Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
J7i6 Hebellion of the People. PSALM CVI. The Mercy nj God towards Ihem, here Is quoted from Psalm 78. 51. 37. with gUver and golA—pre.si-nfed them by the Egyptians, as an acknowtheir new rebellion and temptation was visited by God with fresh punishment, inflicted by leaving them to tha result of their own gratified appetites, and sending on them spiritual poverty (Numbers 11. 18). They soon forgat—;i7., T?iey liasled, they forgat (cf. Exodus 32. 8). " They have turned aside quickly (or hastily) out of the way." The haste of our desires is such that we can scarcely allow God one day. Unless He immediately answer our call, Instantly then arise impatience, and at length despair, his works—(Deuteronomy 11. 3, 4; Daniel 9. 14.) hU counsel—they waited not for the development of God's counsel, or plan for their deliverance, at His own time, and in his own way. 14. Lit., lusted a lust (quoted from Numbers U. 4, Margin). Previously, tliere had been impatience as to necessaries of life ; here it is lusting (Psalm 78. 18). 15. but sent leanness-ratlier, "and sent," i. c, and thus, even in doing so, the punishment was inflicted at the very time their request was granted. So Psalm 78. 30, "While their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them." soul—the animal soul, which craves for food (Numbers 11. G; Psalm 107. IS.) This soul got its wish, and witii it .md in it its own punishment. The place was therefore called Kibroth-tiattaavah, " the graves of lust," because there they buried the people who had lusted. Animal desires when gratified mostly give only a hungry craving for more (Jeremiah 2. 13). 16, 18. All the congregation took part with Dathan, Korah, &c., and their accomplices (Numbers 16. 41). Aaron the saint lit., ltt« holy one, as consecrated priest; not a moral attribute, but one designating his office as holy to the Lord. The rebellion was followed by a double punishment: (1) (v. 17) of the non-Levitical rebels, tlie Keubenites, Dathan and Abiram, &c. (Deuteronomy 11. 6; Numbers 26. 10), these were swallowed up by the earth, covered—" closed upon them" (Numbers 16. 33). (2) Of the Lcvilical rebels, with Korah at their head(v. 18; Numbers 16.35; 20. 10), these had sinned by flre, and were punished by lire, as Aaron's (being high priest) sons had been (Leviticus 10.2; Numbers 16. 1-3.5). 19-33. From indirect setting God at naught, they pass to direct, made—thougli prohibited In Exodus ledgment due for their labours in their bondage (cf. Exodus 12. 35). one feehle person—or, stumbler, unfit for the line of march. Cf. "harnessed,"*, e., accoutred and marshalled as an army on march (Exodus 13. 18; Isaiah 5.
27). 38—(Cf. Kxodus 12. 33; Deuteronomy 11. 2.5.) 39. covering—in sense of protection (cf. Exodus 13. 21; Numbers
10. .34). In the burning sands of the desert the cloud protected the congregation from the heat of the sun; an emblem of God"s protecting favour of His people, as interpreted by I.saiali (Isaiah 4. 5, 6; cf. Numbers 9. 16). 4^-45. Tlie reasons for these dealings: (1) God's faithfulness to His covenant, "His lioly promise" of Canaan, is tlie fountain wlience flowed so many acts of marvellous kindness to
His people (cf. 1'. S. 11). Exodus 2.24 is the fundamental passage. [Hengstenberg.] (2) That they might be obedient. Tiie observance of God's commands by Abraham was the object of t.lie covenant with him (Genesis IS. 19), as
It was also the object of tlie covenant witli Israel, that tiiey miglit observe God's statutes, remembered . . . and Abraham—or, " remembered His holy word (i. e., covenant confirmed) ivi/h Abraham." Inherited the labour—j. e., tlie fruits of their labour; their corn and vineyards (Josliua 21. 43-45).
PSALM CVI.
Ver. 1-48. This Psalm gives a detailed confession of the sins of Israel in all periods of their history, with special reference to the terms of tlie covenant as intimated (Psalm 105. 45). It is introduced hy praise to God for tlie wonders of His mercy, and concluded by a supplication for His favour to His atllicted people, and a doxology.
1. Praise, Ac—(Psalm 104. 24), begins and ends the Psalm, intimating tlie obligations of praise, however we sin and suffer. 1 Chronicles 16. 34-36 is the source from which the beginning and end of this Psalm are derived. a. His acts exceed our compreliension, as His praise our powers of expression (Uoiiiaiis 11. 33). Their unutterable greatness is not to keep us back, but to urge us the more to try to jiraise Him as liest we can (Psalm 40. 5; 71. 15). 3. Tlio blessing is limited to tliose whose principles and acts are riglu. How " blessed" Israel would be now. If he liad "observed God's statutes" (Psalm 105.45). 4,5. In view of the desert of sins to be confessed, the writer invokes God's covenant mercy to liimself and the Churcli, in whose welfare he rejoices. The speaker, me, I, is not the Ps.almist liimself, but the people, tlie present generation
20. 4, 5 to make a likeness, even of the true God. calfcalled so In contempt. They would have made an ox or bull, but their idol turned out but a calf; an imitation of the Divine .symbols, the cherubim; or of the sacred bull of Egyptian idolatry. This Idolatry was more sinful in view of their recent experience of God's power in Egypt and His wonders at SInal (E.xodus 32. I-C). Though Intending to worship .leliovah under the symbol of the calf, yet a.s this was incompatible witli his nature (Deuteronomy 4. 1.5-17), they in reality gave up Him, and so were given up by Hlin. Instead of the Lord of heaven, they had as their glory the image of an ox that does nothing but eat grass. 33. he said—I'iz., to Moses (Deuteronomy
(cf. V. 0). visit—(Cf. Psalm H. 4.) see the good—participate In it (Psalm 37. 13.) thy chosen— 1'/2., Israel, God's elect (Isaiali 43. 20; 45. 4). As God seems to have fori/olten them, they pray that He would "remember" them with the favour whicli helotigs to His own people, and which once they had enjoyed, tiklne Inheritance—(Deuteronomy 9. 29; 32. 9.) G. Cf. 1 Kings 8. 47; Daniel 9. 5, where the same three verbs occur in the same order and connection, the original of tlie two later passages being the tlist one, the prayer of (Solomon in dedicating the temple, sinned . . . fathers—like tliem, and so partaking of their guilt. The terms denote a rising gradation of sinning (cf. Psalm 1. 1). with our fathers—we and tliey together forming one
9. 13). With Ood, saying is as certain as doing; but His purpose, whilst full of wrath against sin, takes Into ftccouiit the mediation of Him of whom Moses was the typo (Exodus 3'2. U-14; Deuteronomy 9. 18, 19). Moses his chosen —t. c., to be his servant (cf. Psalm 105. '20). In the breach —as a warrior covers with his body the broken part of a wall or fortress besieged, a perilous place (Ezekiel 13,5;
22. 30). to turn away [or, prevent) his wrath—(Numbers
25. II ; Psalm 78. 38.) 34-'e7. The sin of refusing to invade Canaan "the pheasant land" (.lerenilah 3. 19; Ezeklel20. 0; Daniel 8. 9), " the land of beauty," was punished by the destruction of that generation (Numbers 14. 28), and the threat of dispi-rslon (Deuteronomy 4. 2.5; 28. ;?2) afterwards made to their post(<rlty, and fulfilled in the great calamiliiiiss f)r corrupt ion. 7-l!4. Special confession. Their rebellion at the sea (Kxodus 14. 11) was because they had not remembered nor understood Ciod's miracles on their liehalf. That God saved thein In their unbelief was of His mere mercy, and for His own glory, the sea . . . the Red Sea—the very words in which Moses' song celebrated the scene of Israel's deliverance (Exodus 15. 4). Israel began to ri Oiel against God at the very moment and scene Of his deliverance by God! 8. for his name's sake— ties now bewaili'd, may have also lieen then added, despised—(Numbers 11. .'U.) lielleved not his woitl-by which lie promised He would give them the land; but rather tlu! word of the faithless spies (<^f. Psalm 78. '22).
(E/.cklel •-'(). 14.) ». roimked—(Psalm 101.7.) as titroiiKh the wilc Urness-(Isaiah «3. 11-14.) la. believed . . . his words— this Is said not to praise the Israelllt's, but God, who conslralned even so unb('ll((ving a peoph; momentarily to " bellevc!" whilst In Immediate view of His wonlilted up his hand—or, swore, the usual form of swearing
(cf. Numbers 1 1. 311, Margin). 37. To overthrow—///., " To make them full :" alluding lo the words (Numbers 14.39). anioiiK . . . nations lands— the " wtlilerne.ss" was not more destructive to the fathei-.i (v. 26) than reshlence among the heathen (" nations") shall be to the children.
ders, a faith which thcy Immediately after lost (v. 13; Exodus 11. 31; 15. 1). I3-l.'». The faith Induced by God's display of power In their behalf was short-lived, and 378
Leviticus '26. 33, ;)S Is here, before the Psalmist's mluU, the