John Calvin Commentary Psalms 78:23

"Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven;" — Psalms 78:23 (ASV)

But he had commanded the clouds from above. It is a mistake to suppose that this miracle is related merely as a historical account. The prophet rather censures the Israelites more severely because, although fed to the full with manna, they did not cease to lust after the dainties which they knew God had denied them.

It was the deepest ingratitude to scorn and reject the heavenly food, which, so to speak, associated them with angels. If a man who dwells in France or Italy were to grieve and fret because he does not have the bread of Egypt to eat, nor the wine of Asia to drink, would he not make war against God and nature, like the giants of old?

Much less excusable was the inordinate lust of the Israelites, whom God not only furnished with an abundance of earthly provisions, but to whom he also gave the bread of heaven for their support. Even if they had endured hunger for an extended period, propriety and duty would have required them to ask for food with more humility.

If they had been supplied with only bran and chaff to eat, it would have been their solemn duty to acknowledge that in the place where they were — in the wilderness — this was no ordinary gift from Heaven. If only coarse bread had been granted them, they would have had sufficient reason for thanksgiving.

But how much stronger were their obligations to God, when he created a new kind of food, with which, by stretching out, as it were, his hand from heaven, he supplied them richly and in great abundance? This is the reason why the manna is called corn of heaven, and bread of the mighty. Some explain the Hebrew word אבירים, abbirim, as denoting the heavens, an opinion which I do not altogether reject.

I, however, prefer taking it for angels, as it is understood by the Chaldee interpreter and some others who have followed him. The miracle is highly praised to present the impiety of the people in a more detestable light, for it was a much more striking display of divine power for manna to be rained down from heaven than if they had been fed with herbs or fruits, or with other produce of the earth.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:3, calls the manna spiritual meat, in a different sense — because it was a figure and symbol of Christ. But here the prophet’s design is to reprove the twofold ingratitude of the people, who despised not only the common food which was produced from the ground, but also the bread of angels.

Some have translated the verbs in the past tense, He commanded the clouds — he opened the doors of heaven — he rained down manna, etc. But to remove all ambiguity, I have thought it preferable to translate the verbs in the past perfect tense, He had commanded, he had opened, he had rained, so that my readers may better understand that the prophet does not here simply recount this history, but recalls it for another purpose, as something that happened long ago.