Focused Passage

Psalms 78:65-72

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

65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.

66He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.

67He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.

68But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

69He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.

70He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;

71from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.

72So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 65

Cross-references

Psalms 44:23Classic cross-references Isaiah 42:13Classic cross-references Psalms 68:1Classic cross-references Zechariah 2:13Classic cross-references Psalms 47:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the Lordאֲדֹנָ֑יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularawokeוַיִּקַ֖ץH3364Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularas from sleepכְּיָשֵׁ֥ן׀H3463Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singularlike a mighty warriorכְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹרH1368Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singularovercomeמִתְרוֹנֵ֥ןH7442Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singularby wineמִיָּֽיִן׃H3196Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 66

Cross-references

1 Samuel 5:6Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 5:9Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:40Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:27Classic cross-references Job 40:12Classic cross-references

Original words

He beatוַיַּךְ־H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbackאָח֑וֹרH268Noun - masculine singularHis foesצָרָ֥יוH6862Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularHe put them toנָ֣תַןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .לָֽמוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine pluraleverlastingע֝וֹלָ֗םH5769Noun - masculine singularshameחֶרְפַּ֥תH2781Noun - feminine singular construct

Verse 67

Cross-references

Psalms 87:2Classic cross-references 1 Kings 8:44Classic cross-references

Original words

He rejectedוַ֭יִּמְאַסH3988Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe tentבְּאֹ֣הֶלH168Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Josephיוֹסֵ֑ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularand refusedלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .בָחָֽר׃H977Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe tribeוּֽבְשֵׁ֥בֶטH7626Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶ֝פְרַ֗יִםH669Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 68

Cross-references

Psalms 121:1Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 16:1Classic cross-references Psalms 132:13Classic cross-references Psalms 24:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:5Classic cross-references

Original words

But He choseוַ֭יִּבְחַרH977Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe tribeשֵׁ֣בֶטH7626Noun - masculine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֑הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerMountהַ֥רH2022Noun - masculine singular constructZionצִ֝יּ֗וֹןH6726Noun - proper - feminine singularwhichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeHe lovedאָהֵֽב׃H157Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 69

Cross-references

Jeremiah 30:18Classic cross-references Psalms 127:1Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:12Classic cross-references 1 Kings 6:1Classic cross-references Ezekiel 36:2Classic cross-references

Original words

He builtוַיִּ֣בֶןH1129Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularHis sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹH4720Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularlikeכְּמוֹ־H3644Prepositionthe heightsרָ֭מִיםH7311Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plurallike the earthכְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץH776Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singularHe has establishedיְסָדָ֥הּH3245Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularforeverלְעוֹלָֽם׃H5769Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 70

Cross-references

Acts 13:22Classic cross-references Acts 20:28Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 13:14Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 7:8Classic cross-references Psalms 65:4Classic cross-references

Original words

He choseוַ֭יִּבְחַרH977Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularDavidבְּדָוִ֣דH1732Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularHis servantעַבְדּ֑וֹH5650Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand took himוַ֝יִּקָּחֵ֗הוּH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularfrom the sheepfoldsמִֽמִּכְלְאֹ֥תH4356Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .צֹֽאן׃H6629Noun - common singular

Verse 71

Cross-references

Isaiah 40:11Classic cross-references Ezekiel 34:2Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 10:1Classic cross-references Psalms 28:9Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 5:2Classic cross-references

Original words

from tendingמֵאַחַ֥רH310Preposition-mthe ewesעָל֗וֹתH5763Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralHe brought himהֱ֫בִיא֥וֹH935Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularto be shepherdלִ֭רְעוֹתH7462Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructof His peopleעַמּ֑וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularJacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֣בH3290Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularof Israelוּ֝בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularHis inheritanceנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃H5159Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 72

Cross-references

1 Kings 9:4Classic cross-references 2 Timothy 2:15Classic cross-references Isaiah 11:2Classic cross-references Psalms 7:8Classic cross-references 1 Kings 15:5Classic cross-references

Original words

So [David] shepherded themוַ֭יִּרְעֵםH7462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralwith integrityכְּתֹ֣םH8537Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof heartלְבָב֑וֹH3824Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand guided themיַנְחֵֽם׃H5148Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralwith skillfulוּבִתְבוּנ֖וֹתH8394Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructhandsכַּפָּ֣יוH3709Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular

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