Psalms 78:43-48 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt Here the Psalm goes back to the subject of Israelitish ingratitude, (mentioned Psalms 78:11-12,) in order to introduce an account of the miracles wrought in Egypt previous to Israel's deliverance from thence. “These miracles,” says Dr. Horne, “were intended to evince the superiority of Jehovah over the elements and powers of nature, which at that time were objects of worship among the Egyptians, but plainly appeared to act, at the command of Moses, in subordination to their great Creator, the God of the Hebrews. In the heavens, on the earth, and in the waters, supremacy and independence were demonstrated to belong to him only: fire and air, thunder and lightning, wind, rain, and hail obeyed his words; rivers became blood, and their inhabitants perished; insects and animals left their wonted habitations, to destroy vegetables, or torment man: so that wherever the gods of Egypt were supposed to reside, and to exert their influences in favour of their votaries, in all places, and all circumstances, victory declared for Jehovah. Hence modern as well as ancient idolaters may learn not to put their trust in the world, but in him who made, and who can and will destroy it; whose power can render the most insignificant of his creatures instruments of his vengeance, and in a moment arm all the elements against sinners; and whose mercy will employ that power in the final salvation of the church; when, as the author of the book of Wisdom expresseth it, ‘He shall make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies, and the world shall fight for him against the unwise.'“ Had turned the rivers into blood The several branches and streams of the river Nile, and those many rivulets which they drew from it. He sent divers sorts of flies, which devoured them Or, destroyed them, which they were able to do by their numerous stings; for these flies were doubtless extraordinary in their nature, and their poisonous and hurtful qualities, as well as in their number: and the same is to be supposed concerning the frogs here mentioned, which also might destroy the people by corrupting their meats and drinks, and by infecting the air with putrefaction. He gave also their labour unto the locusts That is, the fruit of their labour, the herbs and corn which had sprung up. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-trees Or, wild fig-trees, which were there in great abundance. Under these and the vines, all other trees are comprehended. And this hail and frost not only destroyed the fruits of the trees, but in many instances the trees themselves. He gave up also their cattle to the hail Hebrew ויסגר, vajasgeer, he shut up, as in a prison, that they could not escape it; and their flocks to hot thunderbolts Hebrew, לרשׁפים, lareshapim, prunis ignitis, to burning coals. He alludes to the fire mingled with hail, Exodus 9:23-24.