Psalms 78:8

“And might not be as their fathers, etc.] This chiefly respects the Jews in Christ’s time: though it also is an admonition to them in succeeding ages, and especially in the latter day, when they shall be instructed, called, and converted; and even to us, to whom the Gospel is preached, on whom the ends of the world are come, not to be disobedient, as the Jewish fathers were, and to take care we do not fall after the same example of unbelief; this opens the whole scope and general design of the psalm; (see <461006>1 Corinthians 10:6-11 <580307>Hebrews 3:7-14 4:1-11), a stubborn and rebellions generation; as the generation in the wilderness was, (<050906>Deuteronomy 9:6,7,24) and so were their…”

“And might not be as their fathers - Their ancestors, particularly in the wilderness, as they passed through it to the promised land. See Exodus 32:7-9; Exodus 33:3; Exodus 34:9; Acts 7:51-53. A stubborn and rebellious generation - Stiff-necked, ungovernable; inclined to revolt. Nothing was more remarkable in their early history than this. A generation that set not their heart aright - Margin, as in Hebrew, “prepared not their heart.” That is, they took no pains to keep their heart aright, or to cherish right feelings toward God. They yielded to any sudden impulse of passion, even when it led them to revolt against God. This is as true of sinners now as it was of them, that they “take no…”

“as their: Psa 68:6, Psa 106:7; Exo 32:9, Exo 33:3, Exo 33:5, Exo 34:9; Deu 9:6, Deu 9:13, Deu 31:27; Kg2 17:14; Eze 2:3-8, Eze 20:8, Eze 20:18; Mat 23:31-33; Act 7:51 set not: Heb. prepared not, Psa 78:37; Ch2 12:14, Ch2 19:3, Ch2 20:33, Ch2 30:19 whose: Psa 78:37; Deu 4:4; Jos 14:8, Jos 14:9; Act 11:23 Psalms 78:9”