37And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him. 38But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry. 39So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again. 40How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places! 41Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel. 42They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters; 43How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; 44So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams. 45He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction. 46He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts. 47He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold. 48Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks. 49He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them. 50He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease. 51He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham; 52But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock. 53He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea. 54And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his; 55Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place. 56But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws; 57Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow. 58They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images. 59When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely; 60So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men; 61And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater. 62He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage. 63Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song. 64Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them. 65Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine. 66His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever. 67And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim; 68But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure. 69And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever. 70He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks; 71From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage. 72So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Attention called for. (1-8) The history of Israel. (9-39) Their settlement in Canaan. (40-55) The mercies of God to Israel contrasted with their ingratitude. (56-72) 1-8 These are called dark and deep sayings, because they are carefully to be looked into. The law of God was given with a particular charge to teach it diligently to their children, that the church may abide for ever. Also, that the providences of God, both in mercy and in judgment, might encourage them to conform to the will of God. The works of God much strengthen our resolution to keep his commandments. Hypocrisy is the high road to apostacy; those that do not set their hearts right, will not be stedfast with God. Many parents, by negligence and wickedness, become murderers of their children. But young persons, though they are bound to submit in all things lawful, must not obey sinful orders, or copy sinful examples. 9-39. Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart. Forgetfulness of God's works is the cause of disobedience to his laws. This narrative relates a struggle between God's goodness and man's badness. The Lord hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of God's mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those cannot be said to trust in God's salvation as their happiness at last, who can not trust his providence in the way to it. To all that by faith and prayer, ask, seek, and knock, these doors of heaven shall at any time be opened; and our distrust of God is a great aggravation of our sins. He expressed his resentment of their provocation; not in denying what they sinfully lusted after, but in granting it to them. Lust is contented with nothing. Those that indulge their lust, will never be estranged from it. Those hearts are hard indeed, that will neither be melted by the mercies of the Lord, nor broken by his judgments. Those that sin still, must expect to be in trouble still. And the reason why we live with so little comfort, and to so little purpose, is, because we do not live by faith. Under these rebukes they professed repentance, but they were not sincere, for they were not constant. In Israel's history we have a picture of our own hearts and lives. God's patience, and warnings, and mercies, imbolden them to harden their hearts against his word. And the history of kingdoms is much the same. Judgments and mercies have been little attended to, until the measure of their sins has been full. And higher advantages have not kept churches from declining from the commandments of God. Even true believers recollect, that for many a year they abused the kindness of Providence. When they come to heaven, how will they admire the Lord's patience and mercy in bringing them to his kingdom! 40-55. Let not those that receive mercy from God, be thereby made bold to sin, for the mercies they receive will hasten its punishment; yet let not those who are under Divine rebukes for sin, be discouraged from repentance. The Holy One of Israel will do what is most for his own glory, and what is most for their good. Their forgetting former favours, led them to limit God for the future. God made his own people to go forth like sheep; and guided them in the wilderness, as a shepherd his flock, with all care and tenderness. Thus the true Joshua, even Jesus, brings his church out of the wilderness; but no earthly Canaan, no worldly advantages, should make us forget that the church is in the wilderness while in this world, and that there remaineth a far more glorious rest for the people of God. 56-72 After the Israelites were settled in Canaan, the children were like their fathers. God gave them his testimonies, but they turned back. Presumptuous sins render even Israelites hateful to God's holiness, and exposed to his justice. Those whom the Lord forsakes become an easy prey to the destroyer. And sooner or later, God will disgrace his enemies. He set a good government over his people; a monarch after his own heart. With good reason does the psalmist make this finishing, crowning instance of God's favour to Israel; for David was a type of Christ, the great and good Shepherd, who was humbled first, and then exalted; and of whom it was foretold, that he should be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. On the uprightness of his heart, and the skilfulness of his hands, all his subjects may rely; and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. Every trial of human nature hitherto, confirms the testimony of Scripture, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, and nothing but being created anew by the Holy Ghost can cure the ungodliness of any.