Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvin50. He made a way to his anger. 352 To take away all excuse from this ungrateful people, whomthe most evident and striking proofs of the goodness of God which were presented before their eyescould not keep in their obedience to him, it is here again repeated that the wrath of God overflowedEgypt like an impetuous torrent. The miracle adverted to is the last which was there wrought, whenGod, by the powerful hand of his angel, slew, in one night, all the first-born of Egypt. Accordingto a common and familiar mode of speaking in the Hebrew language, the first-born are called thebeginning, or the first-fruits of strength. Although the old advance to death as they decline in years,yet as they are in a manner renewed in their offspring, and thus may be said to recover their decayedstrength, the term strength is applied to their children. And the first-born are called the beginningor the first-fruits of this strength, as I have explained more at large on Genesis 49:3. The houses ofEgypt are called the tents of Ham, because Misraim, who gave the name to the country, was theson of Ham, Genesis 10:6. Farther, there is here celebrated the free love of God towards the posterityof Shem, as manifested in his preferring them to all the children of Ham, although they werepossessed of no intrinsic excellence which might render them worthy of such a distinction.Psalm 78:52-5852. And he made his people to go forth like sheep, and led them in the wilderness like a flock.53. And he conducted them in safety, and they were not afraid: and the sea covered their enemies.54. And he brought them to his holy border, [literally to the border of his holiness,] this mountain,353which his right hand acquired. 354 55. He expelled the heathen from before them; and made themto fall into their part of the inheritance; 355 and made the children of Israel to dwell in their tents.56. And they tempted and provoked the Most High God, and kept not his testimonies. 57. Andthey turned back and dealt treacherously, like their fathers: they turned back, like a deceitful bow.35658. And they provoked him to anger with their high places; and moved him to anger with theirgraven images.352 “He levelled a path to his anger [the word for levelled] signifies to direct by a line or level; and when applied to a way,is understood to denote that the way is made straight and smooth, so as to leave no impediment to the passenger. See Poole’sSynopsis and Le Clerc. The sense will be much the same whether we thus interpret the phrase, or suppose the anger of God tohave taken its direction, παρὰ στάθμην, in a straight line, and by a level; that is, in the shortest way, without delay or deviation.”— Merrick’s Annotations353 “This mountain, i.e., Zion; which the Psalmist might point to with his finger.” — Dimock.354 “Ou, possedee.” — Fr. marg. “Or, possessed.”355 “Perhaps for , we should read , ‘and he made them fall in the lot of their inheritance.’ For it has been by some learnedmen conjectured, that the land of Canaan was originally the allotment of Heber and his descendants, and that the Canaanites hadobtained it by force and violence; for which reason amongst others, they were expelled from it, and the Hebrews reinstated. SeeGenesis 11:15; 13:15; 1 Chronicles 1:24-27; and Bryant’s Obs. But see Psalm 105:11, 12, 44, and Psalm 111:7.” — Dimock356 “ , like a deceitful bow This comparison does not seem to convey a suitable idea either here or Hosea 7:16. Might wethen venture to read in both places ‘like a deceitful woman?’ backsliding Israel being often represented under the characterof an adulteress. See Ezekiel 16:32. And the last line of the next verse strongly countenances this reading: ‘and they made himjealous with their images.’ See Exodus 20:5.” — Dimock There is, however, no necessity for this conjectural emendation. Theimage employed is natural enough. “The Eastern bow,” says Dr Adam Clarke, “which, when at rest, is in the form of a , mustbe recurred, or turned the contrary way, in order to be what is called bent and strung If a person who is unskilful or weak attemptto recurve and string one of these bows, if he take not great heed, it will spring back and regain its quiescent position, and perhapsbreak his arm. And sometimes I have known it, when bent, to start aside — regain its quiescent position — to my no smalldanger; and, in one or two cases, to my injury. This image is frequently used in the Sacred Writings; but no person has understood158