Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 79:5
How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry forever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
5. How long, Jehovah, wilt thou be angry for ever?
(How long) shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
As in Psa 13:1, faith combines two questions into a self-contradictory expression. How long and for ever are characteristic words of Psalms 74 ( Psa 74:1 ; Psa 74:10 ; Psa 74:19). Cp. Psa 80:4; Psa 89:46.
Shall thy jealousy burn like fire ] “Jehovah thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God” (Deu 4:24). He cannot endure a divided allegiance, and must punish Israel for its sin. Cp. Deu 29:20; Zep 1:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5 8. Prayer that God will cease to be angry with His own people and will punish their destroyers.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
How long, Lord? – See Psa 74:1, note; Psa 74:10, note; and Psa 77:7-9, notes. This is the language, not of impatience, but of anxiety; not of complaining, but of wonder. It is language such as the people of God are often constrained to employ under heavy trials – trials which continue so long that it seems as if they would never end.
Shall thy jealousy, burn like fire? – That is, Shall it continue to burn like fire? Shall it utterly consume us? On the word jealousy, see the notes at Psa 78:58.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. How long, Lord?] Wilt thou continue thine anger against us, and suffer us to be insulted, and thyself blasphemed?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
5. How long (Ps13:1).
be angry (Ps74:1-10).
jealousy burn (De29:20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry? for ever?…. That is, how long wilt thou be angry? shall it be for ever? see Ps 85:4, for though what was done, or to be done, as before related, was or will be done by the enemies of the Lord’s people, yet by his permission, and as a token of his anger and displeasure against them: at least it might be so understood, both by them and by their enemies; and hence this expostulation,
shall thy jealousy burn like fire? so jealousy does; its coals are coals of fire, So 8:6, there were, at the times referred to, such among the people, who did evil things, and provoked the Lord to jealousy and wrath: see the Apocrypha:
“And there was very great wrath upon Israel.” (1 Maccabees 1:64)
“When this was done, and they had made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled with his servants for ever.” (2 Maccabees 8:29)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Out of the plaintive question how long? and whether endlessly God would be angry and cause His jealousy to continue to burn like a fire ( Deu 32:22), grows up the prayer (Psa 79:6) that He would turn His anger against the heathen who are estranged from the hostile towards Him, and of whom He is now making use as a rod of anger against His people. The taking over of Psa 79:6-7 from Jer 10:25 is not betrayed by the looseness of the connection of thought; but in themselves these four lines sound much more original in Jeremiah, and the style is exactly that of this prophet, cf. Jer 6:11; Jer 2:3, and frequently, Psa 49:20. The , instead of , which follows is incorrect; the singular gathers all up as in one mass, as in Isa 5:26; Isa 17:13. The fact that such power over Israel is given to the heathen world has its ground in the sins of Israel. From Psa 79:8 it may be inferred that the apostasy which raged earlier is now checked. is not an adjective (Job 31:28; Isa 59:2), which would have been expressed by , but a genitive: the iniquities of the forefathers (Lev 26:14, cf. Psa 39:1-13). On Psa 79:8 of Jdg 6:6. As is evident from Psa 79:9, the poet does not mean that the present generation, itself guiltless, has to expiate the guilt of the fathers (on the contrary, Deu 24:16; 2Ki 14:6; Eze 18:20); he prays as one of those who have turned away from the sins of the fathers, and who can now no longer consider themselves as placed under wrath, but under sin-pardoning and redeeming grace.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
5 How long, O Jehovah! wilt thou be wroth for ever? I have already observed that these two expressions, how long and for ever, when joined together, denote a lengthened and an uninterrupted continuance of calamities; and that there is no appearance, when looking to the future, of their coming to a termination. We may, therefore, conclude that this complaint was not ended within a month or two after persecution against the Church commenced, but at a time when the hearts of the faithful were almost broken through the weariness produced by prolonged suffering. Here they confess that the great accumulation of calamities with which they are overwhelmed, is to be traced to the wrath of God. Being fully persuaded that the wicked, whatever they may plot, cannot inflict injury, except in so far as God permits them — from this, which they regard as an indubitable principle, they at once conclude, that when he allows such ample scope to their heathen enemies in persecuting them, his anger is greatly provoked. Nor would they, without this persuasion, have looked to God in the hope that he would stretch forth his hand to save them; for it is the work of Him who hath given loose reins to draw in the bridle. Whenever God visits us with the rod, and our own conscience accuses us, it especially becomes us to look to His hand. Here his ancient people do not charge him with being unjustly displeased, but acknowledge the justice of the punishment inflicted upon them. God will always find in his servants just grounds for chastising them. He often, however, in the exercise of his mercy, pardons their sins, and exercises them with the cross for another purpose than to testify his displeasure against their sins, just as it was his will to try the patience of Job, and as he vouchsafed to call the martyrs to an honorable warfare. But here the people, of their own accord, summoning themselves before the Divine tribunal, trace the calamities which they endured to their own sins, as the procuring cause. Hence it may, with probability, be conjectured that this psalm was composed during the time of the Babylonish captivity. Under the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes, they employed, as we have previously seen, a different form of prayer, saying,
“
All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way,” (Psa 44:17.)
We are not to suppose that, in the passage now quoted, the faithful murmured against God, but they employ this language because they knew that he had another end in view than simply to punish their sins; for, by means of these severe conflicts, he prepared them for the prize of their high calling.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) How long, Lord?The dominant cry of the Maccaban age. (See Psa. 74:9.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. How long, Lord The “how long” and for ever would here seem to imply that the affliction had now been of long duration. Time dragged heavily under this trying dispensation of wrath.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
This forms a sweet prayer. The Holy Ghost puts a number of those how longs in the heart of the earliest praying believer. The kingdom of God is taken by violence.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 79:5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
Ver. 5. How long wilt thou be angry? &c. ] Or, how long? wilt thou be angry for ever? The psalmist knew that the enemies were but God’s executioners; and that if he were but once pacified, they should soon be put out of office.
Shall thy jealousy
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
How long . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6. Compare (Psa 79:5) with (Psa 79:10).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 79:5
Psa 79:5
“How long, O Jehovah? Wilt thou be angry forever?
Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?”
“How long …?” The Jewish people had already been told by Jeremiah that the captivity would last for seventy years; but there were many of the people who did not know this. There can be no doubt that they were in a big hurry to get the tragic experience behind them, as indicated by Psa 79:8, where they cried for a “speedy” resolution of the problem. However, it was not the will of God that any quick end would come to Israel’s punishment.
“Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?” The psalmist here indicates that he knew the reason that lay back of the nation’s destruction; it was the jealousy of God, continually provoked by Israel throughout their previous history by their worshipping false gods in the pagan shrines of Canaan. God had already tried every other possible means of curing this shameful “sickness” of Israel, before bringing about their captivity.
The terrible defeat and captivity that followed it accomplished God’s purpose; because, Israel never again resorted to the worship of the pagan gods.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 79:5. This verse is one of David’s earnest prayers for divine help. God had declared that he was jealous (Exo 20:5), which meant he would not tolerate any sharing of his people’s affections with another interest. The nation had not yet gone off after idolatry, but it had been negligent to some extent in duty to the Lord. David did not protest the chastisement but was pleading that it might be eased up.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
How long: Psa 13:1, Psa 13:2, Psa 74:1, Psa 74:9, Psa 74:10, Psa 80:4, Psa 89:46, Rev 6:10
wilt: Psa 85:5, Psa 103:9, Isa 64:9, Mic 7:18
jealousy: Deu 29:20, Deu 32:16, Deu 32:22, Eze 36:5, Zep 1:18, Zep 3:8
Reciprocal: Gen 44:18 – anger Est 1:12 – burned Psa 38:19 – are lively Psa 77:7 – and will Psa 78:58 – moved Psa 80:16 – burned Psa 94:3 – Lord Isa 30:27 – burning Isa 42:25 – he hath poured Isa 64:12 – General Jer 3:12 – I will Lam 2:3 – he burned Lam 5:20 – dost Dan 8:13 – How Dan 9:19 – defer Zec 1:2 – Lord
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
79:5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy {e} burn like fire?
(e) Will you completely consume us for our sins, before you take us to mercy?
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. A plea for deliverance 79:5-12
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The psalmist wondered how long God would be angry with His people and allow them to suffer defeat and humiliation. Would He let His jealousy for Israel’s affection burn as a fire forever? Asaph urged God to direct His rage at Israel’s enemies who disregarded Him and devoured His habitation. He also asked God to forget the sins of the Israelites’ ancestors and show compassion on His lowly people. He based his petition on God’s glory as well as the Israelites’ need.