32–33 The people had seen God’s “wonders” (v. 32; cf. v. 11), but “they did not believe” in them (cf. vv. 19–20). They rejected the very evidences that should have led them to faith in him. Consequently he abandoned the generation of the wilderness to “futility” (hebel, v. 33) and “terror” (behālâ, GK 988, v. 33). Life became nothing but “vanity” in the sense expressed in Ecclesiastes (cf. 1:2); it was filled with sudden catastrophes (behālâ; cf. Lev 26:16; Isa 65:23). At the end the generation of the wilderness passed away (Nu 14:22–23).[1]
78:32 In spite of all this The psalmist uses the story of the manna and quail (Num 11) to introduce the entire story of Israel’s faithlessness in the wilderness.
The psalmist excludes the story of Israel’s rebellion after hearing from the spies that went to Canaan (Num 13–14). This was the occasion that prompted God to prohibit the wilderness generation from ever entering Canaan (see Num 14:20–38, especially Num 14:20–25).
his wonders Often refers to the exodus story (see Ps 77:11 and note), but the psalmist may be referring to God’s additional miraculous actions.[2]
[1] VanGemeren, W. A. (2008). Psalms. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition) (Vol. 5, p. 597). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ps 78:32). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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