Psalms 78:57

57 but were rebellious and disloyal like their ancestors, unreliable as a crooked arrow.

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 drove out the inhabitants as his people advanced; he divided their land among the tribes of Israel and gave their homes to his people.

56 But they rebelled against Almighty God and put him to the test. They did not obey his commandments,

57 but were rebellious and disloyal like their ancestors, unreliable as a crooked arrow.

58 They angered him with their heathen places of worship, and with their idols they made him furious.

59 God was angry when he saw it, so he rejected his people completely.