Psalms 78:50

He made a way to his anger Lit., he levelled a path for his anger, i.e. gave it free course.

but gave their life over to the pestilence This is the natural rendering of the words in this context. The rendering of R.V. marg., gave their beasts over to the murrain, is that of the Ancient Versions. But a reference to the murrain is out of place here, where the Psalmist is clearly describing the culmination of the plagues in the destruction of the firstborn. He emphasises the fact that after minor plagues had failed to touch Pharaoh's conscience, God finally attacked the very livesof the Egyptians.