Focused Passage

Psalms 78:32-39

Teaching the Next Generation Through Israel's Rebellion, God's Mercy, and the Chosen Shepherd King

Psalm 78 moves from a summons to teach the coming generation, through a sweeping remembrance of wilderness rebellion, exodus mercy, judgment, and land failure, into God's rejection of Shiloh and Ephraim and His gracious choice of Judah, Zion, and David as shepherd-king.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

32In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.

33So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.

34When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.

35And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

36But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.

37Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.

38And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.

39He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 32

Cross-references

Hebrews 11:6Classic cross-references Numbers 14:11Classic cross-references John 12:37Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 10:5Classic cross-references Ezekiel 20:13Classic cross-references

Original words

In spite of allבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthisזֹ֭אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularthey kept on sinningחָֽטְאוּ־H2398Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraldespiteע֑וֹדH5750AdverbHis wonderful worksבְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃H6381Preposition-b | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularthey did notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebelieveהֶ֝אֱמִ֗ינוּH539Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural

Verse 33

Cross-references

Psalms 90:9Classic cross-references Numbers 14:35Classic cross-references Numbers 14:29Classic cross-references Numbers 26:64Classic cross-references Psalms 31:10Classic cross-references

Original words

So He endedוַיְכַל־H3615Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir daysיְמֵיהֶ֑םH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralin futilityבַּהֶ֥בֶלH1892Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand their yearsוּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗םH8141Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralin sudden terrorבַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃H928Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

Or in vapor

Verse 34

Cross-references

Hosea 5:15Classic cross-references Hosea 6:4Classic cross-references Psalms 63:1Classic cross-references Isaiah 26:9Classic cross-references Matthew 13:20Classic cross-references

Original words

Whenאִם־H518ConjunctionHe slew themהֲרָגָ֥םH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralthey would seek Himוּדְרָשׁ֑וּהוּH1875Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine singularthey repentedוְ֝שָׁ֗בוּH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluraland searched forוְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־H7836Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralGodאֵֽל׃H410Noun - masculine singular

Verse 35

Cross-references

Job 19:25Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:4Classic cross-references Isaiah 41:14Classic cross-references Exodus 15:13Classic cross-references Hebrews 7:1Classic cross-references

Original words

And they rememberedוַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּH2142Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthatכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionGodאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluralwas their Rockצוּרָ֑םH6697Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralthat Godוְאֵ֥לH410Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularMost Highעֶ֝לְיוֹןH5945Adjective - masculine singularwas their Redeemerגֹּאֲלָֽם׃H1350Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

Hebrew El-Elyon

Verse 36

Cross-references

Ezekiel 33:31Classic cross-references Isaiah 29:13Classic cross-references Psalms 50:16Classic cross-references Psalms 33:1Classic cross-references Acts 8:21Classic cross-references

Original words

But they deceived Himוַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּH6601Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularwith their mouthsבְּפִיהֶ֑םH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland liedיְכַזְּבוּ־H3576Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Himלֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singularwith their tonguesוּ֝בִלְשׁוֹנָ֗םH3956Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 37

Cross-references

Psalms 51:10Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 15:58Classic cross-references Psalms 119:10Classic cross-references Psalms 78:8Classic cross-references Acts 8:21Classic cross-references

Original words

Their heartsוְ֭לִבָּםH3820Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralwere disloyalלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .נָכ֣וֹןH3559Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularto Himעִמּ֑וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularand they were unfaithfulוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle. . .נֶ֝אֶמְנ֗וּH539Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralto His covenantבִּבְרִיתֽוֹ׃H1285Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 38

Cross-references

Lamentations 3:22Classic cross-references Malachi 3:6Classic cross-references Lamentations 3:32Classic cross-references Psalms 103:14Classic cross-references Isaiah 63:9Classic cross-references

Original words

And yet Heוְה֤וּאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularwas compassionateרַח֨וּם׀H7349Adjective - masculine singularHe forgaveיְכַפֵּ֥רH3722Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular[their] iniquityעָוֺן֮H5771Noun - common singularand did notוְֽלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledestroy themיַ֫שְׁחִ֥יתH7843Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularHe oftenוְ֭הִרְבָּהH7235Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularrestrained His angerאַפּ֑וֹH639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .לְהָשִׁ֣יבH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructand did notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleunleashיָ֝עִירH5782Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructHis full wrathחֲמָתֽוֹ׃H2534Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 39

Cross-references

Psalms 90:10Classic cross-references Genesis 6:3Classic cross-references Job 7:7Classic cross-references James 4:14Classic cross-references Job 7:16Classic cross-references

Original words

He rememberedוַ֭יִּזְכֹּרH2142Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthatכִּי־H3588Conjunctiontheyהֵ֑מָּהH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwere but fleshבָשָׂ֣רH1320Noun - masculine singulara passingה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularbreezeר֥וּחַH7307Noun - common singularthat does notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlereturnיָשֽׁוּב׃H7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

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