Psalms 78:9

9. The psalmist has introduced his subject, and prepared the way for the admonitory rehearsal of God’s acts of sovereign authority toward the nation.

The children of Ephraim The reader will remember that the sacred ark and tabernacle had abode at Shiloh, within the tribal limits of Ephraim, more than 300 years, from the time of Joshua (Joshua 18:1-10) until the time of Eli. 1Sa 1:3 ; 1 Samuel 1:9. The ark then passed from Shiloh and remained at Bethshemesh and Kirjath-jearim till David removed it to Zion. 2 Samuel 6:0. From this time the seat of the national worship was fixed within the tribal limits of Judah. The allusions of the psalmist are to the events recorded 1 Samuel 4:0, which should be read in this connexion. The tribe of Ephraim was specially reprehensible, because the ark being within its limits the Ephraimites were chiefly responsible for its protection; whereas it was by a military order that the priests brought it into the camp. The chief object of the psalmist being to show that the protectorship of the ark and national worship had passed, by the sovereign order of God, from Ephraim to Judah, he strikes at once and boldly into the heart of his theme, namely, the treacherous conduct of Ephraim in bringing the ark into the military camp, (1 Samuel 4:3-5,) by which they forfeited their rank as the ruling tribe. The allusion is to the events of 1 Samuel 4:0.

Armed, and carrying bows Literally, Armed and shooting with the bow, as in Jeremiah 4:29. The description is that of an army advancing to battle and discharging its missiles as they advance.

Turned back “Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent.” 1 Samuel 4:10