Psalms 78:57

57 They turned away and were faithless, like their fathers; they were unreliable, like a bow without tension.

Psalms 78:57 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:57

But turned back
From God and his worship, apostatized from the true religion, and turned to idols:

and dealt unfaithfully, like their fathers;
in the wilderness; see ( Psalms 78:8 Psalms 78:36 Psalms 78:37 ) ,

they were turned aside like a deceitful bow;
that promises well to carry the arrow right, but drops it at the feet of the archer; or carries it another way, so that it misses the mark, The Targum is,

``as a bow casting arrows;''

to the ground, and not to the mark; see ( Hosea 7:16 ) , or being too much stretched is suddenly broken, and kills the archer; or returns to its own nature; so Arama.

Psalms 78:57 In-Context

55 He expelled nations before them, apportioned them property to inherit and made Isra'el's tribes live in their tents.

56 Yet they tested El 'Elyon and rebelled against him, refusing to obey his instructions.

57 They turned away and were faithless, like their fathers; they were unreliable, like a bow without tension.

58 They provoked him with their high places and made him jealous with their idols.

59 God heard, and he was angry; he came to detest Isra'el completely.