Psalms

Psalm 78:1–7

¹A Maskil^a of Asaph.

Give ear, O my people, to my instruction;

listen to the words of my mouth.

²I will open my mouth in parables;

I will utter things hidden from the beginning,^b

³that we have heard and known

and our fathers have relayed to us.

⁴We will not hide them from their children

but will declare to the next generation

the praises of the LORD and His might

and the wonders He has performed.

⁵For He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel,

which He commanded our fathers

to teach to their children,

⁶that the coming generation would know them—

even children yet to be born—

to arise and tell their own children

⁷that they should put their confidence in God,

not forgetting His works,

but keeping His commandments.

Footnotes

a 78:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.
b 78:2 Or from ancient times; see also LXX; cited in Matthew 13:35|MAT 13:35

Read all of Psalm 78

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 78:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֗יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of Asaph	לְאָ֫סָ֥ף	lə·’ā·sāp̄	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H623 Asaph
Give ear	הַאֲזִ֣ינָה	ha·’ă·zî·nāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H238 give ear, listen, hear
O my people	עַ֭מִּי	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
to my instruction	תּוֹרָתִ֑י	tō·w·rā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law
listen	הַטּ֥וּ	haṭ·ṭū	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
to the words	לְאִמְרֵי־	lə·’im·rê-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of my mouth	פִֽי׃	p̄î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth

Psalm 78:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I will open	אֶפְתְּחָ֣ה	’ep̄·tə·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H6605 open
my mouth	פִּ֑י	pî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth
in parables	בְמָשָׁ֣ל	ḇə·mā·šāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H4912 proverb, parable
I will utter	אַבִּ֥יעָה	’ab·bî·‘āh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H5042 flow, spring, bubble up
things hidden	חִ֝יד֗וֹת	ḥî·ḏō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H2420 riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question
from	מִנִּי־	min·nî-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the beginning	קֶֽדֶם׃	qe·ḏem	Noun - masculine singular	H6924 front, east, aforetime

Psalm 78:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
we have heard	שָׁ֭מַעְנוּ	šā·maʿ·nû	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H8085 hear
and known	וַנֵּדָעֵ֑ם	wan·nê·ḏā·‘êm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural; third person masculine plural	H3045 know
and our fathers	וַ֝אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ	wa·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H1 father
have relayed	סִפְּרוּ־	sip·pə·rū-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H5608 count
to us	לָֽנוּ׃	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural

Psalm 78:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
We will not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hide	נְכַחֵ֨ד׀	nə·ḵa·ḥêḏ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H3582 hide, efface
from their children	מִבְּנֵיהֶ֗ם	mib·bə·nê·hem	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1121 son
but will declare	מְֽ֭סַפְּרִים	mə·sap·pə·rîm	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H5608 count
to the next	אַחֲר֗וֹן	’a·ḥă·rō·wn	Adjective - masculine singular	H314 coming after
generation	לְד֥וֹר	lə·ḏō·wr	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1755 period, generation, dwelling
the praises	תְּהִלּ֣וֹת	tə·hil·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H8416 praise, song of praise
of the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and His might	וֶעֱזוּז֥וֹ	we·‘ĕ·zū·zōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5807 strength, might, fierceness
and the wonders	וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו	wə·nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯāw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
He has performed	עָשָֽׂה׃	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make

Psalm 78:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For He established	וַיָּ֤קֶם	way·yā·qem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
a testimony	עֵד֨וּת׀	‘ê·ḏūṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5715 testimony
in Jacob	בְּֽיַעֲקֹ֗ב	bə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
and appointed	שָׂ֤ם	śām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
a law	וְתוֹרָה֮	wə·ṯō·w·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law
in Israel	בְּיִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל	bə·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
which	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
He commanded	צִ֭וָּה	ṣiw·wāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
our fathers	אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ	’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H1 father
to teach	לְ֝הוֹדִיעָ֗ם	lə·hō·w·ḏî·‘ām	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H3045 know
to their children	לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃	liḇ·nê·hem	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1121 son

Psalm 78:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that	לְמַ֤עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
the coming	אַ֭חֲרוֹן	’a·ḥă·rō·wn	Adjective - masculine singular	H314 coming after
generation	דּ֣וֹר	dō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H1755 period, generation, dwelling
would know them	יֵדְע֨וּ׀	yê·ḏə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3045 know
even children	בָּנִ֣ים	bā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
yet to be born	יִוָּלֵ֑דוּ	yiw·wā·lê·ḏū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
to arise	יָ֝קֻ֗מוּ	yā·qu·mū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
and tell	וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ	wî·sap·pə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5608 count
their	לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃	liḇ·nê·hem	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1121 son

Psalm 78:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that they should put	וְיָשִׂ֥ימוּ	wə·yā·śî·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7760 put, place, set
their confidence	כִּ֫סְלָ֥ם	kis·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3689 loins
in God	בֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים	ḇê·lō·hîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
not	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
forgetting	יִ֭שְׁכְּחוּ	yiš·kə·ḥū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7911 forget
works	מַֽעַלְלֵי־	ma·‘al·lê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4611 deed, practice
but keeping	יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃	yin·ṣō·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5341 watch, guard, keep
His commandments	וּמִצְוֺתָ֥יו	ū·miṣ·wō·ṯāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4687 commandment