Psalm 78

^{1 !} He sheweth how God of his mercie chose his Church of the posteritie of Abraham.

^{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}

^{1 a} Read {psalme 32}

^{3 c} Which were the people of God.

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

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

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

^{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.

^{8 !} Reproching the stubburne rebellion of their fathers, that the children might not onely vnderstand,

^{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.

^{11 !} That God of his fre mercie made his couenant with their ancetours

^{12 i} He proueth that not onely the posteritie, but also their forefathers were wicked and rebellious to God.

^{17 k} Their wicked malice colde be ouercome by no benefites which were great & manie.

^{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.

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

^{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.

^{22 n} That is, in his Fatherlie prouidence, whereby he careth for his and prouideth sufficiently.

^{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.

^{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.

^{30 q} Suche is the nature of concupiscence, that the more it hathe, the more it lusteth.

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

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

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

^{37 u} Whatsoeuer commeth not from the pure fountaine of the heart, is hypocrisie.

^{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.

^{41 z} As thei all do that measure the power of God by their capacitie.

^{41 y} That is, thei tempted him oft times.

^{42 a} The forgetfulnes of Gods benefits is the rote of rebellion & all vice.

^{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.

^{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.

^{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.

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

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

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

^{54 h} Meaning Canaan, which God had consecrate to him selfe, & appointed to his people.

^{57 i} Nothing more displeaseth God in the children, then when thei continue in that wickednes, which their fathers had begone.

^{58 k} By seruing God ortherwise then he had appointed.

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

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

^{63 n} Thei were suddenly destroyed, {1 Sam. 4,10}

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

^{64 p} Ether thei were slaine before or taken prisoners of their enemies, & so were forbidden.

^{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.

^{67 r} Shewing that he spared not altogether the Israelites, thogh he punished their enemies.

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

^{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.