Psalm 78 50

Psalm 78:50 kjv

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

Psalm 78:50 nkjv

He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague,

Psalm 78:50 niv

He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.

Psalm 78:50 esv

He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.

Psalm 78:50 nlt

He turned his anger against them;
he did not spare the Egyptians' lives
but ravaged them with the plague.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 50 Meaning

Psalm 78:50 describes God's deliberate and unhindered execution of divine judgment upon the Egyptians. It conveys that the Almighty purposefully cleared all impediments for His wrath to fall, choosing not to protect or withhold their very lives from the destructive power of death and plague. This signifies the sovereign and decisive nature of divine retribution in response to profound defiance.

Psalm 78 50 Context

Psalm 78 is a "maskil" or an instructional psalm, serving as a didactic poem recounting Israel's history of rebellion and God's consistent faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. The psalm details divine acts from the Exodus, the wilderness wanderings, to the establishment of the monarchy. Verses 42-51 specifically enumerate the devastating plagues God unleashed upon Egypt as part of His mighty hand of deliverance for Israel. The historical context is the Egyptian oppression of Israel and God's powerful intervention through these judgments, showcasing His supremacy over Pharaoh and the array of Egyptian deities. The psalm's purpose is to remind later generations of God's power and justice, and to warn against repeating the ancestors' sin of unbelief and idolatry.

Psalm 78 50 Word analysis

• He made a path (וַיְפַלֵּס - vayphalles): The verb palas means to weigh, balance, make level, or make straight. Here, it denotes an active and deliberate preparation or clearing of the way. It implies removing all obstacles, not because His anger was hindered, but to ensure its full and direct deployment. This highlights divine intention and sovereign control over the judgment. It's a calculated, not an impulsive, act.
• for His anger (אַפּוֹ - appo): Aph primarily means nose or nostril, but metaphorically and commonly refers to anger, wrath, or fury, often expressed through visible facial displeasure (flared nostrils). This is God's holy indignation against sin and defiance. The preparation of a "path" for His anger underscores its unstoppable nature once unleashed.
• He did not spare (לֹא חָשַׂךְ - lo chasach): Chasach means to restrain, hold back, keep from. The negation "not" (lo) emphasizes the absolute lack of restraint. There was no holding back, no mitigation of the full impact of judgment. This conveys a decisive, unwavering commitment to the full execution of justice.
• their soul (נַפְשָׁם - nafsham): Nephesh is a broad term encompassing soul, life, being, person, or even breath. In this context, it signifies their very essence of life, their vital force. Not sparing their soul from death means total exposure and vulnerability to loss of life.
• from death (מִמָּוֶת - mimaveth): Maveth refers to death, the cessation of life. The phrase indicates that God did not hold them back or protect them from this ultimate consequence. It was the intended outcome for those targeted by divine judgment.
• but gave (וְחַיָּתָם לַדֶּבֶר - vechayyatam laddever): The "but gave" connects the two phrases, showing the active choice made. It implies delivering over.
• their life (וְחַיָּתָם - vechayyatam): Chayyah means life or living thing, similar to nephesh but often emphasizing vitality and physical existence. Its pairing with "soul" (nephesh) here creates a parallelism, reinforcing the idea of their entire being and existence being exposed to judgment.
• over to the plague (לַדֶּבֶר - laddever): Deber is specific, meaning pestilence or plague, often a divinely sent epidemic causing widespread death. This refers to the physical calamity that wrought destruction, particularly evident in the Egyptian plagues, such as the plague on the livestock (Exod 9:3) or the ultimate death of the firstborn (Exod 12:29). This was God's chosen instrument of judgment.
• "He made a path for His anger": This phrase portrays God as a strategic warrior or judge. It's not spontaneous anger, but a prepared, deliberate action, showing His sovereignty even over the expression of His wrath. He orchestrates the circumstances for His judgment to take its full effect. It can be seen as polemical, asserting that no power, natural or supernatural, could hinder God's righteous wrath.
• "He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague": This forms a parallel poetic structure, reiterating the severity and completeness of the judgment. God's act was comprehensive; He completely exposed them to mortal destruction through divinely appointed pestilence, demonstrating His ultimate authority over life and death. This underlines the finality and totality of the divine action.

Psalm 78 50 Bonus section

This verse functions as a clear statement against polytheistic beliefs and the supposed protective powers of Egyptian deities. By explicitly stating that God "made a path for His anger" and did not "spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague," the psalm implicitly debunks the efficacy of Egyptian gods who were believed to protect life, livestock, and agriculture. The plagues themselves, culminating in the death of the firstborn, were not random occurrences but precise acts demonstrating Yahweh's superiority over specific deities and life-forces worshiped in Egypt. This serves to remind Israel, and subsequently believers, of God's unmatched supremacy and His justice when faced with defiance and oppression. The intentionality described—"made a path"—also suggests that the plagues were part of a larger divine plan of redemption for Israel, a means to an end (deliverance) through the instrument of judgment on the oppressor.

Psalm 78 50 Commentary

Psalm 78:50 powerfully conveys the direct and decisive nature of God's judgment against the oppressive Egyptians. "He made a path for His anger" signifies God's intentionality and absolute sovereignty; His wrath was not a haphazard outburst but a deliberate, unobstructed torrent, meticulously prepared for its full impact. Every obstacle was removed, demonstrating that nothing could impede the divine will. He "did not spare their soul from death" reveals the severe consequences of defying the Most High. There was no reprieve, no mitigation, only the full execution of justice resulting in profound loss of life. This direct exposure "to the plague" highlights the specific instrument of divine retribution—a divinely sent pestilence. This plague, echoing events like the death of the firstborn and other devastating pestilences on livestock in Egypt, manifested God's absolute power over life and death and his ultimate authority over false deities. This verse stands as a stark reminder of the fearsome reality of God's holy wrath against unrighteousness, a judgment executed with precise and unyielding purpose. For instance, just as a nation might prepare its forces for an unhindered military operation, so God ensures His righteous anger proceeds unimpede.