Psalms 78:57

57 They were disloyal and treacherous like their ancestors. They were like arrows shot from a defective bow.

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 forced nations out of their way and gave them the land of the nations as their inheritance. He settled the tribes of Israel in their own tents.

56 They tested God Most High and rebelled against him. They did not obey his written instructions.

57 They were disloyal and treacherous like their ancestors. They were like arrows shot from a defective bow.

58 They made him angry because of their illegal worship sites. They made him furious because they worshiped idols.

59 When God heard, he became furious. He completely rejected Israel.