Psalms 78:57

57 They were worse, if that's possible, than their parents: traitors - crooked as a corkscrew.

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 scattered everyone who got in their way; he staked out an inheritance for them - the tribes of Israel all had their own places.
56 But they kept on giving him a hard time, rebelled against God, the High God, refused to do anything he told them.
57 They were worse, if that's possible, than their parents: traitors - crooked as a corkscrew.
58 Their pagan orgies provoked God's anger, their obscene idolatries broke his heart.
59 When God heard their carryings-on, he was furious; he posted a huge No over Israel.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.