Focused Passage

Psalms 78:40-55

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

40How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!

41Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42They did not remember His power—the day He redeemed them from the adversary,

43when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.

44He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.

45He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.

46He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.

47He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.

48He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.

49He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity—a band of destroying angels.

50He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.

51He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.

52He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.

53He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.

54He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.

55He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 40

Original words

How oftenכַּ֭מָּהH4100Interrogativethey disobeyed Himיַמְר֣וּהוּH4784Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularin the wildernessבַמִּדְבָּ֑רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand grieved Himיַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּהוּH6087Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularin the desertבִּֽישִׁימֽוֹן׃H3452Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 41

Original words

Again and againוַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthey testedוַיְנַסּ֣וּH5254Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralGodאֵ֑לH410Noun - masculine singularand provokedהִתְווּ׃H8428Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralthe Holyוּקְד֖וֹשׁH6918Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular constructOne of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֣לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 42

Original words

They did notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlerememberזָכְר֥וּH2142Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerHis powerיָד֑וֹH3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularthe dayי֝֗וֹםH3117Noun - masculine singular-אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeHe redeemed themפָּדָ֥םH6299Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralfromמִנִּי־H4480Prepositionthe adversaryצָֽר׃H6862Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or His hand
Verse 43

Original words

whenאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeHe performedשָׂ֣םH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularHis signsאֹֽתוֹתָ֑יוH226Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularin Egyptבְּ֭מִצְרַיִםH4714Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularand His wondersוּ֝מוֹפְתָ֗יוH4159Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularin the fieldsבִּשְׂדֵה־H7704Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Zoanצֹֽעַן׃H6814Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 44

Original words

He turnedוַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְH2015Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir riversיְאֹרֵיהֶ֑םH2975Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralto bloodלְ֭דָםH1818Preposition | Noun - masculine singularand from their streamsוְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗םH5140Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralthey could notבַּל־H1077Adverbdrinkיִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃H8354Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 45

Original words

He sentיְשַׁלַּ֬חH7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-בָּהֶ֣םPreposition | third person masculine pluralswarms of fliesעָ֭רֹבH6157Noun - masculine singularthat devoured themוַיֹּאכְלֵ֑םH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluraland frogsוּ֝צְפַרְדֵּ֗עַH6854Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularthat devastated themוַתַּשְׁחִיתֵֽם׃H7843Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Verse 46

Original words

He gaveוַיִּתֵּ֣ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir cropsיְבוּלָ֑םH2981Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralto the grasshopperלֶחָסִ֣ילH2625Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe fruit of their laborוִֽ֝יגִיעָ֗םH3018Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralto the locustלָאַרְבֶּֽה׃H697Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 47

Original words

He killedיַהֲרֹ֣גH2026Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir vinesגַּפְנָ֑םH1612Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluralwith hailstonesבַּבָּרָ֣דH1259Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand their sycamore-figsוְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗םH8256Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralwith sleetבַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃H2602Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or frost or driving rain
Verse 48

Original words

He abandonedוַיַּסְגֵּ֣רH5462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir cattleבְּעִירָ֑םH1165Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralto the hailלַבָּרָ֣דH1259Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularand their livestockוּ֝מִקְנֵיהֶ֗םH4735Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralto bolts of lightningלָרְשָׁפִֽים׃H7565Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 49

Original words

He unleashedיְשַׁלַּח־H7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularHis furyחֲר֬וֹןH2740Noun - masculine singular construct. . .אַפּ֗וֹH639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularagainst themבָּ֨ם׀Preposition | third person masculine pluralwrathעֶבְרָ֣הH5678Noun - feminine singularindignationוָזַ֣עַםH2195Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand calamityוְצָרָ֑הH6869Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singulara bandמִ֝שְׁלַ֗חַתH4917Noun - feminine singular constructof destroyingרָעִֽים׃H7451Adjective - masculine pluralangelsמַלְאֲכֵ֥יH4397Noun - masculine plural construct
Verse 50

Original words

He clearedיְפַלֵּ֥סH6424Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara pathנָתִ֗יבH5410Noun - masculine singularfor His angerלְאַ֫פּ֥וֹH639Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularHe did notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlespareחָשַׂ֣ךְH2820Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthemנַפְשָׁ֑םH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralfrom deathמִמָּ֣וֶתH4194Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularbut deliveredהִסְגִּֽיר׃H5462Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singulartheir livesוְ֝חַיָּתָ֗םH2416Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralto the plagueלַדֶּ֥בֶרH1698Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 51

Original words

He struckוַיַּ֣ךְH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe firstbornבְּכ֣וֹרH1060Noun - masculine singularof Egyptבְּמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularvvvרֵאשִׁ֥יתH7225Noun - feminine singular constructthe virilityא֝וֹנִ֗יםH202Noun - masculine pluralin the tentsבְּאָהֳלֵי־H168Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof Hamחָֽם׃H2526Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 52

Original words

He led out His peopleעַמּ֑וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .וַיַּסַּ֣עH5265Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularlike sheepכַּצֹּ֣אןH6629Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singularand guided themוַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֥םH5090Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plurallike a flockכַּ֝עֵ֗דֶרH5739Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularin the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃H4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 53

Original words

He led themוַיַּנְחֵ֣םH5148Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralsafelyלָ֭בֶטַחH983Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularso they did notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefearפָחָ֑דוּH6342Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralbutוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthe seaהַיָּֽם׃H3220Article | Noun - masculine singularengulfedכִּסָּ֥הH3680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singulartheir enemiesא֝וֹיְבֵיהֶ֗םH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 54

Original words

He brought themוַ֭יְבִיאֵםH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413PrepositionHis holyקָדְשׁ֑וֹH6944Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularlandגְּב֣וּלH1366Noun - masculine singular constructto the mountainהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular. . .זֶ֝֗הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularHis right handיְמִינֽוֹ׃H3225Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularhad acquiredקָנְתָ֥הH7069Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 55

Original words

He drove outוַיְגָ֤רֶשׁH1644Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularnationsגּוֹיִ֗םH1471Noun - masculine pluralbefore themמִפְּנֵיהֶ֨ם׀H6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland apportionedוַֽ֭יַּפִּילֵםH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural. . .בְּחֶ֣בֶלH2256Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructtheir inheritanceנַחֲלָ֑הH5159Noun - feminine singularHe settledוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ןH7931Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe tribesשִׁבְטֵ֥יH7626Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularin their tentsבְּ֝אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗םH168Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine 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.