Geneva Bible Notes: Psalms 78

Psalms 78:1 ^! He sheweth how God of his mercie chose his Church of the posteritie of Abraham.

Psalms 78:1 ^b The Prophet vnder the name of a teacher calleth the people his, & the doctrine his, as Paul calleth the Gospel his, whereof he was but the preacher as {Rom. 2,16 & 16, 25}

Psalms 78:1 ^a Read {psalme 32}

Psalms 78:3 ^c Which were the people of God.

Psalms 78:5 ^d By the testimonie & Law he meaneth the Law written, which they were commanded to teache their children, {Deu. 6,7}

Psalms 78:6 ^e He sheweth wherin the children shulde be like their fathers, that is, in mainteining Gods pure religion.

Psalms 78:7 ^f He sheweth wherin the vse of this doctrine standeth: in faith, in the meditation of Gods benefites & in obedience.

Psalms 78:8 ^g Thogh these fathers were the sede of Abraham & the chosen people, yet he sheweth by their rebellion, prouocation, falsehode & hypocrisie, that the children oght not to followe their examples.

Psalms 78:8 ^! Reproching the stubburne rebellion of their fathers, that the children might not onely vnderstand,

Psalms 78:9 ^h By Ephraim he meaneth also the rest of the tribes, because thei were moste in nomber: whose punishment declareth: that they were vnfaithful to God, and by their multitude and autoritie had corrupt all others.

Psalms 78:11 ^! That God of his fre mercie made his couenant with their ancetours

Psalms 78:12 ⁱ He proueth that not onely the posteritie, but also their forefathers were wicked and rebellious to God.

Psalms 78:17 ^k Their wicked malice colde be ouercome by no benefites which were great & manie.

Psalms 78:17 ^! But also seing them so malicious and peruerse, might be ashamed and so turne wholly to God. In this Psalme the holie Gost hathe comprehended, as it were the summe of all Gods benefites to the intent the ignorant and grosse people might se in fewe wordes the effect of the whole histories of the Bible.

Psalms 78:18 ^l Then to require more then is necessarie, & to separate Gods power from his wil, is to tempt God.

Psalms 78:19 ^m Thus when we giue place to sinne, we are moued to doute of Gods power, except he wil alwayes be ready to serue our lust.

Psalms 78:22 ⁿ That is, in his Fatherlie prouidence, whereby he careth for his and prouideth sufficiently.

Psalms 78:23 ^o So that their had that, which was necessarie & sufficient: but their lust made them to couet that which thei knewe God had denied them.

Psalms 78:26 ^p God vsed the meanes of the winde to teach them, that all elements were at his commandement, & that no distance of place colde let his working.

Psalms 78:30 ^q Suche is the nature of concupiscence, that the more it hathe, the more it lusteth.

Psalms 78:31 ^r Thogh others were not spared, yet chiefly thei suffred, which trusted in their strength, against God.

Psalms 78:32 ^s Thus sinne by continuance maketh men insensible, so that by no plagues thei can be amended.

Psalms 78:34 ^t Suche was their hypocrisie, that thei soght vnto God for feare of puhisment; thogh in their heart thei loued him not.

Psalms 78:37 ^u Whatsoeuer commeth not from the pure fountaine of the heart, is hypocrisie.

Psalms 78:38 ^x Because he wolde euer haue some remnant of a Church to praise his Name in earth, he suffred not their sinnes to ouercome his mercie.

Psalms 78:41 ^z As thei all do that measure the power of God by their capacitie.

Psalms 78:41 ^y That is, thei tempted him oft times.

Psalms 78:42 ^a The forgetfulnes of Gods benefits is the rote of rebellion & all vice.

Psalms 78:45 ^b Thus worde signifieth a confused mixture of flies and venemous wormes. Some take it for all sortes of serpents: some for all wilde beasts.

Psalms 78:46 ^c He repeteth not here all the miracles that God did in Egypt, but certeine which might be sufficient to conuince the people of malice & ingratitude.

Psalms 78:49 ^d So called, ether of the effect: that is, of punishing the wicked, or els because thei were wicked spirits, whome God permitted to vex men.

Psalms 78:51 ^e The first borne are so called, as {Gen. 49,3}

Psalms 78:51 ^f That is, Egypt: for it was called Mizraim or Egypt of Mizraim, that was the sone of Ham.

Psalms 78:53 ^g That is, thei had none occasion to feare, for asmuch as God destroied their enemies and deliuered them safely.

Psalms 78:54 ^h Meaning Canaan, which God had consecrate to him selfe, & appointed to his people.

Psalms 78:57 ⁱ Nothing more displeaseth God in the children, then when thei continue in that wickednes, which their fathers had begone.

Psalms 78:58 ^k By seruing God ortherwise then he had appointed.

Psalms 78:60 ^l For their ingratitude he suffred the Philistims to take the Arke, which was the signe of his presence, from among them.

Psalms 78:61 ^m The Arke is called his power & beautie, because thereby he defended his people, & beautifully appeared vnto them.

Psalms 78:63 ⁿ Thei were suddenly destroyed, {1 Sam. 4,10}

Psalms 78:63 ^o Thei had no mariage songs: that is, thei were not maried.

Psalms 78:64 ^p Ether thei were slaine before or taken prisoners of their enemies, & so were forbidden.

Psalms 78:65 ^q Because thei were drunken in their sinnes, thei judged Gods pacience to be a slombring as thogh he were drunken: therefore he answering their beastlie judgement, saith, he wil awake and take sudden vengeance.

Psalms 78:67 ^r Shewing that he spared not altogether the Israelites, thogh he punished their enemies.

Psalms 78:69 ^s By buylding the Temple & establishing the kingdome he declareth that the signes of his fauour were among them.

Psalms 78:72 ^t He sheweth wherein a Kings charge standeth: to wit, to prouide faithfully for his people, to guide them by counsel, & defend them by power.