Psalm 77:20

Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 77:20. Thou leddest thy people — First through the sea, and afterward through the vast howling wilderness to Canaan; like a flock — With singular care and tenderness, as a shepherd doth his sheep. The Psalm concludes abruptly, and does not apply those ancient instances of God’s power to the present distresses, whether personal or national, as one might have expected. For as soon as the good man began to meditate on these things he found he had gained his point. His very entrance upon this matter gave him light and joy; his fears suddenly and strangely vanished, so that he needed to go no further; he went his way and did eat, and his countenance was no more sad.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

77:11-20 The remembrance of the works of God, will be a powerful remedy against distrust of his promise and goodness; for he is God, and changes not. God's way is in the sanctuary. We are sure that God is holy in all his works. God's ways are like the deep waters, which cannot be fathomed; like the way of a ship, which cannot be tracked. God brought Israel out of Egypt. This was typical of the great redemption to be wrought out in the fulness of time, both by price and power. If we have harboured doubtful thoughts, we should, without delay, turn our minds to meditate on that God, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, that with him, he might freely give us all things.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron - This satisfied and comforted the mind of the psalmist. God had never forsaken his people. He had shown himself faithful in his dealings with them. He had acted the part of a good shepherd. In all the dangers of their way; in their perilous journey through the wilderness; amidst foes, privations, and troubles - rocks, sands, storms, tempests - when surrounded by enemies, and when their camp was infested with poisonous serpents - God had shown himself able to protect his people, and had been faithful to all his promises and covenant-engagements. Looking back to this period of their history, the psalmist saw that there was abundant reason for confiding in God, and that the mind should repose on him calmly amid all that was dark and mysterious in his dealings. In view of the past, the mind ought to be calm; encouraged by the past, however incomprehensible may be God's doings, people may come to him, and entrust all their interests to him with the confident assurance that their salvation will be secure, and that all which seems dark and mysterious in the dealings of God will yet be made clear.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. waters … , footsteps—may refer to His actual leading the people through the sea, though also expressing the mysteries of providence.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Thou leddest thy people; first through the sea, and afterwards through the vast howling wilderness to Canaan.

Like a flock; with singular care and tenderness, as a shepherd doth his sheep. And therefore I hope thou wilt take care of thy poor dispersed and distressed flock, and bring them once again into their own land.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thou leddest thy people like a flock,.... Either through the Red sea, according to R. Moses Hacohen, as Aben Ezra observes; see Isaiah 63:11, or rather, as he and Kimchi, through the wilderness, after they were led through the sea; the people of Israel are compared to a flock of sheep; the Lord is represented as the Shepherd of them, who took care of them, protected and preserved them from their enemies:

by the hand of Moses and Aaron; the one was their civil and the other their ecclesiastical governor, and both under the Lord, and instruments of his, in guiding and conducting the people in all things needful for them. The Arabic version adds, "Allelujah"; from all this the psalmist concluded, though it is not mentioned, that as God had delivered his people of old out of their straits and difficulties, so he hoped and believed, that as he could, he would deliver him in his own time and way; and by this means his faith was relieved and strengthened.

Geneva Study Bible

Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. Conclusion. The convulsions of nature were the heralds of deliverance (Luke 21:28), and the Shepherd of Israel led forth His flock under the guidance of His chosen servants. Cp. Exodus 15:13; Psalm 78:52 ff; Psalm 74:1, note. The words of the last line come from Numbers 33:1; cp. Micah 6:4; Isaiah 63:11 ff.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - Thou leddest thy people like a flock (comp. Isaiah 63:11; Psalm 78:52). By the hand of Moses and Aaron. God was the true Leader. Moses and Aaron were but his instruments. Moses at one time refused to lead any more, unless God would pledge himself to go up with him (see Exodus 33:12-16).



Psalm 77:20

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

If we have divided the strophes correctly, then this is the refrain-like close. Like a flock God led His people by Moses and Aaron (Numbers 33:1) to the promised goal. At this favourite figure, which is as it were the monogram of the Psalms of Asaph and of his school, the poet stops, losing himself in the old history of redemption, which affords him comfort in abundance, and is to him a prophecy of the future lying behind the afflictive years of the present.