Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 78:57

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

57. unfaithfully ] Or, as R.V., treacherously. Cp. Hos 5:7; Hos 6:7. like a deceitful bow ] Which misses the mark and disappoints its owner. Cp. Hos 7:16.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

But turned back … – See the notes at Psa 78:41.

They were turned aside like a deceitful bow – literally, a bow of deceit. That is, a bow that could not be depended on; a bow, one of whose arms was longer or more elastic than the other, so that the arrow would turn aside from the mark. The marksman would attempt to hit an object, and would fail. So it was with the people of Israel. They could not be depended on. No reliance could be put on their promises, their covenant-engagements, their attachment, their fidelity, for in these things they failed, as the arrow from a deceitful bow would fail to strike the mark. Their whole history shows how just was this charge; alas! the history of many of the professed people of God has shown how applicable the description has been to them also.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 57. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.] The eastern bow, which when at rest is in the form of a [curved figure ‘C’], must be recurved, or turned the contrary way, in order to be what is called bent and strung. If a person who is unskilful or weak attempt to recurve and string one of these bows, if he take not great heed it will spring back and regain its quiescent position, and perhaps break his arm. And sometimes I have known it, when bent, to start aside, and regain its quiescent position, to no small danger, and in one or two cases to my injury. This image is frequently used in the sacred writings; but no person has understood it, not being acquainted with the eastern bow [curved figure ‘C’], which must be recurved, or bent the contrary way, [figure ”] in order to be proper for use. If not well made, they will fly back in discharging the arrow. It is said of the bow of Jonathan, it turned not back, 2Sa 1:22, lo nasog achor, “did not twist itself backward.” It was a good bow, one on which he could depend. Hosea, Ho 7:16, compares the unfaithful Israelites to a deceitful bow; one that, when bent, would suddenly start aside and recover its former position. We may find the same passage in Jer 9:3. And this is precisely the kind of bow mentioned by Homer, Odyss. xxi., which none of Penelope’s suitors could bend, called and , the crooked bow in the state of rest; but , the recurred bow when prepared for use. And of this trial of strength and skill in the bending of the bow of Ulysses, none of the critics and commentators have been able to make any thing, because they knew not the instrument in question. On the of Homer, I have written a dissertation elsewhere. The image is very correct; these Israelites, when brought out of their natural bent, soon recoiled, and relapsed into their former state.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Which either breaketh when it is drawn, or shooteth awry, and frustrateth the archers design and expectation So when they pretended, and both God and men expected, obedience and gratitude to their great Benefactor, they behaved themselves undutifully and unfaithfully towards him.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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

Ps 78:8,

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 Ho 7:16, or being too much stretched is suddenly broken, and kills the archer; or returns to its own nature; so Arama.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(57) Turned aside . . .Better, turned like a relaxed bow. (See Note to Psa. 78:9.) The bows of the Hebrews, like those of other ancient nations, were probably, when unstrung, bent the reverse way to that assumed when strung, which makes the figure more expressive of the disposition which cannot be relied upon in the moment of need.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

57. Turned aside like a deceitful bow Hebrew, a bow of guile, not sending the arrow direct to the mark, owing to the unequal strength and elasticity of its parts. Hos 7:16. Or, if we put the bow by metonomy for the archer, as in Isa 21:17 and elsewhere, it is one who purposely turns the arrow aside from the mark unreliable, treacherous. The most common words for sin, both in the Old and New Testaments, ( , ,) are derived from verbs which literally signify to miss, to miss the mark. Faithlessness and deceit supply the fundamental idea.

Irregularities in worship, immoralities in life, the adoption of idolatry and heathenish customs, deface the history of the Israelites through the period of the Judges, to which Psa 78:56-58 exclusively refer.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psa 78:57. They were turned aside, &c. This is explained by Psa 78:9 where the same word is used. The bow means a body of bowmen, who in the crisis of battle, like the Ephraimites above, either turn their bows against you, or run away. Mudge.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psa 78:57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

Ver. 57. But turned back, &c. ] They had a kind of willingness and velleity, a kind of wambling, as one speaketh, but it boiled not up to the full height of resolution for God.

They were turned aside like a deceitful bow ] Non semper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus; but a deceitful bow, that turneth back into belly, as we say, will be sure to deceive the archer, though he level his eye and his arrow never so directly to the mark, and think with himself to hit it. Lo, such a false rotten bow is man’s deceitful heart; and hence the arrows of his purposes and promises vanish oft in the air, as smoke.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

turned back. See the Structure (17-20 and 56-58).

a deceitful bow: disappointing the bowman. Compare Hos 7:16.

graven images. Same word as Deu 7:5. Includes all images, whether carved, graven, or molten.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

But: Psa 78:41, Jdg 3:5-7, Jdg 3:12, Eze 20:27, Eze 20:28

they were: Psa 78:8, Psa 78:10-37, Hos 7:16

Reciprocal: Num 32:14 – an increase Deu 9:12 – are quickly 1Sa 15:11 – turned Ezr 10:12 – so must we do Neh 9:26 – they were Psa 44:18 – heart Psa 101:3 – them Psa 119:118 – their deceit Jer 11:10 – iniquities Hos 11:7 – are bent Mal 3:6 – therefore Heb 8:9 – they continued

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psa 78:57-59. And dealt unfaithfully like their fathers They imitated their forefathers, both in their frequent apostacies from God, and in their falseness to their promises, when they pretended to repent of them. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow Which seems likely to send the arrow to the mark, but, when it is drawn, breaks, and drops the arrow at the archers foot, or shoots awry, and thereby frustrates his design and expectation: so their depraved hearts made them turn aside into crooked paths, which were not directed according to the will of God. For, when they pretended, and both God and men expected obedience and gratitude to their great benefactor, they behaved themselves undutifully and unfaithfully toward him. When God heard this That is, perceived and understood it, speaking after the manner of men, or heard the cry of their iniquity which came before him; he was wroth He took it very heinously, as well he might, and he greatly abhorred Israel, whom he had greatly loved and delighted in. They who had been the people of his choice, became the generation of his wrath. Presumptuous sins, idolatries especially, render even Israelites odious to Gods holiness, and obnoxious to his justice.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

78:57 But turned back, and dealt {i} unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

(i) Nothing more displeases God in the children, than when they continue in that wickedness, which their fathers had begun.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes