New International Version
Psalms 78:38
38Yet 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; 37their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. 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. 39He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. 40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland!
Read all of Psalms 78Psalms 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 bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
- Exodus 34:6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
- Numbers 14:18‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’
- Numbers 16:44and the Lord said to Moses,
- Isaiah 44:21“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.
- Isaiah 48:9For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.
- Ezekiel 20:8“ ‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.
- 2 Kings 21:20He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh 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
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries