Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvintongues, the impiety which they had inwardly conceived. From this, it is the more abundantlymanifest that malignity and wickedness had taken entire possession of their hearts. Thus we seehow lust conceives sin, when it is admitted into the soul with unhallowed consent. Afterwards thesin develops itself farther, even as we see the Israelites proceeding to such a length of profanewantonness, as to call in question the power of God, as if they made no account of it, any fartherthan as it ministered to their lust. By the table prepared which is spoken of, is to be understood thedainty food, which was their ordinary fare in Egypt. A single dish did not satisfy their appetite.They were not contented unless they could gratify themselves with great abundance and variety.When it is said in the following verse, Behold! God smote the rock, and the waters gushed out,etc., this, I have no doubt, is the language of bitter irony, with which the prophet taunts theirunblushing insolence. It is not very likely that they spake in this manner; but he relates, as it were,with their mouth, or in their person, the things which took place before their eyes.21. Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth. This hearing of God implies full and perfectknowledge; and it is a figure taken from earthly judges, who cannot punish criminals until theyhave become thoroughly acquainted with the cause. He is said to hear his own people, when heshows his favor and mercy towards them by granting their requests; and, on the other hand, he issaid to hear those blasphemies which he does not allow to pass unpunished. To remove all groundfor thinking that the divine wrath was unduly severe, the enormity of the guilt of the Israelites isagain described as manifested in this, that they believed not God, nor trusted in his salvation. It ishere taken as an indisputable point, that promises were made to them to which they ought to haveyielded an assent, which, however, they were prevented from yielding by the extreme infatuationwith which they were carried away. To trust in the salvation of God, is to lean upon his fatherlyprovidence, and to regard him as sufficient for the supply of all our wants. From this we learn notonly how hateful unbelief is in the sight of God, but also, what is the true nature of faith, and whatare the fruits which it produces. Whence is it that men quietly submit themselves to Him, but becausethey are persuaded that their salvation is singularly precious in his sight, and are fully assured thathe will give them whatever is needful for them? It is thus that they are led to surrender themselvesto him, to be governed according to his good pleasure. Faith, then, is the root of true piety. It teachesus 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 nothope for salvation from God, rest upon false grounds; for when God is believed in, the hope ofsalvation is speedily produced in the mind, and this hope renders to him the praise of every blessing.Psalm 78:23-2523. But he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24. Andhad rained down manna 328 upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25. Manhad eaten the bread of the mighty: he had sent them meat to the full.328 The manna received its name, either from , manah, he prepared, appointed, distributed, to intimate that this food wasprepared by God for the Israelites, and was their appointed portion which was daily distributed to them by measure; or, it is from147