Focused Passage

Psalms 78:56-64

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

56But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.

57They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.

58They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.

59On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.

60He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.

61He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.

62He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.

63Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.

64His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 56

Original words

But they testedוַיְנַסּ֣וּH5254Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland disobeyedוַ֭יַּמְרוּH4784Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerGodאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluralMost Highעֶלְי֑וֹןH5945Adjective - masculine singularfor they did notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlekeepשָׁמָֽרוּ׃H8104Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralHis decreesוְ֝עֵדוֹתָ֗יוH5713Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 57

Original words

They turned backוַיִּסֹּ֣גוּH5472Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland were faithlessוַֽ֭יִּבְגְּדוּH898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plurallike their fathersכַּאֲבוֹתָ֑םH1Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraltwistedנֶ֝הְפְּכ֗וּH2015Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plurallike a faultyרְמִיָּֽה׃H7423Noun - feminine singularbowכְּקֶ֣שֶׁתH7198Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 58

Original words

They enraged Himוַיַּכְעִיס֥וּהוּH3707Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularwith their high placesבְּבָמוֹתָ֑םH1116Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland provoked His jealousyיַקְנִיאֽוּהוּ׃H7065Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularwith their idolsוּ֝בִפְסִילֵיהֶ֗םH6456Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 59

Original words

On hearing itשָׁמַ֣עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGodאֱ֭לֹהִיםH430Noun - masculine pluralwas furiousוַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑רH5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand rejectedוַיִּמְאַ֥סH3988Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIsraelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularcompletelyמְ֝אֹ֗דH3966Adverb
Verse 60

Original words

He abandonedוַ֭יִּטֹּשׁH5203Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe tabernacleמִשְׁכַּ֣ןH4908Noun - masculine singular constructof Shilohשִׁל֑וֹH7887Noun - proper - feminine singularthe tentאֹ֝֗הֶלH168Noun - masculine singularHe had pitchedשִׁכֵּ֥ןH7931Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularamong menבָּאָדָֽם׃H120Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 61

Original words

He deliveredוַיִּתֵּ֣ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularHis strengthעֻזּ֑וֹH5797Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto captivityלַשְּׁבִ֣יH7628Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularand His splendorוְֽתִפְאַרְתּ֥וֹH8597Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularto the handבְיַד־H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof the adversaryצָֽר׃H6862Noun - masculine singular
Verse 62

Original words

He surrenderedוַיַּסְגֵּ֣רH5462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularHis peopleעַמּ֑וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto the swordלַחֶ֣רֶבH2719Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularbecause He was enragedהִתְעַבָּֽר׃H5674Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person masculine singularby His heritageוּ֝בְנַחֲלָת֗וֹH5159Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 63

Original words

Fireאֵ֑שׁH784Noun - common singularconsumedאָֽכְלָה־H398Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularHis young menבַּחוּרָ֥יוH970Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand their maidensוּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יוH1330Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularwere left withoutלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewedding songsהוּלָּֽלוּ׃H1984Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 64

Original words

His priestsכֹּ֭הֲנָיוH3548Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularfellנָפָ֑לוּH5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralby the swordבַּחֶ֣רֶבH2719Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularbut their widowsוְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יוH490Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularcould notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlelamentתִבְכֶּֽינָה׃H1058Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.