Psalm 78:34

34 When he killed them, they sought him; and they turned again, and early they came to him. (And after he killed some of them, then they sought him again; and they returned, and they came eagerly to him.)

Psalm 78:34 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:34

When he slew them
Some of them, the spies particularly; or when he threatened to slay them, or was about to do it:

then they sought him;
that is, those who either survived the slain, or were threatened with destruction; these sought the Lord by prayer and supplication, that he would not destroy them; the Targum is,

``they repented and sought him;''

see ( Numbers 14:37 Numbers 14:39 Numbers 14:40 ) ,

and they returned;
from their evil ways, and by repentance, at least in show and appearance:

and inquired early after God;
but not earnestly, and with their whole hearts and spirits; the Targum is,

``they prayed before God;''

which is often done, by carnal professors, in trouble; see ( Isaiah 26:16 ) ( Hosea 5:15 ) .

Psalm 78:34 In-Context

32 In all these things they sinned yet; and believed not in the marvels of God. (Yet in spite of all these things, they still sinned; and did not believe/and had no faith in God's marvellous deeds.)

33 And the days of them failed in vanity; and the years of them failed with haste. (And so he ended their days like a breath; and their years with sudden disaster.)

34 When he killed them, they sought him; and they turned again, and early they came to him. (And after he killed some of them, then they sought him again; and they returned, and they came eagerly to him.)

35 And they bethought (again), that God is the helper of them; and the high God is the again-buyer of them. (And they remembered that God is their helper; and that the Most High God is their redeemer.)

36 And they loved him in their mouth; and with their tongue they lied to him. (And they loved him with their mouths; but with their tongues they still lied to him.)