John Calvin Commentary Psalms 78:44

"And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink." — Psalms 78:44 (ASV)

When he turned their rivers into blood. The Psalmist does not enumerate in order the miracles by which God gave evidence of His power in the deliverance of His people. He considered it enough to remind them of the well-known histories of these events, which would be sufficient to expose the wickedness and ingratitude of which they were guilty; nor is it necessary for us to dwell long on these things, since the narrative of Moses gives a more distinct and fuller account of what is briefly stated here.

I would only have my readers remember that, although God often punished the sins of the heathen by sending hail and other calamities upon them, yet all the plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians at that time were of an extraordinary character and were previously unheard-of.

A variety of words is therefore employed to enhance these memorable instances of God’s vengeance, such as, he sent upon them the fierceness of his wrath, fury, anger, and affliction. This accumulation of words is intended to awaken minds that are asleep to perceive so many miracles, the number and excellence of which could be perceived even by the blind themselves.

Finally, it is added that God executed these judgments by angels. Although God has, as He has pleased, established certain laws both in heaven and on earth, and governs the whole order of nature in such a manner that each creature has its own particular office assigned to it, yet whenever He sees fit, He uses the ministry of angels to execute His commands—not by ordinary or natural means, but by His secret power, which is incomprehensible to us.

Some think that devils are spoken of here, because the epithet evil or hurtful is applied to angel. I do not reject this opinion, but the grounds for it lack solidity. They say that just as God bestows His benefits on us by the ministry of elect angels, so He also executes His wrath by the agency of reprobate angels, as if they were His executioners.

I admit this is partly true, but I deny that this distinction is always observed. Many passages of Scripture can be quoted to the contrary. When the army of the Assyrians laid siege to the holy city Jerusalem, who was it that made such havoc among them as compelled them to raise the siege, but the angel appointed at that time for the defense of the Church? (2 Kings 19:35)

Likewise, the angel who slew the firstborn in Egypt (Exodus 11:5) was not only a minister and an executor of God’s wrath against the Egyptians but also the agent employed for preserving the Israelites. On the other hand, although the kings of whom Daniel speaks were avaricious and cruel, or rather robbers, and turned all things upside down, yet the Prophet declares (Daniel 20:13) that holy angels were appointed to take charge of them.

It is probable that the Egyptians were given over and subjected to reprobate angels, as they deserved. However, we may simply consider the angels spoken of here as termed evil on account of the work in which they were employed—because they inflicted terrible plagues upon the enemies of God’s people to repress their tyranny and cruelty.

In this way, both the heavenly and elect angels, and the fallen angels, are justly considered the ministers or executors of calamity, but they are to be regarded as such in different senses. The former yield prompt and willing obedience to God; the latter, however, as they are always eagerly intent on doing mischief and would, if they could, turn the whole world upside down, are fit instruments for inflicting calamities upon men.