God’s Word Translation
Psalms 78:8
8Then they will not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation. Their hearts were not loyal. Their spirits were not faithful to God.
Psalms 78:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
- New International Version (NIV)They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Context of Psalms 78:8
6so that the next generation would know them. Children yet to be born ⌞would learn them⌟. They will grow up and tell their children 7to trust God, to remember what he has done, and to obey his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation. Their hearts were not loyal. Their spirits were not faithful to God. 9The men of Ephraim, well-equipped with bows ⌞and arrows⌟, turned ⌞and ran⌟ on the day of battle. 10They had not been faithful to God’s promise. They refused to follow his teachings.
Read all of Psalms 78Psalms 78:8 word by word
וְלֹ֤א יִהְי֨וּ׀ כַּאֲבוֹתָ֗ם דּוֹר֮ סוֹרֵ֪ר וּמֹ֫רֶ֥ה דּ֭וֹר לֹא־הֵכִ֣ין לִבּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־נֶאֶמְנָ֖ה אֶת־אֵ֣ל רוּחֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And might not be as their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- a stubbornסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
- and rebelliousמָרָהmârâh · to rebelH4784
- generationדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- setכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- not their heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- and whose spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- was not stedfastאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
- with Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
Cross-references for Psalms 78:8
- Psalms 68:6God places lonely people in families. He leads prisoners out of prison into productive lives, but rebellious people must live in an unproductive land.
- Psalms 106:7When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles. They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy, so they rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.
- Exodus 32:9The Lord added, “I’ve seen these people, and they are impossible to deal with.
- Exodus 33:3Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with, and I would destroy you on the way.”
- Exodus 34:9Then he said, “Lord, please go with us! Even though we are impossible to deal with, forgive our sin and the wrong we have done, and accept us as your own people.”
- Deuteronomy 9:6So understand this: It’s not because you’ve been living right that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess. You are impossible to deal with!
- Deuteronomy 31:27I know how rebellious you are. You are impossible to deal with. While I am alive and still with you, you are rebelling against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after I die?
- 2 Kings 17:14But they refused to listen. They became as impossible to deal with as their ancestors who refused to trust the Lord their God.
- Ezekiel 2:3He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel. They are people from a nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have rebelled against me to this day.
- Ezekiel 20:8“ ‘But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. Not one of them got rid of the detestable idols that they looked to for help. They didn’t abandon the disgusting idols of Egypt. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in Egypt.
- Matthew 23:31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
- Acts 7:51“How stubborn can you be? How can you be so heartless and disobedient? You’re just like your ancestors. They always opposed the Holy Spirit, and so do you!
- Psalms 78:37Their hearts were not loyal to him. They were not faithful to his promise.
- 2 Chronicles 12:14He did evil things because he was not serious about dedicating himself to serving the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 19:3However, you’ve done some good things: You’ve burned the Asherah poles in this country, and you’ve wholeheartedly dedicated your life to serving God.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:33But the illegal worship sites on the hills were not torn down. The people still didn’t have their hearts set on the God of their ancestors.
Commentaries on Psalms 78:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And might not be as their fathers - Their ancestors, particularly in the wilderness, as they passed through it to the promised land. See Exodus 32:7-9; Exodus 33:3; Exodus 34:9; Acts 7:51-53. A stubborn and rebellious generation - Stiff-necked, ungovernable; inclined to revolt. Nothing was more remarkable in their early history than this. A generation that set not their heart aright - Margin, as in Hebrew, “prepared not their heart.” That is, they took no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8God holds each generation responsible for its own actions. They should maintain faith and hope (see Psalm 9:18; 27:14) and avoid being stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful (see Deuteronomy 9:6–7; 10:16; 30:6; 31:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-83-8. This history had been handed down (Ex 12:14; De 6:20) for God's honor, and that the principles of His law might be known and observed by posterity. This important sentiment is reiterated in (Psa 78:7, 8) negative form.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 78:8
In the dictionaries
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
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