Psalm 78 59

Psalm 78:59 kjv

When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

Psalm 78:59 nkjv

When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel,

Psalm 78:59 niv

When God heard them, he was furious; he rejected Israel completely.

Psalm 78:59 esv

When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.

Psalm 78:59 nlt

When God heard them, he was very angry,
and he completely rejected Israel.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 59 Meaning

Psalm 78:59 describes God's direct and forceful reaction to Israel's repeated and deliberate rebellion and idolatry. Upon hearing and discerning their grievous provocations and covenant breaking, He was consumed with righteous anger and definitively turned away from them, effectively rejecting them as a consequence of their sin. This act of rejection led to tangible consequences for Israel.

Psalm 78 59 Context

Psalm 78 is an historical psalm that serves as an instructional poem, recounting the unfaithfulness of Israel from the Exodus to the time of David, contrasting it with the steadfast faithfulness of God. It highlights Israel's repeated cycles of rebellion, forgetting God's miracles, falling into idolatry, and provoking divine wrath, followed by God's long-suffering and ultimate acts of salvation. Verse 59 occurs after a vivid description of Israel's grievous sins, including provoking God with their high places and detestable idols (Psa 78:58). The "this" refers directly to these provocations. God's rejection mentioned in verse 59 then sets the stage for the abandonment of the Tabernacle at Shiloh and the selection of Judah and David as His chosen line and place of worship (Psa 78:60-72), which follows immediately in the narrative.

Psalm 78 59 Word analysis

• When God heard: Hebrew: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים (vayyishma' Elohim). The verb "shama'" (שָׁמַע) signifies not merely to perceive sound but to hear with attention, to understand, and often, to respond with action. God's hearing here implies full comprehension and a ready intent to judge, reflecting His awareness of Israel's defiance and the gravity of their actions.
• this: The object of God's hearing. It refers to the entire cumulative history of rebellion, specifically culminating in the idolatrous provocations mentioned in the preceding verses (e.g., building high places, worshipping detestable things in Psa 78:58).
• he was full of wrath: This rendering is an interpretive translation of the Hebrew word וַיִּתְנַכֵּל (vayyitnakkel), derived from the root נָכַל (nakal) in its Hithpael stem. Literally, it means "He acted hostilely," "He was provoked," or "He dealt cunningly/treacherously against." When applied to God, this unusual and potent word signifies His active, deliberate response to Israel's treacherous dealing with Him. It suggests God Himself becoming an adversary, not due to malice, but in righteous judgment against their profound rebellion. It implies that God met their craftiness with His own, acting decisively to counter their rebellion and bring forth due consequences. This conveys a very strong divine reaction that English translations often render as "anger" or "wrath" for clarity and theological equivalence.
• and utterly rejected: Hebrew: וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד (vayyima'as me'od). The verb "ma'as" (מָאַס) means to reject, despise, scorn, or abhor. It indicates a definitive and conclusive act of casting away, removing favor, and withdrawing presence. It is a severe term denoting repudiation. The intensifier "me'od" (מְאֹד), meaning "greatly," "exceedingly," or "utterly," reinforces the totality and decisiveness of God's rejection, emphasizing its profound and complete nature. This was not a temporary withdrawal of sentiment, but a strategic and covenantal consequence.
• Israel: Refers to the collective nation descended from Jacob. In this specific historical context within Psalm 78, it points particularly towards the northern tribes and their capital at Shiloh, indicating the temporary shifting of God's focus and blessing away from them to Judah (Psa 78:60-72). This highlights a judgment upon the whole national entity, particularly its prevalent forms of idolatry.
• "He was full of wrath and utterly rejected": This phrase powerfully combines divine indignation with consequential action. God's anger is not a human temper tantrum but a holy, just reaction to sustained sin that broke covenant promises. The rejection that follows is a necessary disciplinary measure, a turning away from those who have turned away from Him.

Psalm 78 59 Bonus section

The concept of "rejection" in this verse, specifically regarding Israel, is nuanced throughout biblical theology. While God's wrath and rejection here signify severe temporal judgment, leading to consequences like the destruction of Shiloh, it is important to understand from later scripture (e.g., Rom 11) that God's ultimate redemptive plan for Israel as a people remains firm. The "rejection" in Psalm 78:59 was partial and temporary, a means of discipline and a redirecting of divine favor towards Judah and eventually a foreshadowing of a broader salvation, rather than a final abandonment of all His promises to the patriarchs. This passage, therefore, highlights God's justice in dealing with corporate sin, even as His faithfulness endures through different dispensations to fulfill His ultimate purposes.

Psalm 78 59 Commentary

Psalm 78:59 marks a pivotal moment in the psalm's recounting of Israel's history. It emphasizes God's sovereign response to human unfaithfulness. The Lord's hearing of Israel's provocations signifies not just auditory perception but a discerning recognition of their profound idolatry and rebellion. His response is swift and decisive. The description of His "wrath" or "acting hostilely" indicates His righteous indignation and deliberate intent to deal justly with their rebellion. This is not arbitrary anger but a holy reaction to sin that actively threatened the covenant relationship. The "utter rejection" that follows is a consequential act, demonstrating that there are limits to God's patience with overt and persistent covenant-breaking. This "rejection" was demonstrated historically through the loss of His physical presence at Shiloh (the Tabernacle location), signaling a significant shift in divine favor and a profound disciplinary judgment. This verse underscores God's absolute holiness, His commitment to His covenant, and His unwavering demand for faithfulness from His people. It reminds believers that deliberate and unrepentant sin invokes God's righteous judgment and can lead to severe consequences.