Psalm 78:57

57 (77-57) And they turned away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.

Psalm 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.

Psalm 78:57 In-Context

55 (77-55) And he made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.

56 (77-56) Yet they tempted, and provoked the most high God: and they kept not his testimonies.

57 (77-57) And they turned away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.

58 (77-58) They provoked him to anger on their hills: and moved him to jealousy with their graven things.

59 (77-59) God heard, and despised them, and he reduced Israel exceedingly as it were to nothing.