Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinnot here simply relate this history, but recalls it to remembrance for another purpose, as a thingwhich happened long ago.Psalm 78:26-3126. He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; and by his power he raised up the southwind. 27. And he rained upon them flesh as dust, and feathered fowl 332 as the sand of the sea; 28.And he caused it to fall in the midst of his camp, 333 round about his tabernacles. 29. And they dideat and were filled, and he gave them their desire. 30. They were not estranged from their desire:the meat was still in their mouth, 31. When the wrath of God ascended against them, and slew thefat ones among them, and brought low the chosen of Israel.26. He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens. We have here related how God granted therequest of his people. This does not imply that he favourably regarded their fretful desires, but thathe showed by the effect that it was in his power to do what they believed it to be impossible forhim to accomplish. From this, we may perceive how injudiciously some expositors here join togetherthe flesh and the manna. The reason why the flesh was given was altogether different from that forwhich the manna was given. God, in giving the manna, performed the office of a father; but by theflesh, he satisfied their gluttonous desires, that their very greediness in devouring it might chokethem. It would not have been a difficult matter for God to have created quails in the midst of thewilderness; but he chose rather to bring them by the force of the winds, to teach the Israelites thatall the elements are obedient to his command, and that the distance of places cannot prevent hispower from immediately penetrating from the east even to the west. 334 That unbelieving people,therefore, were furnished with an undoubted proof of the power of God, from which they hadmalignantly detracted, in seeing all the elements of nature ready to obey and promptly to executewhatever he has commanded. Besides, he no doubt raised the winds according to the situation ofthe camp, although it would have been easy for him, without any means, to have presented fleshbefore them. It is stated, that they did eat and were filled, not only to intimate that God brought tothem a large supply of birds, with which their bellies might be stuffed to the full; but also, that itwas ungovernable lust which led them to ask flesh, and not a solicitude for having provision onwhich to live. It has been said above, that manna had been given them in the greatest abundance,but here it is intended expressly to censure their gluttony, in which they gave manifest proof of332 “Heb. ‘fowl of wing;’ i.e., flying fowls, in distinction from domestic poultry.” — Williams.333 “Heb. Of his camp; either Israel’s camp or God’s camp; for seeing Israel was God’s people, and he dwelt among them,their camp was his camp.” — Poole.334 The Israelites were miraculously supplied with quails in the wilderness on two different occasions. The first occasion wasupon the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from Egypt, and before they came to mount Sinai, Exodus 16:1,12, 13. The second, which is the one here referred to, was at Kibroth-hattaavah, a place three days’ journey beyond the desertof Sinai, in the beginning of the second year after their departure from Egypt, Numbers 10:11; and 11:31-35. In both instances,the quails were sent in consequence of the murmuring of the Israelites. But in the first instance, they came up and covered thecamp of Israel only one evening, while in the second, they came up from the sea for a whole month. No token of the divinedispleasure accompanied the first miracle, God having, in his compassion, forgiven their murmuring; but the second miraclewas wrought in wrath, and attended with the infliction of the divine vengeance on that rebellious people, (Numbers 11:33.)149