Ver. 1. Give ear, O my people, to my law] i.e. To my doctrine, which hath its name in Hebrew from darting it into the soul; and these are the psalmist’s words in God’s name, calling for utmost attention. Incline your ears, &c.] Lay them close to my lips, that no parcel of this sacred language fall to the ground by your default. Ενωτιζεσθε, Aurizate, auribus haurite, Receive it into your ears; yea, draw up the ears of your mind to the ears of your bodies, that one sound may pierce both, Acts 2:14 Isa 55:3. “Hear, and give ear; be not proud; for the Lord hath spoken it,” Jeremiah 13:15.
Ver. 2. I will open my mouth in a parable] I will speak freely and plainly (I will open my mouth, Matthew 5:2 Ac 10:34), and yet acutely and accurately. See Psalms 49:4, [See Trapp on “Ps 49:4”] I will utter dark sayings of old] Heb. I will well out (as from a spring or fountain) dark or sharp sayings, transacted and recorded of old, but of good use for ever. Difficulty doth not discourage, but rather whet on heroic spirits to a more diligent inquiry. Aben Ezra noteth here, that Psalms 78:9, “The children of Ephraim,” &c., is a parable, and Psalms 78:25, “Man did eat angels’ food,” is a riddle, or dark saying.
Ver. 3. Which we have heard and known] Hearing and seeing are the two learned senses, whereby knowledge, yea, life, entereth into the soul, Proverbs 2:2,10 Isa 55:3. And our fathers have told us] Have delivered down to us from hand to hand, whetting upon us the written word, Deuteronomy 6:7, and adding thereunto, for explication, many other things fit to be known.
Ver. 4. We will not hide them from their children] The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with, 1 Corinthians 12:7, neither is any one born (much less born again) for himself; but must be as useful as may be in his generation, Paulum sepultae distat inertiae Celata virtus -(Hor.). The praises of the Lord] The praise worthy acts of God for his people, and against their enemies; for these two are not sundered, Philippians 1:28.
Ver. 5. For he established a testimony in Jacob, &c.] Lest any should attribute too much to ancient traditions, and to show that antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintain; the psalmist here (as afterwards the prophet Isaiah) calleth them to the law and to the testimonies; for if any speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, Isaiah 8:20.
Ver. 6. Who shall arise and declare them] i.e. Succeed their parents both in their place and office of teaching their posterity; not suffering the truth which is after godliness (Titus 1:1) to fail and fall in the streets, Isaiah 59:14,15, or if it do, raising it up again, and restoring it to their utmost.
Ver. 7. That they might set their hope in God] Summa legis divinae et scopus, this is a brief of the Bible, viz. to believe in God and obey his law; both which men shall the better do, if they forget not his works.
Ver. 8. And might not be as their fathers] Fathers are not always to be followed, Ezekiel 20:18,19. He zealously affected his fathers, but not well, who said, I will follow them sicut bos armentum, etiamsi ruant, though I fall with them (Cicero Epist.). A stubborn and rebellious generation] Aver satrix et irritatrix. A generation that set not, &c.] Double-minded men, unstable in all their ways, James 1:8, having religionem ephemeram, as Beza said of Baldwin, that Ecebolius II. And whose spirit was not stedfast with God] As was that martyr’s who said, Though you may pluck the heart out of nay body, yet you shall never pluck the truth out of my heart. The heavens shall sooner fall, said another, than I will forsake the truth I have once received.
Ver. 9. The children of Ephraim being armed, &c.] This the Rabbis interpret of eight thousand Ephraimites, who would needs break prison, as it were, out of Egypt (before the time that God had set for their deliverance thence), and seize upon Palestine, the promised land; but with evil success; for they were slain by the men of Gath, to the great grief of their father Ephraim, 1 Chronicles 7:21-23, and to the increase of their servitude in Egypt, Exodus 1:8-14 This is historia Caballica. See R. Solomon on those words, Exodus 15:14, the people shall hear and be afraid; sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina, who, remembering what a slaughter they once made of these Ephraimites, shall fear the just revenge of that cruelty. Others interpret this text by Judges 1:29, and some by 2 Kings 17:1-18, with Hosea 10:6-8, &c., but this to me seemeth most likey. These are ancient things, and of such the psalmist promiseth to treat, Psalms 78:2,3. Being armed and carrying bows] Trusting to their own strength and warlike preparations, and choosing rather to be counted temerarious than timorous. Turned back in the day of battle] Carnal confidence seldom comes home otherwise than weeping.