Psalm 78:38 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: But He, being compassionate, forgave their wrongdoing and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not stir up all His wrath.

CSB: Yet he was compassionate; he atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often turned his anger aside and did not unleash all his wrath.

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!

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.

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;

Psalm 78:9–64 is a long summary of God's work on behalf of Israel. God freed the people from slavery in Egypt, guiding them day and night. He brought them across the Red Sea while drowning their Egyptian attackers. Despite their complaints and bitterness, the Lord provided food and water. When Israel finally entered the Promised Land, He empowered them to take it from the depraved Canaanites. Even then, the people betrayed their God. This led to the cycle of rescue and defeat described in the book of Judges.

This psalm begins with a call for Israel to remember. In fact, they are told to remember remembering: God intends them to look back on their history during hard times. After setting this scene, Asaph gives a detailed list of ways in which the Lord has dealt with Israel. This includes punishment for blatant sin, but also consistent protection and care. Every time Israel sinned, God preserved and restored them, no matter how far they fell.

Asaph's name is associated with several psalms that start with worry (Psalm 73:2–3; 74:1; 77:2–3; 79:5) and end in confidence (Psalm 73:16–18; 74:12; 77:10–11; 79:13). This song is an extensive list of reasons why the people of Israel should trust the Lord, even in hard times. When Israel was freed from Egypt by God's power, they continued to be stubborn and disobedient. Even so, the Lord cared for them. Those events are the basis of Psalm 78.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.