72<\/strong>. the integrity of his heart<\/em> ] Cp. 1Ki 9:4<\/span>; Psa 7:8<\/span>; Psa 101:2<\/span>; and the use of the cognate adjective in Psa 15:2<\/span>; Psa 18:23<\/span>.<\/p>\n the skilfulness<\/em> ] The regal faculty of discernment<\/em> which Solomon desired (1Ki 3:9<\/span>), and with which he was so richly endowed (1Ki 4:29<\/span>).<\/p>\n So he fed them – <\/B>He performed toward them the office of a shepherd.<\/P> According to the integrity of his heart – <\/B>literally, According to the perfection of his heart. That is, he was upright and pure in the administration of his government.<\/P> And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands – <\/B>literally, by the understanding of his hands – as if the hand had been endued with intelligence. Compare Psa 144:1<\/span> : Which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. See also Psa 137:5<\/span>. The idea is, that he administered the government with integrity and uprightness. This is a beautiful tribute to the integrity and purity of the administration of David. It is not the language of flattery; it is a simple statement, flowing from the heart, in favor of a just and upright administration; and it is a true statement of what the administration of David was. Save in the matter of Uriah – over which he afterward wept so bitterly – his administration was eminently just, pure, impartial, wise, and benignant; probably none among people have been more so. The whole psalm is thus a beautiful argument showing why the government had been transferred from Ephraim to Judah, and why it had been placed in the hands of David.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 72<\/span>. So he fed them<\/B><\/I>] Here David is mentioned as having<\/I> terminated his reign<\/I>. He had<\/I> fed the people, according to the<\/I> integrity of his heart<\/I>, for that was ever disposed to do the will of God in the administration of the kingdom: and his hand<\/I> being skilful<\/I> in war, he always led them out to victory against their enemies.<\/P> <\/P> ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH PSALM<\/B><\/P> <\/P> The psalmist, considering that it is God’s command that his works be not forgotten, but that the father should deliver his former doings to posterity, that they might be to them both comfort<\/I> and instruction, deter them from sin, and persuade them<\/I> to fear God<\/I>, gives in this Psalm a long catalogue of God’s dealings with his people, even from their coming out of Egypt to the conclusion of the reign of David.<\/P> <\/P> There are three<\/I> principal parts in this Psalm: –<\/P> <\/P> I. A preface<\/I>, in which the psalmist exhorts men to learn and declare the way of God, Ps 78:1-9<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> II. A continued narrative<\/I> of God’s administration among the people, and their stubbornness, disobedience<\/I>, and contumacy<\/I>; together with the punishments<\/I> which God inflicted upon them, Ps 78:9-67<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> III. His mercy<\/I>, manifested in the midst of judgment; that he did not cut them off, but, after the rejection of Ephraim, (Israel,) made choice of Judah, Zion, and David.<\/P> <\/P> I. In the PREFACE or exordium<\/I> he labours to gain attention: “Give ear, O my people,” Ps 78:1<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 1. Shows that he is about to deliver doctrines and precepts from heaven. It is God’s law, and it should be heard: 1. For its excellence, Ps 78:2<\/span>. 2. For its certainty, Ps 78:3<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. He shows the end<\/I>, which is another argument for attention. 1. It must not be hidden from their children, that God might be praised, Ps 78:4<\/span>. 2. And his power magnified; and 3. His people edified, Ps 78:5<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Then follow the duties<\/I> of their children<\/I>, which are three<\/I>: 1. That they might know<\/I> God, his law, his works, Ps 78:6<\/span>. 2. That they might trust<\/I> in him, Ps 78:7<\/span>. 3. That they might be obedient<\/I>, Ps 78:8<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> II. The NARRATION. Their fathers were stubborn and rebellious, of which he gives several examples: – <\/P> <\/P> 1. In Ephraim<\/I>: “They turned back in the day of battle,” Ps 78:9<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. They kept not the covenant<\/I> of God, Ps 78:10<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 3. They forgat his works<\/I> in Egypt, Ps 78:11<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> The psalmist extends this narrative, and shows, 1. God’s goodness; 2. Israel’s obstinacy; 3. Their punishment.<\/P> <\/P> I. His goodness<\/I> in bringing them out of Egypt in such a marvellous way, Ps 78:12<\/span>. 1. He divided the Red Sea, Ps 78:13<\/span>. 2. He made the waters to stand on a heap, Ps 78:13<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 1. His care<\/I> in guiding them: 1. In the daytime by a cloud<\/I>, Ps 78:14<\/span>. 2. In the night by fire<\/I>, Ps 78:14<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. His love<\/I> in providing for them. 1. He clave the rock that they might have water, Ps 78:15<\/span>. 2. He caused these waters to follow them as rivers, Ps 78:16<\/span>. 3. And thus they had an abundant supply, Ps 78:16<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> II. Israel’s<\/I> obstinacy. 1. They sinned. 2. More and more. 3. Provoked the Holy One of Israel, Ps 78:17-18<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> They were incredulous<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> 1. They tempted<\/I> God by desiring other supplies<\/I> than his providence had designed. He gave them manna<\/I>; they would have flesh<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. They questioned his power<\/I>, Ps 78:19<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 3. They were foolishly impatient<\/I>, and must have immediately whatever they thought proper, else they murmured. They said, 1. He smote the rock, and the water<\/I> gushed out. 2. But can he give bread<\/I> also? Ps 78:20<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> III. Their punishment<\/I>. 1. The Lord was wroth, Ps 78:21<\/span>. 2<\/span>. A fire was kindled<\/I>. 3. Because they believed him not<\/I>, nor trusted in his salvation, Ps 78:22<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> He provided manna<\/I> for them; an especial blessing, on various considerations.<\/P> <\/P> 1. It came from heaven, Ps 78:23<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. It came abundantly. He “rained it down,” Ps 78:24<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 3. It was most excellent<\/I>: “Man did eat angels’ food,” Ps 78:25<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Weary of this, they desired flesh<\/I>. In this also God heard them. 1. He brought quails<\/I>. 2, In abundance. 3. Brought them to and about the camp<\/I>, so that they had no labour to find them, Ps 78:25-26<\/span>; Ps 78:28<\/span>. 4. They were all gratified<\/I> with them, Ps 78:29<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> See God’s justice<\/I> in their punishment, and the cause of it. 1. They were “not estranged from their lust,” Ps 78:30<\/span>. 2. His wrath<\/I> came upon them. 3. It came suddenly<\/I>. 4. It slew<\/I> them. 5. Even the chief<\/I> of them, Ps 78:31<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> See their sin<\/I> notwithstanding. 1. For all this, they sinned yet more. 2. They were incredulous, Ps 78:32<\/span>. 3. He caused them to consume their days in vanity. 4. And their years (forty long years) in trouble, Ps 78:33<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> They began apparently to relent. 1. They sought him. 2. They returned. 3. They sought after God. 4. They remembered that he was their Rock. 5. And the Most High their Redeemer, Ps 78:34-35<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> But in this, their apparent<\/I> amendment, they were guilty – 1. Of hypocrisy<\/I>, Ps 78:36<\/span>. 2. Of insincerity<\/I>, Ps 78:37<\/span>. 3. Of instability<\/I>: “They were not steadfast in his covenant,” Ps 78:37<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> On a review of this, the prophet extols the goodness<\/I> of God that bore with such a people.<\/P> <\/P> 1. He opened to them the fountain of mercy<\/I>: “He being full of compassion.”<\/P> <\/P> 2. He displayed an act<\/I> of this mercy: “He forgave their iniquity.”<\/P> <\/P> 3. Though he punished in a measure<\/I>, yet he restrained his vindictive justice, and destroyed them not, Ps 78:38<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> His motives for this tenderness: 1. He remembered that they were but flesh<\/I>. 2. That, their probation<\/I> once ended, their state was fixed for ever, Ps 78:39<\/span>. See the note. See Clarke on Ps 78:39<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> He proceeds with the story of their rebellions<\/I>. 1. They provoked him often in the wilderness. 2. They grieved him in the desert, Ps 78:40<\/span>. 3. They returned to sin<\/I>, tempted him. 4. Insulted him. 5. And forgat all his past mercies, Ps 78:41-43<\/span>. More particularly, 1. They remembered not his hand, Ps 78:42<\/span>. 2. Nor his signs in Egypt, Ps 78:44<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> The wonders which he wrought in Egypt. Five<\/I> of the plagues mentioned: – <\/P> <\/P> First plague<\/I>. He turned their rivers into blood<\/I>, Ps 78:44<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Fourth plague<\/I>. He sent divers flies<\/I>, Ps 78:45<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Second plague<\/I>. The frogs<\/I> destroyed them, Ps 78:45<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Eighth plague<\/I>. The locusts<\/I>, Ps 78:46<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Seventh plague<\/I>. Their vines<\/I>, c. were destroyed, Ps 78:47<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 1. He cast upon them the fierceness of his wrath. 2. Sent evil angels among them. 3. And made a path for his anger<\/I>, Ps 78:49<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> The first plague<\/I>. He gave their life to the pestilence, Ps 78:50<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> The last<\/I> plague. He slew their first-born, Ps 78:51<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> He now gives a recital of God’s mercy in the following particulars:<\/P> <\/P> 1. He brought his people through the Red Sea, Ps 78:52<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 2. He guided them as a flock.<\/P> <\/P> 3. He kept them in safety, Ps 78:53<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> 4. He did not suffer them still to wander, but brought them, – 1. To the border of his sanctuary. 2. Even to Mount Zion. 3. Cast out the heathen before them. 4. And divided them an inheritance by lot, Ps 78:54<\/span> Ps 78:55<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Yet still, 1. “They tempted and provoked him.” 2. “Kept not his testimonies.” 3. “Turned aside” from his worship. 4. Were unfaithful<\/I>. 5. And idolatrous<\/I>, Ps 78:55-58<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> For this, – 1. God’s wrath grows more hot against the people. 2. He greatly abhorred Israel. 3. Forsook the tabernacle. 4. Delivered up the ark. 5. Gave the people to the sword. 6. Gave up the priests to death. 7. And brought upon them general desolation, Ps 78:59-64<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Once more, God – 1. Remembers them in mercy. 2. Fixes his tabernacle<\/I> among them. 3. Chooses David<\/I> to be their king. 4. During the whole of whose days they had prosperity in all things, Ps 78:65-72<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Behold here the goodness and severity of God. Reader, learn wisdom by what those have suffered.<\/P> <\/p>\n He commends David for the two necessary ingredients of a good prince. <\/P> 1. Integrity; <\/B>whereby he sincerely sought the good and welfare of his people, avoiding and abhorring those counsels and courses which were contrary thereunto. <\/P> 2. Skilfulness; <\/B>whereby he managed all the public affairs with singular prudence; which is here ascribed to his hands, not because it was seated in them, but because it was acted and discovered by them, and appeared in all his actions or administrations. <\/P> <\/p>\n 70-72.<\/B> God’s sovereignty wasillustrated in this choice. The contrast is strikinghumility andexaltationand the correspondence is beautiful.<\/P><\/p>\n So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart<\/strong>,…. Or, “reigned over them”, as the Targum; that is, over the people of Israel, and which he did in such manner as showed uprightness of heart, and that he was, as his character is, a man after God’s own heart: it appeared, by his administration of government, that he sought not his own honour and interest, and the aggrandizing of his family, but the good of his people, and the glory of God; and this character, in the fullest extent, and highest sense of it, best agrees with Christ, the righteous branch raised unto David, Jer 23:5<\/span>,<\/p>\n and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands<\/strong>; or “by the prudencies” of his hands, as the Targum; or, by the prudencies c, as in the original text; with the most consummate wisdom and skill: hands are made mention of, partly in allusion to the shepherd, as David had been, who carries a staff in his hand, and guides his flock with it; and partly with respect to the acts and administration of government, which were wisely performed by him: he made wise laws for his people and soldiers, and put them in execution; he behaved wisely in the court and in the camp; but was greatly and infinitely exceeded by his antitype, the servant of the Lord, that should deal prudently, Isa 52:13<\/span>, and who is abundantly qualified for it, as being not only the Wisdom of God, and the all wise God, but even, as Mediator, has the spirit of wisdom on him, and the treasures of wisdom in him.<\/p>\n c “prudentiis”, Vatablus; “intelligentiis”, Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; “discretions”, Ainsworth.<\/p>\n REFLECTIONS<\/p>\n<\/p>\n READER, let us make a solemn pause over the perusal of this most interesting Psalm. And when we have taken a careful survey of its precious contents, let us beg of God the Holy Ghost, the almighty Author of it, to give us grace so to read, and so to improve it to our own use and benefit, that his gracious design may be accomplished, in having caused it to be written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of this world are come.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n And to this end, Lord, we would pray that we may have a clear and distinct apprehension of the sacramental design of thy grace all along in tended from the church’s history. Didst thou bring thy people by thine own power, and with a stretched out arm, from Egypt? Didst thou lead them through the wilderness, manifest thy grace to them all the way, and finally settle them in Canaan? And hast thou not, by the sovereignty of the same wonders in redeeming love, brought thy church now out of spiritual Egypt, and art thou not leading thy people home to thyself in the everlasting Canaan, which is above, through all the wilderness dispensations with which they are exercised, while thy presence is ever with them, and thine arm conducting them along in safety? – Were thy redeemed blessed with the visible symbols of thy divine presence, the pillar of cloud going before them by day, and the pillar of fire protecting them by night; manna from heaven for their food, and the rock to give water for their thirst? And dost thou teach us that these were so many sacraments, types, and figures of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, shedding his illuminating, guiding, protecting grace; the manna of heaven, even Jesus the living bread, and the rock, even Christ the living water, to supply every need? Oh! Lord, grant, we beseech thee, that our souls, like the Israelites bodies, amidst the dust of a wilderness, the serpents and scorpions of a sultry soil, may thirst with a vehement thirst, as the hart for the cooling streams, panting, longing, and looking to Jesus, the only one to assuage the thirst of our souls. Didst thou, blessed Jesus, in the day-time lead them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire; oh! then, give us to see that thou art still with thy church, still loving, still protecting, still feeding, and wilt never leave them nor forsake them, until thou hast brought them home unto thyself, that where thou art there they may be also. And do thou keep us, Lord, from the awful examples here set before us. Oh! for grace to believe the record God hath given of his Son! and, above all sins, preserve us from that dreadful, dreadful sin of a Christ-despising generation! May we never tempt Christ; never doubt either his power to save, or his willingness to redeem; nor murmur, as some of them murmured, lest, like them, we be destroyed of the destroyer; but with an eye to thee, in all thy rich dispensations, view thy sacramental designs in all the eventful history. Yes, blessed Jesus! our desire is to thee, and to the remembrance of thy name. May we eat of the same spiritual meat, and drink of the same spiritual drink; yea, may we drink deep into the full assurance of that blessed truth, that we are now, by faith, as much as the church of old, drinking of that spiritual rock that followed them, convinced that that Rock was Christ.<\/p>\n Psa 78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.<\/p>\n Ver. 72. So he fed them, &c.<\/strong> ] See Psa 78:70<\/span> . He was not malus vir bonus princeps<\/em> (as is said of our Richard III), but every way accomplished, and active for the good of his subjects.<\/p>\n skilfulness = discernment, or understanding. <\/p>\n according: Psa 75:2, Psa 101:1-8, 2Sa 8:15, 1Ki 9:4, 1Ki 15:5, Isa 11:2-4, Act 13:22, Act 13:36 <\/p>\n guided: 1Ki 3:6-9, 1Ki 3:28, Zec 11:15-17, 2Co 3:5, 2Co 3:6, 2Ti 2:15, Jam 1:5 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 20:5 – in the integrity 2Sa 7:7 – feed 1Ch 17:6 – feed 1Ch 18:14 – executed 1Ch 29:26 – over all Israel Psa 7:8 – to mine Psa 18:50 – Great Isa 40:11 – feed Isa 44:28 – my shepherd Eze 34:2 – feed Eze 37:24 – one Eze 46:18 – the prince Mat 2:6 – rule 1Pe 5:2 – which is among you<\/p>\n Psa 78:72. So he fed them Having so great a trust put into his hands, he obtained mercy of the Lord to be found both skilful and faithful in the discharge of it; he fed them That is, he ruled and taught them, guided and protected them, 1st, Very honestly; according to the integrity of his heart Aiming at nothing else but the glory of God, and the good of the people committed to his charge. The principles of religion were the maxims of his government, which he administered, not with carnal policy, but with godly sincerity, by the grace of God. 2d, Very discreetly; he did it by the skilfulness of his hands He was not only very sincere in what he designed, but very prudent in what he performed, and chose out the most proper means in pursuit of his end; for his God did instruct him to discretion. Happy the people that are under such a government! And with good reason doth the psalmist make this the finishing, crowning instance of Gods 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, and should judge and reprove with equity, Isa 11:3-4. On the integrity of his heart, and the skilfulness of his hands, all his subjects may entirely rely; and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. <\/p>\n 78:72 So {t} he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.<\/p>\n (t) He shows where a kings charge stands: that is, to provide faithfully for his people, to guide them by counsel, and defend them by power.<\/p>\n So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. 72. the integrity of his heart ] Cp. 1Ki 9:4; Psa 7:8; Psa 101:2; and the use of the cognate adjective in Psa 15:2; Psa 18:23. the skilfulness ] The regal faculty of discernment which … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 78:72”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15197\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"