Psa 78:26-29 | KingComments | STEP | Once again Asaph points out, and now in more detail and more impressively, how God provided His people in the wilderness with everything they needed. In beautiful, poetic language he speaks of how God had commanded “the clouds above” and “opened the doors of heaven” ( ). All the elements of nature are under His command. He has brought about the whole creation by the utterance of commands ( ). When necessary, He intervenes in the natural course of creation and commands the individual elements to do as He pleases ( ). Heaven is the storehouse of food for His people. He opened it and “rained down manna upon them to eat” ( ). The fact that God rained manna indicates that He gave His people life, blessed them, and did so in abundance. This manna was no ordinary bread either. Asaph calls it “food from heaven”. The manna was of heavenly origin, it was bread from heaven ( ; ; ; cf. ). By this the Israelites could know that heaven, that God Himself, cared for them. God wanted them to know that they were dependent on Him. Of this heavenly food “man” ate, that is, all the people ( ). There was no lack, for God gave “in abundance”. He never gives meagerly; He does not ‘tip’. When He gives, it is always according to the riches of His grace. When God gives, the believer will always find that His cup will overflow ( ). The heavenly wheat is called “the bread of angels” and “food”, or “provision”. ‘Bread of angels’ means that this food was given by them to God’s people. ‘Provision’ emphasizes that it was food eaten during a journey. It is a main part of the meal, not a side dish. The wind is also under His command ( ). He makes use of it when He wills and determines from which side the wind must come. To give His people meat, He did not, as with the manna, open the doors of heaven. He used the wind. Here He caused “the east wind to blow in the heavens” and He directed “by His power … the south wind”. As He did with the manna, “He rained meat upon them” ( ). He made meat rain down on them “like dust”. He sent “winged fowl like the sand of the seas”, that is, in such an immense quantity that they could eat themselves to death ( ). He also determined where the meat in the camp, which Asaph calls “their [literally His] camp”, ended up ( ). It fell “in the midst of His camp” and “around His dwellings”. God dwelt with His people. The thought of His presence among them should have deterred them from following their lusts. There was no question of that, however. It also fell “around His dwellings”, that is, the tabernacle with its various rooms. When He dropped it there, would the people then come to their senses? But there was no thought of God with them. When they had received what they had desired, they attacked the food and “were filled” ( ). There was no thanks to God. With their stomachs full, they looked with covetous eyes at the stock of meat that was still there. Their stomachs were full, but still they were not satisfied, that is, their desire, their lust, was not satisfied ( ). They continued to insatiably wallow and chew on the last bit of meat they had been able to stuff into their mouths and had not yet swallowed. While their food was in their mouths, “the anger of God rose against them” ( ; ). Sometimes God waits a long time to express His anger. When He admonishes us to be “slow to anger” ( ), He is admonishing us to show a feature of Himself. Here God was quick to show His anger because it was a sin of apostasy that revealed a long-standing aversion to His people. God Himself judged. His death sentence struck “some of their stoutest ones”. The “stoutest ones” are those who have indulged themselves the most, the most voracious. Another category affected by His judgment included “the choice men of Israel”, the most prominent, the most influential, the strongest and most responsible. Literally it says “the young men of Israel”. This is reminiscent of the admonition we receive to “flee from youthful lusts” ( ).

‏ Psalms 78:26-29

Bread, Meat and Gluttony

Once again Asaph points out, and now in more detail and more impressively, how God provided His people in the wilderness with everything they needed. In beautiful, poetic language he speaks of how God had commanded “the clouds above” and “opened the doors of heaven” (Psa 78:23). All the elements of nature are under His command. He has brought about the whole creation by the utterance of commands (Psa 33:9). When necessary, He intervenes in the natural course of creation and commands the individual elements to do as He pleases (Jos 10:12-13).

Heaven is the storehouse of food for His people. He opened it and “rained down manna upon them to eat” (Psa 78:24). The fact that God rained manna indicates that He gave His people life, blessed them, and did so in abundance. This manna was no ordinary bread either. Asaph calls it “food from heaven”. The manna was of heavenly origin, it was bread from heaven (Psa 105:40; Exo 16:4; Jn 6:31; cf. 1Cor 10:3). By this the Israelites could know that heaven, that God Himself, cared for them. God wanted them to know that they were dependent on Him.

Of this heavenly food “man” ate, that is, all the people (Psa 78:25). There was no lack, for God gave “in abundance”. He never gives meagerly; He does not ‘tip’. When He gives, it is always according to the riches of His grace. When God gives, the believer will always find that His cup will overflow (Psa 23:5b).

The heavenly wheat is called “the bread of angels” and “food”, or “provision”. ‘Bread of angels’ means that this food was given by them to God’s people. ‘Provision’ emphasizes that it was food eaten during a journey. It is a main part of the meal, not a side dish.

The wind is also under His command (Psa 78:26). He makes use of it when He wills and determines from which side the wind must come. To give His people meat, He did not, as with the manna, open the doors of heaven. He used the wind. Here He caused “the east wind to blow in the heavens” and He directed “by His power … the south wind”.

As He did with the manna, “He rained meat upon them” (Psa 78:27). He made meat rain down on them “like dust”. He sent “winged fowl like the sand of the seas”, that is, in such an immense quantity that they could eat themselves to death (Num 11:33). He also determined where the meat in the camp, which Asaph calls “their [literally His] camp”, ended up (Psa 78:28). It fell “in the midst of His camp” and “around His dwellings”. God dwelt with His people.

The thought of His presence among them should have deterred them from following their lusts. There was no question of that, however. It also fell “around His dwellings”, that is, the tabernacle with its various rooms. When He dropped it there, would the people then come to their senses?

But there was no thought of God with them. When they had received what they had desired, they attacked the food and “were filled” (Psa 78:29). There was no thanks to God. With their stomachs full, they looked with covetous eyes at the stock of meat that was still there. Their stomachs were full, but still they were not satisfied, that is, their desire, their lust, was not satisfied (Psa 78:30). They continued to insatiably wallow and chew on the last bit of meat they had been able to stuff into their mouths and had not yet swallowed.

While their food was in their mouths, “the anger of God rose against them” (Psa 78:31; Num 11:33). Sometimes God waits a long time to express His anger. When He admonishes us to be “slow to anger” (Jam 1:19), He is admonishing us to show a feature of Himself. Here God was quick to show His anger because it was a sin of apostasy that revealed a long-standing aversion to His people.

God Himself judged. His death sentence struck “some of their stoutest ones”. The “stoutest ones” are those who have indulged themselves the most, the most voracious. Another category affected by His judgment included “the choice men of Israel”, the most prominent, the most influential, the strongest and most responsible. Literally it says “the young men of Israel”. This is reminiscent of the admonition we receive to “flee from youthful lusts” (2Tim 2:22).