And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Parallel translations
- WEB and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
- KJV And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
- BSB Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
- NASB And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
- NLT Then they will not be like their ancestors— stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.
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
They were to avoid becoming like their stubborn, rebellious fathers whose hearts were not loyal to God.
Overview
The psalmist sets the negative example of past generations who proved unfaithful and unsteadfast. The warning is that knowledge can be squandered through a disloyal heart. This sober contrast urges each generation to learn from history's failures and cultivate hearts truly steadfast toward God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Ps 78:37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.
- Exod 32:9Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
- 2 Kgs 17:14Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn’t believe in Yahweh their God.
- Ezek 20:18I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
- Deut 31:27For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you today, you have been rebellious against Yahweh. How much more after my death?
- Acts 7:51“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
- Deut 9:24You have been rebellious against Yahweh from the day that I knew you.
- Exod 33:5Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into the middle of you for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.’”
- Exod 33:3to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way.”
- Matt 23:31–33Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
- Deut 9:13Furthermore Yahweh spoke to me, saying, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.
- Ezek 2:3–8He said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day.
- Ezek 20:8“‘“But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt.
- 2 Chr 30:7Don’t be like your fathers and like your brothers, who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see.
- 2 Chr 12:14He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.
- Deut 9:6–7Know therefore, that Yahweh your God doesn’t give you this good land to possess for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people.
- Deut 4:4But you who were faithful to Yahweh your God are all alive today.
- Josh 14:8–9Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Yahweh my God.
- 2 Chr 19:3Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
- 2 Chr 20:33However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
- Exod 34:9He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
- 2 Chr 30:19who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
- Job 11:13“If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him.
- Acts 11:23who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.
- Ps 68:6God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
- Ps 106:7Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
- Isa 30:9For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear Yahweh’s law;
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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 78:8 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
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