Psalm 78 45

Psalm 78:45 kjv

He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

Psalm 78:45 nkjv

He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.

Psalm 78:45 niv

He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.

Psalm 78:45 esv

He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.

Psalm 78:45 nlt

He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them
and hordes of frogs to ruin them.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 45 Meaning

Psalm 78:45 recounts two of the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians: swarms of flies and frogs. These judgments demonstrated God's absolute power over creation and His complete dominion over the false gods worshipped in Egypt, aiming to compel Pharaoh to release Israel from bondage. The verse specifically highlights the destructive and consuming impact these divine interventions had on the land and its people.

Psalm 78 45 Context

Psalm 78 is a "Maschil," a didactic psalm by Asaph, serving as an instruction for future generations. It provides a comprehensive historical account of God's unwavering faithfulness to Israel despite their recurrent disobedience, from the Exodus through the wilderness wanderings, the era of judges, up to David's reign. Verses 43-51 specifically enumerate God's "signs and wonders" brought upon Egypt, which includes the plagues. Verse 78:45 falls within this section, recalling the particular plagues of swarms of flies and frogs. These judgments serve to underscore God's immense power, His justice against oppression, and His steadfast love for His covenant people. The psalmist uses these past events to teach and warn against the same patterns of rebellion and unbelief that characterized previous generations.

Psalm 78 45 Word analysis

• He: Refers directly to the LORD, the God of Israel, highlighting His personal agency and supreme authority as the active sender of these calamities.

• sent (שָׁלַח shalach): To dispatch, commission, or extend. This emphasizes God's deliberate, purposeful action. It indicates His control over all creation, employing even seemingly insignificant creatures as instruments of His divine will.

• swarms of flies (עָרֹב ‘arov): In this context, often translated as "gnats" or "swarms of flies." This Hebrew term in Exodus 8 refers to a dense, mixed horde of biting or noxious insects, not merely common houseflies. The fourth plague unleashed these creatures to devastate the land, corrupting food and bringing profound torment, challenging Egyptian gods like Khepri (the scarab beetle, symbolizing creation).

• among them: Refers specifically to the Egyptians. This highlights the targeted nature of God's judgment, as distinct from the Israelites, who were miraculously preserved in the land of Goshen, demonstrating God's sovereign distinction between His people and their oppressors.

• which devoured them (וַתֹּאכְלֵם watto’khləm): From the verb אָכַל (‘akal), meaning "to eat," "consume," or "devour." This conveys the severe and destructive impact of the flies, implying they did more than just annoy—they likely destroyed crops, contaminated food, and made living unbearable, metaphorically or literally "eating" away at the Egyptians' well-being and resources.

• and frogs (וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ uṣp̄arədə‘a): The second plague mentioned in Exodus. These amphibians proliferated to an unprecedented degree, invading all aspects of Egyptian life. Their presence and subsequent death polluted the land, water, and homes. This plague specifically targeted the Egyptian goddess Heket, who was depicted with a frog's head, revealing the impotence of their deity against the true God.

• which destroyed them (וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵם wattašḥîtēm): From the root שָׁחַת (shakhat), meaning "to mar," "corrupt," "spoil," or "destroy." This word signifies a profound and pervasive ruin. The frogs' inundation and eventual decay resulted in widespread contamination, disease, and an unbearable stench, effectively corrupting and making their environment unlivable. It underscores the severity and the ultimate goal of the plagues: to utterly break Pharaoh's resistance.

• "He sent swarms of flies... and frogs": This grouping, though reversing the chronological order from Exodus, poetically emphasizes God's comprehensive command over nature's various domains—aerial and terrestrial/aquatic. It powerfully demonstrates His ability to employ any aspect of creation as an instrument of His judgment, rendering the Egyptian gods who supposedly controlled such elements powerless.

• "devoured them, and... destroyed them": These parallel active verbs magnify the complete and utter devastation caused by these seemingly simple creatures. They emphasize that the plagues were not mere inconveniences but deliberate acts of divine judgment that fundamentally undermined and ruined the very fabric of Egyptian daily life and religious systems. The language highlights the finality and thoroughness of God's retributive justice.

Psalm 78 45 Bonus section

The specific order of plagues in Psalm 78 often varies from the chronological sequence found in Exodus, suggesting a thematic arrangement rather than a strict historical one. This poetic liberty allows the psalmist to emphasize particular aspects of divine judgment or the cumulative effect of the plagues, focusing on God's omnipotence and the futility of resistance. The plagues mentioned in this verse, 'arov (swarms/mixture) and frogs, carried significant theological weight beyond mere discomfort. The fly plague, through its widespread contamination and annoyance, challenged gods associated with health, the sun (Khepri, a scarab god), or order. The frog plague directly humiliated Heket, the frog-headed goddess of fertility and birth, by transforming a symbol of life into an abhorrent and pervasive agent of death and decay. This meticulous divine targeting of specific creatures revered in Egyptian religion served to systematically dismantle their entire polytheistic worldview, establishing the singular sovereignty of the God of Israel over every domain previously ascribed to their gods. This deep symbolic assault was as important as the physical suffering inflicted.

Psalm 78 45 Commentary

Psalm 78:45 vividly illustrates God's unassailable power and meticulous justice demonstrated through the plagues in Egypt. By unleashing swarms of flies and overwhelming numbers of frogs, God inflicted profound suffering, exposing the helplessness of Pharaoh and the vanity of Egypt's gods. Each plague served as a polemic against specific Egyptian deities, revealing Yahweh's unique supremacy over all creation and all idols. The choice of seemingly insignificant creatures to bring about such devastation emphasizes that God needs no grand weaponry; He merely uses His creation to bring His will to pass. This verse underscores the thematic message of Psalm 78: that God consistently acts on behalf of His covenant people, executes righteous judgment against their oppressors, and His historical deeds are meant to instruct future generations in the necessity of faithfulness. The comprehensive ruin indicated by "devoured" and "destroyed" serves as a stark reminder of the consequence of defying the Most High God.

• Example 1: Just as small creatures could humble a great empire, God can use seemingly insignificant means or challenges in our lives to reveal His power or to lead us to dependence on Him.
• Example 2: The selective nature of the plagues reminds us that God always discerns between the righteous and the unrighteous, offering protection and deliverance to those who are His.