Psa 78:59 | KingComments | STEP | God has heard, that is, noticed, all the turning back and faithlessness of His people ( ). It is here about their words, and also about their deeds and the mind of their heart. They had not become headlong averse and unfaithful, but had first deliberated what they would do. These were conscious, deliberate, and thoughtful actions of aversion and unfaithfulness. God had therefore justifiably become “filled with wrath” about that. In fact, history repeats itself. History teaches us that man learns nothing from history. Even in the wilderness journey the people provoked the LORD so much that He was full of wrath against them ( ). On the part of the people it is a repetition of moves, it follows a certain pattern. His mind toward them was radically changed by their constant aversion. He “greatly abhorred” them. Abhorrence is an emotion evoked by a course of action that causes disgust. It did not stop there. It led to an action that expressed that abhorrence, and that is rejection. What is abhorred is rejected. It was not a matter of committing a sinful act once, but of living a life of debauchery. This had become the situation with His people. We see this in the days when the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD at the tabernacle in Shiloh ( ). Hophni and Phinehas trampled on God’s rights in the crudest way, causing the people to reject the LORD’s sacrifice ( ). Because priests and people despised God, God despised the people ( ). With that people, He could not continue to dwell. The tabernacle at that time, since the days of Joshua, was in Shiloh ( ; ; ). Shiloh was in the area of the tribe of Ephraim. “So”, i.e. because of the scandalous behavior of Eli’s two sons, God “abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh” ( ). The tabernacle was “the tent which He had pitched among men”. This seemed to be the end of God’s purpose that He had with the redemption. This purpose was to dwell with His people. He had done so until this moment. However, because of the continuing turning back of the people, He could no longer do that. To live means to have rest. Shiloh means rest. That rest had disappeared because of the people’s continued sin. God was, as it were, driven out of His dwelling place. This was a painful moment for God, and also for the people, although the people as a whole did not perceive the extent of it. The ark was the visible testimony of the presence and power of God. The ark was also called “the ark of Your strength” ( ). When the sons of Eli wanted to use the ark as a mascot in the battle against the Philistines, God “gave up His strength to captivity”, that is, He gave the ark into the hand of the Philistines ( ; ). He gave “His glory into the hand of the adversary”, which means that the glory departed from Israel and ended up in the land of the Philistines ( ). The fact that God maintained His glory and demonstrated His power there as well is not the issue here. It is about the lessons the people must learn from the history of their faithlessness. God also “delivered His people to the sword” of the Philistines ( ; ). “His inheritance”, that is, His land and His people, became the object of His anger. There was nothing attractive to Him in it anymore. So much had they by their deeds vexed and dishonored Him. Upon the land upon which His eye had first looked with favor, now rested His anger. We see that God did everything. He left His tabernacle, He gave up His strength and His glory, He delivered His people. The “young men” were killed by the fire of judgment ( ). This happened in the battle against the Philistines. The consequence was that the “virgins had no wedding songs”. The meaning is that the young man could not sing a song for his young bride at their wedding. With the death of the young men, there were no more weddings possible. This meant the end of the nation. The priests Hophni and Phinehas fell by the sword of the Philistines ( ; ). They, who were the link between the people and God, had been killed. Their widows had not wept for them (cf. ), so great was the shock of the calamities that had come upon the people. Possibly they had wept because of the captured ark ( ). In any case, the death of the priests and the disappearance of the ark meant an interruption in the service to God.

‏ Psalms 78:59

Delivered to Judgment

God has heard, that is, noticed, all the turning back and faithlessness of His people (Psa 78:59). It is here about their words, and also about their deeds and the mind of their heart. They had not become headlong averse and unfaithful, but had first deliberated what they would do. These were conscious, deliberate, and thoughtful actions of aversion and unfaithfulness. God had therefore justifiably become “filled with wrath” about that.

In fact, history repeats itself. History teaches us that man learns nothing from history. Even in the wilderness journey the people provoked the LORD so much that He was full of wrath against them (Psa 78:21). On the part of the people it is a repetition of moves, it follows a certain pattern.

His mind toward them was radically changed by their constant aversion. He “greatly abhorred” them. Abhorrence is an emotion evoked by a course of action that causes disgust. It did not stop there. It led to an action that expressed that abhorrence, and that is rejection. What is abhorred is rejected. It was not a matter of committing a sinful act once, but of living a life of debauchery. This had become the situation with His people.

We see this in the days when the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD at the tabernacle in Shiloh (1Sam 1:3). Hophni and Phinehas trampled on God’s rights in the crudest way, causing the people to reject the LORD’s sacrifice (1Sam 2:12-17 ; 22). Because priests and people despised God, God despised the people (1Sam 2:30). With that people, He could not continue to dwell.

The tabernacle at that time, since the days of Joshua, was in Shiloh (Jos 18:1 ; 8; Jdg 18:31 ; Jdg 21:12 ; 19; 1Sam 1:3 ; 24 ; 1Sam 2:14 ; 1Sam 4:3-4). Shiloh was in the area of the tribe of Ephraim. “So”, i.e. because of the scandalous behavior of Eli’s two sons, God “abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh” (Psa 78:60). The tabernacle was “the tent which He had pitched among men”. This seemed to be the end of God’s purpose that He had with the redemption. This purpose was to dwell with His people.

He had done so until this moment. However, because of the continuing turning back of the people, He could no longer do that. To live means to have rest. Shiloh means rest. That rest had disappeared because of the people’s continued sin. God was, as it were, driven out of His dwelling place. This was a painful moment for God, and also for the people, although the people as a whole did not perceive the extent of it.

The ark was the visible testimony of the presence and power of God. The ark was also called “the ark of Your strength” (Psa 132:8). When the sons of Eli wanted to use the ark as a mascot in the battle against the Philistines, God “gave up His strength to captivity”, that is, He gave the ark into the hand of the Philistines (Psa 78:61; 1Sam 4:17).

He gave “His glory into the hand of the adversary”, which means that the glory departed from Israel and ended up in the land of the Philistines (1Sam 4:21-22). The fact that God maintained His glory and demonstrated His power there as well is not the issue here. It is about the lessons the people must learn from the history of their faithlessness.

God also “delivered His people to the sword” of the Philistines (Psa 78:62; 1Sam 4:2 ; 10). “His inheritance”, that is, His land and His people, became the object of His anger. There was nothing attractive to Him in it anymore. So much had they by their deeds vexed and dishonored Him. Upon the land upon which His eye had first looked with favor, now rested His anger. We see that God did everything. He left His tabernacle, He gave up His strength and His glory, He delivered His people.

The “young men” were killed by the fire of judgment (Psa 78:63). This happened in the battle against the Philistines. The consequence was that the “virgins had no wedding songs”. The meaning is that the young man could not sing a song for his young bride at their wedding. With the death of the young men, there were no more weddings possible. This meant the end of the nation.

The priests Hophni and Phinehas fell by the sword of the Philistines (Psa 78:64; 1Sam 4:11). They, who were the link between the people and God, had been killed. Their widows had not wept for them (cf. Job 27:15), so great was the shock of the calamities that had come upon the people. Possibly they had wept because of the captured ark (1Sam 4:21). In any case, the death of the priests and the disappearance of the ark meant an interruption in the service to God.