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And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.
Psalms 78:66 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
  • KJV And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
  • BSB He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.
  • NASB He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting disgrace.
  • NLT He routed his enemies and sent them to eternal shame.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God struck His enemies back and put them to lasting shame. He decisively defeated those who opposed Him.

Overview

The Lord 'struck his adversaries backward,' subjecting them to 'perpetual reproach,' recalling how the Philistines were humbled by the ark's presence. God's power needs no human help to overthrow His foes. This certain triumph over enemies anticipates Christ's final victory over every power that opposes God's kingdom.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 4

  • 1 Sam 5:6But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.
  • Jer 23:40I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’”
  • Job 40:12Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
  • 1 Sam 6:4Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 78:66YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 78:66 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.