Psalm 78 (77):30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The one who opened the heavens and generously provided manna to sustain the unbelievers certainly has the authority to bestow upon believers the true Bread from Heaven, which that manna represented—a sustenance of angels, incorruptibly nourished by the Word of God. For humankind to partake of this sustenance, He took on flesh and lived among us (Jn. 1:44). The Bread Himself is offered throughout the world, as the divine message is proclaimed, not to the fault-finding assembly, but to the faithful Church that places its trust in Him. He can also strengthen the feeble faith of those who, though untested, believe, through the signs found in the spoken word, carried like birds through the air—not the kind from the northern regions, where chill and mist reign, but rather the South Wind from Heaven, guiding the earthward. This enables those with fragile faith, who are attuned to worldly matters, to receive the nourishment required for grasping the heavenly gifts.

It is noted, “A whole month, it is said, you shall eat until it comes out of your nostrils” (Num. 11:20). This count refers to those able to engage in battle from the age of twenty and above, excluding the younger ones, women, and the entire tribe of Levi. God provided manna in the midst of the camp and around each tent to make it easy for the people to gather. The term "camp" refers to the entire gathering of the people in the wilderness, while "dwellings" pertains to each individual tent. The phrase “Their desire brought them” indicates that they received from God everything they yearned for, realizing the fulfillment of their wishes. God granted them what they sought; hence, it is said of their desire, akin to how the Apostle Paul refers to hope in “Hope shall not be ashamed.” However, the wrath of God was kindled against them, leading to the deaths of many, including some of the esteemed of Israel. When they saw the quails, they doubted God’s promise that they would be satisfied by the end of the month and feared that the birds might escape or spoil prematurely. Consequently, they began to dry the quails around the camp, and while the meat was still in their mouths, the anger of the Lord was provoked, resulting in His striking the people with a severe plague (Num. 11:33). It is evident that immediately after they consumed the meat, their belief faltered and they forgot God's mighty power. Thus, their desires were granted as a demonstration of God’s divine providence, but their disbelief and greed turned that sustenance into a source of sickness, as Moses attested, leading to the demise of many. The phrase “the greatest of them” was interpreted by Simmachus as "fat" and by Aquila as "rich," indicating the most affluent and robust among the people. It can be inferred that those who gathered the most were likely to perish. However, Aquila and Symmachus might have derived this understanding from the subsequent statement regarding the "elected of Israel" who were afflicted. The interpreters used the term "most numerous" not to compare the deceased with the survivors but to emphasize the great multitude that was impacted. This aligns with Moses’ declaration that “the Lord smote the people with a very great plague," indicating the death of many. He referred to them as chosen because they were valiant in warfare. The numbered individuals were deemed capable of engaging in battle and were thus selected for this purpose.

Consider the angels and archangels, those esteemed servants of the King, observing you as you pray; they witness the nature of your request to their Lord and are filled with wonder and joy when they see you, being of this earth, transcend your worldly concerns to seek heavenly matters. Conversely, they are saddened when they see someone who turns from the divine to request things of little value.

Certainly, while God could have employed various means to deliver the birds to them, He used the winds in alignment with the location of the camps. The phrase “I will eat, and they will be satiated” illustrates not merely that God sent an abundance of birds for the Israelites to gorge themselves, but rather highlights that they requested meat out of mere caprice, rather than genuine hunger. Therefore, as previously stated regarding manna—that it was provided until they were fully satisfied—so too does it indicate of the meat, “And they were eaten, and were filled with meat,” clearly reflecting the gluttony of the Israelites, revealing their unrestrained desires.

Although God elsewhere promises to grant the desires of the faithful as a sign of His favor, here He accommodated the twisted cravings of the sinful people, allowing what would typically have been denied in His righteous anger. This becomes evident as it is stated that their excessive appetite resulted in devastating consequences. For as they consumed the food, they faced the wrath of God; while the meat was still in their mouths, His fury struck them down, leading to the death of their strongest. Despite this, it is noted that they were not denied their desires; they were not withheld from their whims. Even though the divine wrath affected all tribes, the Prophet specifically mentions only the prominent and robust individuals to underscore God's justice.

Young men, confident in their own power, recklessly defy God, believing they are above reproach; thus, it is not surprising that they faced more severe punishment from divine wrath. The sight of such a calamity befalling the chosen and mighty was indeed alarming. Yet, the Israelites remained unshaken by this disgrace, demonstrating their hardened hearts.

While the assertions in this psalm could be applicable to the Jewish people, they now resonate more profoundly with the faithful of Christ: the former covenant serves as a foreshadowing of the new covenant. The Saviour calls His followers to listen intently, to avoid suffering the same consequences that befell the ancient Jews who disobeyed God. He instructs them to carefully study the teachings of the Gospel and to internally grasp the prophetic messages.

Though the Jews were formidable, they faltered during the trial of Christ's Passion due to their lack of faith. Among them, the tribe of Ephraim was particularly disloyal to God, having succumbed to the idolatry of the golden calf and dragging the other nine tribes into this sin. As a result of their betrayal, God stripped them of their strength; despite their prowess in archery, they were overtaken by fear and retreated in battle. Consequently, they faced captivity and were dispersed among the nations. God, in His mercy, looked upon the Jews with compassion, even when He observed their complete surrender to worldly wisdom, which hindered their repentance. Out of His immense tenderness, He chose not to obliterate all of them in the wilderness, granting them mercy instead. Humanity is inherently flawed, affected by passions and corruption, and the Spirit, once abandoned by humankind, remains absent until the second coming.