Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 78:21
Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
21. Therefore when Jehovah heard, he was wroth:
And a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also went up against Israel.
Cp. Psa 78:59 ; Psa 78:62. A fire alludes to the punishment of the murmuring Israelites by the burning at Taberah (Num 11:1 ff.), before the second giving of quails.
Went up is a metaphor from smoke. Cp. Psa 18:8; Psa 74:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth – See Num 11:1, Num 11:10.
So a fire was kindled against Jacob … – Fire may be used here, as in Num 11:1, as an emblem of wrath; a fire may have been literally sent down to consume them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 78:21-22
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth . . . Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation.
Mistrust that destroys
There are morbid growths in the human frame which our doctors divide into two groups–benign and malignant; and the distinction often comes to mean the distinction between life and death. In dealing with the unbelief which crosses our pathway and even creeps into our homes, it is most important that we should observe the same principle of minute and discriminating classification, and beware of confusing things that entirely differ. Some phases of scepticism are chiefly intellectual; morbid, weakening, and hurtful all the same: phases which begin to assume a moral complexion when a man parades them as a beggar parades his sores, and it may be frets and keeps them open when they tend to heal. And on the other hand there are scepticisms which are moral in their beginnings and which tend to destroy the most vital fibres of conscience and character.
1. Unbelief is malignant when it is a product of the flesh and its tyrannous appetites. Of that we have an instructive example in the text. Our fleshly passions always tend to make us distrustful of the spiritual and the unseen, and this drift in the passions sometimes warps the reason and deflects the moral sense, and has done so for generations, so that we inherit a maimed aptitude for faith. It is only by the subjugation of the flesh that we become susceptible of the faith that God seeks from us. Men may be mistrustful malcontents because they do not find themselves in the kind of world upon which they have set their foolish desire. The atheist is occasionally a person who cannot get all the beer he wants. Now and again men gnash their teeth upon religious belief because Divine law puts restraint upon their lusts and upholds the strict sanctities of marriage and the home. The ideal world that would convince them of the Makers benevolence would be a world fluttering with hosts of unclaimed hours.
2. Another sign of malignant unbelief is that it thwarts men in working out the appointed problems of life and salvation. We find the scientific mind smouldering with resentment because unscientific definitions of the supernatural have been current in religious circles, just as if such accidents were of the essence of faith. The mind trained to methods of historical research is exasperated to contempt by the uncritical methods of pietists who do not grasp the human part in revelation, and the Bible is despised because of the narrowness and illiteracy of some good Christians who honour it. The man needs our richest pity over whom, for any of these reasons, the Bible has lost its authority. But the obligations of faith are first of all those which present themselves in the pathway of our common duty, and when those obligations are met, we shall probably find the further claim the Bible makes upon our faith easier of fulfilment
3. That unbelief is malignant which impeaches a God who is in the very act of proving His covenant and friendship with us and leading us forth into freedom, privilege, blessedness. Our vaunted doubt is an affront to a living Benefactor, a stab at the warm love that is ever brooding over us, a gross filial impiety; for the signs that our lives are under covenant guidance are as indisputable as those vouchsafed to Israel of old, however much they may differ in form. If you flatter yourself that it is only the God of an empty tradition you disparage in your modes of unbelief, you eliminate the most noteworthy facts from your experience of life, and judge with disastrous prejudice. God is nearer to us than all others, directing our steps to right ends, moulding our characters by wise chastisement, and clinging tenaciously to the faint promise of better things that may yet be in us; and it is all this which puts the culminating blackness upon our unbelief.
4. Unbelief is malignant when the most memorable experiences of our history furnish sufficient warrant for the faith we are required to exercise. Such was the case with Israel in the wilderness. Such unbelief as they avowed might have been less unseemly before the first plague alighted upon Egypt, and the first wonder had been wrought for their salvation. God never asks from men an arbitrary and impossible faith, and it will always be found that He has prepared us by the lessons of our previous history for the next heroic act of trust that is required. In Gods order for our education in this cardinal virtue, the intricate, the complex, the formidable do not come first, although misguided men do not always respect Gods order. The duties of faith are graded just as carefully as a childs scales in music or his first exercises in reading. The infant who can scarcely climb up-stairs is not set to scale Mount Ararat. Gods providence puts the demands of faith in a rational series, and we must rise in harmony with our personal experience of His grace and power. High destinies are in store for you, and you must needs believe in Gods continuous salvation through every step of your pilgrimage, and let Him shape the plan of it in His own way. Why should your whims and weaknesses and insistences forsooth be sacred in His sight? Be content to have them set aside. When you believe in Gods salvation as it persists through your life and breaks out into floods of ever-growing illumination, you will find it easier to believe in the history of salvation preserved for us in the sacred book; and mounting those ascents of faith, made ready for your steps, you shall find that nothing is impossible to him that believeth. (T. G. Selby.)
Israels sin and danger
I. The sin charged.
1. They believed not in Jehovah as contrasted with idol gods, or as the only living and true God.
2. They believed not in His great salvation to be achieved by the promised seed.
II. The consequences.
1. Because men believe not in God, they are left to become the dupes of delusion and error.
2. Because they trust not God, they remain slaves of sin.
3. Because they believe not in God, they taste not joy, peace, and true felicity.
4. Because they believe not in God, they are subject to fear of death, and despair of eternal happiness.
5. They wilt be subject to the wrath of God, and will be outcasts from Him for ever.
III. The reasons which should induce us to believe in God.
1. The essential immutability of His nature.
2. The infallible certainty of His Word, and the preparation He has made for our salvation.
3. The impossibility of finding salvation in any other way.
IV. The means to be employed.
1. Contemplation of our own weakness and inefficiency.
2. Study of His character and faithfulness, His Word and grace, His gospel, etc.
3. Diligent attendance upon hearing, for faith cometh by hearing.
4. Fervent prayer for His Divine assistance. (The Evangslist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
A fire was kindled; either properly, as it was Num 11:1; or figuratively, the fire of Gods anger, as it follows.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. firethe effect of the”anger” (Nu 11:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore the Lord heard this,…. What they said in their hearts, and what they expressed with their mouths, all their murmurings against him, their distrust of his power and providence, and disbelief of his promises; see Nu 11:1, and was wroth; exceeding wroth; he was highly displeased; there was an overflow of his indignation, as the word a signifies; it was running upon him, upon the thick bosses of his buckler, to arraign his perfections, call in question any of his attributes, and disbelieve his word; this must greatly exasperate him, and provoke the eyes of his glory:
so a fire was kindled against Jacob; the posterity of Jacob; or in Jacob b, in the camp of Israel; which was literally true, because of the murmurings of the people against the Lord fire came down from heaven, and burnt among them, and consumed the uttermost parts of the camp; wherefore the name of the place was called Taberah, which signifies a burning, Nu 11:1, or it may be taken figuratively for the wrath of God, which is oftentimes compared to fire; see Na 1:6 hence it follows,
and anger also came up against Israel; the people of Israel, the same with Jacob before; the allusion is to men when angry, in whose breasts anger burns, and from thence it rises up, and shows itself in their countenance, in their eyes, and by the words of their mouth.
a “transiit in hithpael de transitu vel exundatione bilis solet usurpari”, Gejerus. b “in Jahacob”, Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
21. Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth. This hearing of God implies full and perfect knowledge; and it is a figure taken from earthly judges, who cannot punish criminals until they have become thoroughly acquainted with the cause. He is said to hear his own people, when he shows his favor and mercy towards them by granting their requests; and, on the other hand, he is said to hear those blasphemies which he does not allow to pass unpunished. To remove all ground for thinking that the divine wrath was unduly severe, the enormity of the guilt of the Israelites is again described as manifested in this, that they believed not God, nor trusted in his salvation. It is here taken as an indisputable point, that promises were made to them to which they ought to have yielded an assent, which, however, they were prevented from yielding by the extreme infatuation with which they were carried away. To trust in the salvation of God, is to lean upon his fatherly providence, and to regard him as sufficient for the supply of all our wants. From this we learn not only how hateful unbelief is in the sight of God, but also, what is the true nature of faith, and what are the fruits which it produces. Whence is it that men quietly submit themselves to Him, but because they are persuaded that their salvation is singularly precious in his sight, and are fully assured that he will give them whatever is needful for them? It is thus that they are led to surrender themselves to him, to be governed according to his good pleasure. Faith, then, is the root of true piety. It teaches us to hope for, and to desire every blessing from God, and it frames us to yield obedience to him; while those who distrust him must necessarily be always murmuring and rebelling against him. The scope of the prophet is this, that the pretences to faith which are made by those who do not hope for salvation from God, rest upon false grounds; for when God is believed in, the hope of salvation is speedily produced in the mind, and this hope renders to him the praise of every blessing.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) See references in margin.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
The history of this event is recorded at large, Num 11:1 . But beside the history, I earnestly beg the Reader to keep his eye steadily upon the sacramental design of the whole. The despising here spoken of, concerning Israel, is evidently the taking up slight views of Christ. That portion of scripture which the Holy Ghost gave the church, by Paul, decidedly explains this; 1Co 10:8-10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 78:21 Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Ver. 21. Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth ] Efferbuit, excanduit. Anger is a kind of fire, a boiling of the blood about the heart, through desire of revenge. “But fury is not in me,” saith God, Isa 27:4 . If anger be ascribed unto him, as here, it is an expression fitted to our apprehension, because he doeth that which angry men use to do, viz. chide and smite for sin; but all in a way of justice, and without the least perturbation.
So a fire was kindled
And anger also came up
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 78:21-33
21Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath;
And a fire was kindled against Jacob
And anger also mounted against Israel,
22Because they did not believe in God
And did not trust in His salvation.
23Yet He commanded the clouds above
And opened the doors of heaven;
24He rained down manna upon them to eat
And gave them food from heaven.
25Man did eat the bread of angels;
He sent them food in abundance.
26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens
And by His power He directed the south wind.
27When He rained meat upon them like the dust,
Even winged fowl like the sand of the seas,
28Then He let them fall in the midst of their camp,
Round about their dwellings.
29So they ate and were well filled,
And their desire He gave to them.
30Before they had satisfied their desire,
While their food was in their mouths,
31The anger of God rose against them
And killed some of their stoutest ones,
And subdued the choice men of Israel.
32In spite of all this they still sinned
And did not believe in His wonderful works.
33So He brought their days to an end in futility
And their years in sudden terror.
Psa 78:21-33 Israel’s continued disobedience causes YHWH to judge them. One example used is YHWH’s supernatural provisions of meat (quail). He told them how to receive His blessing but again they disobeyed (cf. Numbers 11). Their actions showed their attitude toward YHWH.
1. they did not believe, Psa 78:22
2. they did not trust, Psa 78:22
3. in spite of all this they still sinned, Psa 78:32
Psa 78:22 believe. . .trust See Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith and Faithfulness in the OT .
Psa 78:23 opened the doors of heaven The heavens (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN and SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN and the Third Heaven) were thought of as a dome covered with skin, like a drum. This dome separated the waters above from falling to earth. They were imagined to have windows that could be opened or shut, depending on God’s will and mankind’s actions (cf. Gen 7:11; Mal 3:10). God could provide
1. rain (Genesis)
2. food (Psalm)
3. blessings (Malachi)
Psa 78:24-25 food from heaven. . .the bread of angels This is referring to manna (cf. Exodus 16). YHWH was gracious (cf. Psa 78:38), but they were rebellious.
Manna (BDB 577 I) was a white substance that appeared as dew. The name may come from Exo 16:4, What is it? It was a miraculous provision of food during the wilderness wandering period. It could be gathered for only one day at a time (God’s daily provision) or it went bad (cf. Exo 16:16-21), except for the day before the Sabbath when enough for two days was gathered and did not turn bad (cf. Exo 16:22-29). It was cooked like flour. It stopped when the Israelites crossed the Jordan (cf. Jos 5:12).
Psa 78:27 dust. . .sand These are two of three terms (dust, sand, stars) used to describe something numerous. They are regularly connected to the numerous descendants of the Patriarchs (i.e., God’s promise to Abraham, cf. Gen 12:2).
1. dust – Gen 13:16; Gen 28:14; Num 23:10
2. sand – Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; 2Sa 17:11; 1Ki 4:20
3. stars – Gen 15:5; Gen 22:17; Gen 26:4; Exo 32:13; Deu 1:10; Deu 10:22; Deu 28:62
Psa 78:29-31 God provided quail but the people again did not trust God’s provision and tried to gather a large quantity of birds for future consumption. This displeased God and His judgment fell on them (cf. Num 11:31-35).
Again and again in the OT, God told His people what to do but they refused and did it their way. Every time this resulted in judgment! The issue was trust! And it still is!
Psa 78:33
NASB, NKJVend in futility
NASB marginvanity, a mere breath
NRSVvanish like a breath
NJBvanish in midst
This term (BDB 210 I) is a key term in Ecclesiastes. See my note below from Ecclesiastes 1.
Ecc 1:2 vanity of vanities This is a Hebrew superlative (cf. Psa 1:2 and Psa 12:8). The word means vapor, breath, or mist (BDB 210 I, cf. Jas 4:14). Its emphasis is either (1) nothingness or (2) the transitoriness of human life. The context supports the latter (cf. H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes, p. 41).
This is a key term and recurrent phrase in this book (cf. Ecc 1:2; Ecc 1:14; Ecc 2:1; Ecc 2:11; Ecc 2:15; Ecc 2:17; Ecc 2:19; Ecc 2:21; Ecc 2:23; Ecc 2:26; Ecc 3:19; Ecc 4:4; Ecc 4:7-8; Ecc 4:16; Ecc 5:7; Ecc 5:10; Ecc 6:2; Ecc 6:4; Ecc 6:9; Ecc 6:11-12; Ecc 7:6; Ecc 7:15; Ecc 8:10; Ecc 8:14; Ecc 9:9; Ecc 11:8; Ecc 11:10; Ecc 12:8). The term is used sparingly in other wisdom books: Job , 5 times; Psalms , 9 times; and Proverbs , 3 times.
For different theories about how it views the strong statements in this book, see Introduction, Authorship, H. I prefer option #1. This theological presupposition will be the grid through which I interpret the book.
all is vanity Notice the root, vanity (BDB 210 I), is used five times in this one verse! The Handbook on Ecclesiastes by UBS, says the term should be understood as
1.incomprehensible
2.enigmatic
3.mysterious
4.impossible to understand
Therefore, it communicates the reality that life is full of unanswerable questions (p. 4). The person knowledgeable in wisdom will know this, but will continue to trust God and keep His commandments.
This refers to the uncertain and unpredictable activities of life. These are a result of fallen humanity trying to live life in their own strength, independent from God. This is the condition left by the Fall (cf. Genesis 3)!
The Hebrew term all (BDB 481), often translated everything, is a common word, but is used often in Ecclesiastes (i.e., 9 times in chapter 1; 17 times in chapter 2; 13 times in chapter 3, etc.). Qoheleth uses this inclusive language to express his theological emphasis on
1. God’s control and sovereignty
2. human ineffectiveness and transitoriness
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the Lord: Psa 78:31, Num 11:10, 1Co 10:5, 1Co 10:11, Jud 1:5
a fire: Num 11:1-3, Deu 32:22, Heb 12:29
Reciprocal: Psa 78:42 – remembered Psa 78:63 – fire
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 78:21-22. The Lord heard, and was wroth Such rude and insolent language highly incensed the Divine Majesty. So a fire was kindled against Jacob He sent lightning from heaven to consume those whom he had before cherished, Num 11:1. Or, the expression may be taken figuratively for the fire of Gods anger, as it follows. Observe, reader, God is a witness to all our murmurings and distrusts: he hears them, and is much displeased with them. To unbelievers our God is himself a consuming fire, and those that will not confide in the power of his mercy shall feel the power of his indignation, and be made to confess that it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands. Because they believed not in God Because, by this their distrust and murmuring, it appeared that they did not give credit to the revelation God had made of himself to them: for they durst not commit themselves to his care, nor venture themselves in his hands; and trusted not in his salvation That he could and would save them from the famine and destruction which they feared; they trusted not in the salvation he had begun to work for them; for, if they had, they would not thus have questioned its progress. Mark well, reader, those cannot be said to trust in Gods salvation as their felicity at last, who cannot find in their hearts to trust in his providence for food convenient in the way to it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
In response to their murmuring, God sent fire that burned on the outskirts of the camp (Num 11:1-3). This was a warning to the people. When they requested bread, He sent it to them abundantly (Exo 16:14-31). Asaph called the manna angels’ food (Psa 78:25) because it came down from heaven. When the people insisted on having meat, God sent abundant quail (Exo 16:13; Num 11:31). However, He also sent a plague that should have taught them to be content with His provisions (Num 11:33).
"Sometimes God’s greatest judgment is to give us what we want." [Note: Ibid.]
In spite of all these lessons, the generation of Israelites that left Egypt in the Exodus continued to disbelieve and disobey Yahweh. Consequently that generation perished in the wilderness (Psa 78:33).