Psalms 78:38

Psalms 78:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
• New International Version (NIV)Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath;
• New Living Translation (NLT)Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury!

Context of Psalms 78:38

36But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. 37Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. 39He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. 40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!

Psalms 78:38 word by word

וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֹן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־יָ֝עִיר כָּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• full of compassionרַחוּםrachûm · compassionateH7349
• forgaveכִּפֶּרkâphar · to atoneH3722
• iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• and destroyedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• not: yea, many a timeרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• he his angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• awayשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• and did not stir upעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
• all his wrathחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534

Cross-references for Psalms 78:38

• Psalms 106:43Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.
• Exodus 34:6The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
• Numbers 14:18'The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'
• Numbers 16:44and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
• Isaiah 44:21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
• Isaiah 48:9"For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.
• Ezekiel 20:8But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. "Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
• 2 Kings 21:20And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done.

Commentaries on Psalms 78:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38But he, being full of compassion - Feeling for them as a father for his children. Forgave their iniquity - יחפר yechapper, made an atonement for their iniquity. And did not stir up all his wrath - Though they often grieved his Spirit, and rebelled against him, yet he seldom punished them; and when he did chastise them, it was as a tender and merciful Father. He did not stir up all his wrath - the punishment was much less than the iniquity deserved.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38But he, being full of compassion - literally, “But he, merciful,” That is, he was ready to forgive them. Forgave their iniquity - literally, Atoned for, expiated, covered over their iniquity. There is connected with the word the idea of expiation or atonement, as the ground of pardon. And destroyed them not - Did not cut them off in their repeated acts of rebellion. He bore with them, and spared them. Yea, many a time turned he his anger away - literally…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-39Verses 9-39 Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart. Forgetfulness of God's works is the cause of disobedience to his laws. This narrative relates a struggle between God's goodness and man's badness. The Lord hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of God's mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those cannot be said to trust in God's salvation as their happiness at last, who can not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 35-39The Israelites remembered the correct teaching about God (Psalms 9:9; 91:1), but they did not let God change the way they thought and lived (Leviticus 26:41).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33-3933-39. Though there were partial reformations after chastisement, and God, in pity, withdrew His hand for a time, yet their general conduct was rebellious, and He was thus provoked to waste and destroy them, by long and fruitless wandering in the desert.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 78:38

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Anger
• God Continued...
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Asaph
• Compassion
• Consume
• Gush
• Limit
• Psalms
• Dark Sayings
• Forgiveness
• God
• Hezekiah (2)

Commentaries on Psalms 78

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings