1 Opening Questions: What does Jewish history teach us about the Jewish people and about God? Does God seem to act differently over time?
Note: Psalm 78 is the 2nd longest of the psalms (after Psalm 119). We will treat it differently from most other psalms we have discussed: We will explore the first 16 and final 33 verses together and save the central portion (23 verses) for chavruta reading and discussion.
The commentator Michael Dahood writes that Psalm 78 was "composed for use at the major festivals" (Anchor Bible: Psalms 51-100, Introduction to Psalm 78). If so, was it performed with instrumental accompaniment?
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) wrote "Attendite, popule meus" ("Give ear, my people" - Psalm 78:1), a setting of the first verses of Psalm 78, in 1629. It is scored for bass, four trombones, and basso continuo (here, organ and cello). Listen through 1:50
Shared by Ron Weidberg at https://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/645/post/85653.
2 Historical Psalms
Psalm 78 is one of several psalms that review events in the memory of Israel.
(1) For the leader. Of the Korahites. A maskil. (2) We have heard, O God,
our fathers have told us
the deeds You performed in their time,
in days of old.
(12) I recall the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I recall Your wonders of old; (13) I recount all Your works;
I speak of Your acts.
(5) Remember the wonders He has done,
His portents and the judgments He has pronounced, (6) O offspring of Abraham, His servant,
O descendants of Jacob, His chosen ones.
(1) Hallelujah.
Praise the LORD for He is good;
His steadfast love is eternal. (2) Who can tell the mighty acts of the LORD,
proclaim all His praises?
His steadfast love is eternal; (11) and brought Israel out of their midst,
His steadfast love is eternal;
3a Introduction to our Text part 1: Psalm 78, verses 1-8
(א) מַשְׂכִּ֗יל לְאָ֫סָ֥ף הַאֲזִ֣ינָה עַ֭מִּי תּוֹרָתִ֑י הַטּ֥וּ אׇ֝זְנְכֶ֗ם לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ (ב) אֶפְתְּחָ֣ה בְמָשָׁ֣ל פִּ֑י אַבִּ֥יעָה חִ֝יד֗וֹת מִנִּי־קֶֽדֶם׃ (ג) אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁ֭מַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵ֑ם וַ֝אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָֽנוּ׃ (ד) לֹ֤א נְכַחֵ֨ד ׀ מִבְּנֵיהֶ֗ם לְד֥וֹר אַחֲר֗וֹן מְֽ֭סַפְּרִים תְּהִלּ֣וֹת ה' וֶעֱזוּז֥וֹ וְ֝נִפְלְאֹתָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ה) וַיָּ֤קֶם עֵד֨וּת ׀ בְּֽיַעֲקֹ֗ב וְתוֹרָה֮ שָׂ֤ם בְּיִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִ֭וָּה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ לְ֝הוֹדִיעָ֗ם לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ו) לְמַ֤עַן יֵדְע֨וּ ׀ דּ֣וֹר אַ֭חֲרוֹן בָּנִ֣ים יִוָּלֵ֑דוּ יָ֝קֻ֗מוּ וִיסַפְּר֥וּ לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ז) וְיָשִׂ֥ימוּ בֵאלֹקִ֗ים כִּ֫סְלָ֥ם וְלֹ֣א יִ֭שְׁכְּחוּ מַ֥עַלְלֵי־אֵ֑ל וּמִצְוֺתָ֥יו יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃ (ח) וְלֹ֤א יִהְי֨וּ ׀ כַּאֲבוֹתָ֗ם דּוֹר֮ סוֹרֵ֢ר וּמֹ֫רֶ֥ה דּ֭וֹר לֹא־הֵכִ֣ין לִבּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־נֶאֶמְנָ֖ה אֶת־אֵ֣ל רוּחֽוֹ׃
Introduction
(1) A maskil of Asaph.
Give ear, my people, to my teaching/Torati,
turn your ear to what I say. (2) I will expound a theme,
hold forth on the lessons of the past, (3) things we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us. (4) We will not withhold them from their children,
telling the coming generation
the praises of the LORD and His might,
and the wonders He performed. (5) He established a decree in Jacob,
ordained a teaching/Torah in Israel,
charging our fathers
to make them known to their children, (6) that a future generation might know
—children yet to be born—
and in turn tell their children (7) that they might put their confidence in God,
and not forget God’s great deeds,
but observe His commandments, (8) and not be like their fathers,
a wayward and defiant generation,
a generation whose heart was inconstant,
whose spirit was not true to God.
3b Maps: Ephraim - Judah / Shiloh - Jerusalem / Northern - Southern Kingdoms
Tribal territories according to the book of Joshua
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Israel_(Samaria)#/media/File:Kingdoms_of_Israel_and_Judah_map_830.svg
Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 9th c. BCE
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Israel_(Samaria)#/media/File:Kingdoms_of_Israel_and_Judah_map_830.svg
3c Introduction to our Text part 2: Psalm 78, verses 9-16
Ephraim, Egypt
(9) Like the Ephraimite bowmen
who played false in the day of battle, (10) they did not keep God’s covenant,
they refused to follow His instruction; (11) they forgot His deeds
and the wonders that He showed them. (12) He performed marvels in the sight of their fathers,
in the land of Egypt, the plain of Zoan. (13) He split the sea and took them through it;
He made the waters stand like a wall. (14) He led them with a cloud by day,
and throughout the night by the light of fire. (15) He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink as if from the great deep. (16) He brought forth streams from a rock
and made them flow down like a river.
4 Our Chavruta Passage: Psalm 78:17-39
(יז) וַיּוֹסִ֣יפוּ ע֭וֹד לַחֲטֹא־ל֑וֹ לַֽמְר֥וֹת עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן בַּצִּיָּֽה׃ (יח) וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵ֥ל בִּלְבָבָ֑ם לִֽשְׁאׇל־אֹ֥כֶל לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃ (יט) וַֽיְדַבְּר֗וּ בֵּאלֹ֫קִ֥ים אָ֭מְרוּ הֲי֣וּכַל אֵ֑ל לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ שֻׁ֝לְחָ֗ן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (כ) הֵ֤ן הִכָּה־צ֨וּר ׀ וַיָּז֣וּבוּ מַיִם֮ וּנְחָלִ֢ים יִ֫שְׁטֹ֥פוּ הֲגַם־לֶ֭חֶם י֣וּכַל תֵּ֑ת אִם־יָכִ֖ין שְׁאֵ֣ר לְעַמּֽוֹ׃
(כא) לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׁמַ֥ע ה' וַֽיִּתְעַ֫בָּ֥ר וְ֭אֵשׁ נִשְּׂקָ֣ה בְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְגַם־אַ֝֗ף עָלָ֥ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כב) כִּ֤י לֹ֣א הֶ֭אֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹקִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א בָ֝טְח֗וּ בִּישֽׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ (כג) וַיְצַ֣ו שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל וְדַלְתֵ֖י שָׁמַ֣יִם פָּתָֽח׃ (כד) וַיַּמְטֵ֬ר עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם מָ֣ן לֶאֱכֹ֑ל וּדְגַן־שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם נָ֣תַן לָֽמוֹ׃ (כה) לֶ֣חֶם אַ֭בִּירִים אָ֣כַל אִ֑ישׁ צֵידָ֬ה שָׁלַ֖ח לָהֶ֣ם לָשֹֽׂבַע׃ (כו) יַסַּ֣ע קָ֭דִים בַּשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְנַהֵ֖ג בְּעֻזּ֣וֹ תֵימָֽן׃ (כז) וַיַּמְטֵ֬ר עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם כֶּעָפָ֣ר שְׁאֵ֑ר וּֽכְח֥וֹל יַ֝מִּ֗ים ע֣וֹף כָּנָֽף׃ (כח) וַ֭יַּפֵּל בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ סָ֝בִ֗יב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃ (כט) וַיֹּאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׂבְּע֣וּ מְאֹ֑ד וְ֝תַאֲוָתָ֗ם יָבִ֥א לָהֶֽם׃
(ל) לֹא־זָ֥רוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָ֑ם ע֝֗וֹד אׇכְלָ֥ם בְּפִיהֶֽם׃ (לא) וְאַ֤ף אֱלֹקִ֨ים ׀ עָ֘לָ֤ה בָהֶ֗ם וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶ֑ם וּבַחוּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הִכְרִֽיעַ׃ (לב) בְּכׇל־זֹ֭את חָֽטְאוּ־ע֑וֹד וְלֹֽא־הֶ֝אֱמִ֗ינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ (לג) וַיְכַל־בַּהֶ֥בֶל יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃ (לד) אִם־הֲרָגָ֥ם וּדְרָשׁ֑וּהוּ וְ֝שָׁ֗בוּ וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־אֵֽל׃ (לה) וַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּ כִּֽי־אֱלֹקִ֣ים צוּרָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ל עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן גֹּאֲלָֽם׃ (לו) וַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּ בְּפִיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בִלְשׁוֹנָ֗ם יְכַזְּבוּ־לֽוֹ׃ (לז) וְ֭לִבָּם לֹא־נָכ֣וֹן עִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א נֶ֝אֶמְנ֗וּ בִּבְרִיתֽוֹ׃
(לח) וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃
(לט) וַ֭יִּזְכֹּר כִּֽי־בָשָׂ֣ר הֵ֑מָּה ר֥וּחַ ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ וְלֹ֣א יָשֽׁוּב׃
Seeking meat in the wilderness
(17) But they went on sinning against Him,
defying the Most High in the parched land. (18) To test God was in their mind
when they demanded food for themselves. (19) They spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a feast in the wilderness? (20) True, He struck the rock and waters flowed,
streams gushed forth;
but can He provide bread?
Can He supply His people with meat?”
(21) The LORD heard and He raged;
fire broke out against Jacob,
anger flared up at Israel, (22) because they did not put their trust in God,
did not rely on His deliverance. (23) So He commanded the skies above,
He opened the doors of heaven (24) and rained manna upon them for food,
giving them heavenly grain. (25) Each man ate a hero’s meal;
He sent them provision in plenty. (26) He set the east wind moving in heaven,
and drove the south wind by His might. (27) He rained meat on them like dust,
winged birds like the sands of the sea, (28) making them come down inside His camp,
around His dwelling-place. (29) They ate till they were sated;
He gave them what they craved.
(30) They had not yet wearied of what they craved,
the food was still in their mouths (31) when God’s anger flared up at them.
He slew their sturdiest,
struck down the youth of Israel. (32) Nonetheless, they went on sinning
and had no faith in His wonders. (33) He made their days end in futility,
their years in sudden death. (34) When He struck them, they turned to Him
and sought God once again. (35) They remembered that God was their rock,
God Most High, their Redeemer. (36) Yet they deceived Him with their speech,
lied to Him with their words; (37) their hearts were inconstant toward Him;
they were untrue to His covenant.
(38) But He, being merciful, forgave iniquity
and would not destroy;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent to His fury;
Translation of Michael Dahood, Anchor Bible:
But he the Merciful forgave their sin, / and did not destroy them./ He restrained his anger often,/ and nurtured none of his rage.
(39) for He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breath that does not return.
5a The Plagues (verses 40-55)
(מ) כַּ֭מָּה יַמְר֣וּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר יַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּהוּ בִּישִׁימֽוֹן׃ (מא) וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֵ֑ל וּקְד֖וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הִתְוֽוּ׃ (מב) לֹא־זָכְר֥וּ אֶת־יָד֑וֹ י֝֗וֹם אֲֽשֶׁר־פָּדָ֥ם מִנִּי־צָֽר׃ (מג) אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם בְּ֭מִצְרַיִם אֹתוֹתָ֑יו וּ֝מוֹפְתָ֗יו בִּשְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃ (מד) וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ לְ֭דָם יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗ם בַּל־יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃ (מה) יְשַׁלַּ֬ח בָּהֶ֣ם עָ֭רֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵ֑ם וּ֝צְפַרְדֵּ֗עַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵֽם׃ (מו) וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לֶחָסִ֣יל יְבוּלָ֑ם וִ֝יגִיעָ֗ם לָאַרְבֶּֽה׃ (מז) יַהֲרֹ֣ג בַּבָּרָ֣ד גַּפְנָ֑ם וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם בַּחֲנָמַֽל׃ (מח) וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר לַבָּרָ֣ד בְּעִירָ֑ם וּ֝מִקְנֵיהֶ֗ם לָרְשָׁפִֽים׃ (מט) יְשַׁלַּח־בָּ֨ם ׀ חֲר֬וֹן אַפּ֗וֹ עֶבְרָ֣ה וָזַ֣עַם וְצָרָ֑ה מִ֝שְׁלַ֗חַת מַלְאֲכֵ֥י רָעִֽים׃ (נ) יְפַלֵּ֥ס נָתִ֗יב לְאַ֫פּ֥וֹ לֹא־חָשַׂ֣ךְ מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃ (נא) וַיַּ֣ךְ כׇּל־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רֵאשִׁ֥ית א֝וֹנִ֗ים בְּאׇהֳלֵי־חָֽם׃ (נב) וַיַּסַּ֣ע כַּצֹּ֣אן עַמּ֑וֹ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֥ם כַּ֝עֵ֗דֶר בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (נג) וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם לָ֭בֶטַח וְלֹ֣א פָחָ֑דוּ וְאֶת־א֝וֹיְבֵיהֶ֗ם כִּסָּ֥ה הַיָּֽם׃ (נד) וַ֭יְבִיאֵם אֶל־גְּב֣וּל קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ הַר־זֶ֝֗ה קָנְתָ֥ה יְמִינֽוֹ׃ (נה) וַיְגָ֤רֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֨ם ׀ גּוֹיִ֗ם וַֽ֭יַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶ֣בֶל נַחֲלָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ן בְּ֝אׇהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
The Plagues - the promised land
(40) How often did they defy Him in the wilderness,
did they grieve Him in the wasteland! (41) Again and again they tested God,
vexed the Holy One of Israel. (42) They did not remember His strength,
or the day He redeemed them from the foe; (43) how He displayed His signs in Egypt,
His wonders in the plain of Zoan. (44) He turned their rivers into blood;
He made their waters undrinkable. (45) He inflicted upon them swarms of insects to devour them,
frogs to destroy them. (46) He gave their crops over to grubs,
their produce to locusts. (47) He killed their vines with hail,
their sycamores with frost.-c (48) He gave their beasts over to hail,
their cattle to lightning bolts. (49) He inflicted His burning anger upon them,
wrath, indignation, trouble,
a band of deadly messengers. (50) He cleared a path for His anger;
He did not stop short of slaying them,
but gave them over to pestilence. (51) He struck every first-born in Egypt,
the first fruits of their vigor in the tents of Ham. (52) He set His people moving like sheep,
drove them like a flock in the wilderness. (53) He led them in safety; they were unafraid;
as for their enemies, the sea covered them. (54) He brought them to His holy realm,
the mountain His right hand had acquired. (55) He expelled nations before them,
settled the tribes of Israel in their tents,
allotting them their portion by the line.-e
5b The Destruction of Shiloh and the Election of Judah, Jerusalem, and David
The Destruction of Shiloh
(56) Yet they defiantly tested God Most High,
and did not observe His decrees. (57) They fell away, disloyal like their fathers;
they played false like a treacherous bow. (58) They vexed Him with their high places;
they incensed Him with their idols. (59) God heard it and was enraged;
He utterly rejected Israel. (60) He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent He had set among men. (61) He let His might go into captivity,
His glory into the hands of the foe. (62) He gave His people over to the sword;
He was enraged at His very own. (63) Fire consumed their young men,
and their maidens remained unwed.-g (64) Their priests fell by the sword,
and their widows could not weep.
Judah, Zion, David
(65) The Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a warrior shaking off-c wine. (66) He beat back His foes,
dealing them lasting disgrace. (67) He rejected the clan of Joseph;
He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. (68) He did choose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which He loved. (69) He built His Sanctuary like the heavens,
like the earth that He established forever. (70) He chose David, His servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds. (71) He brought him from minding the nursing ewes
to tend His people Jacob, Israel, His very own. (72) He tended them with blameless heart;
with skillful hands he led them.
6 Structures in Psalm 78
6a Order of episodes
Introduction: (1-8)
Treachery of Ephraim (9-11)
Egypt - Exodus- Water in the wilderness (12-16)
Treachery of people in Wilderness: Manna and Quail - Divine Retribution (17-31)
Treachery of people - Divine Retribution - Divine Compassion (32-39)
Treachery of people - Egypt (Plagues) (40-51)
Wilderness - Land of Israel (52-55)
Treachery of people - Divine Retribution: Rejection of Shiloh/Ephraim (56-67)
Election of Zion - Temple - David (68-72)
6b First, Second, and Third Person in Psalm 78
in Biblical Hebrew, pronouns can often be expressed by verbs without the need for a personal pronoun like "I," "you," or "he"
1st person - singular I - narrator - "turn your ear to what I say" v.1
plural - we - narrator/community of faithful? - "we will not withhold them from their children" v.4
2nd person - you (plural) - the people Israel - "turn your ear" v.1
3rd person singular - He - God - throughout the poem
plural - they - usually refers to the children of Israel
he - David - v. 72 *only*
There is only 1 personal pronoun in the entire psalm: At the beginning of verse 38
7 What is the message of this psalm?
Adele Berlin & Marc Zvi Brettler, Jewish Study Bible, introduction to Psalm 78.
This psalm...retells Israel's past in a poetic precis, mainly the exodus and the wandering in the wilderness (as do Psalms 105 and 106; compare also 136). It is didactic in that it uses a narrative about the past to teach about the present; and it is a psalm of praise in that the recitation of God's past acts on behalf of Israel constitute a praise of God. The psalm is addressed to the public (v. 1, "Give ear, my people") rather than to God. ... Its introduction suggests that its purpose is to encourage the listeners to be obedient, in contrast to previous generations (vv. 6-7). The psalm concludes, however, with a justification for the destruction of the Northern Kingdom (722 BCE), and praise for Davidic kingship centered in the chosen city of Zion.
Richard J. Clifford, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, introduction to Psalm 78
A lesson from history. Psalm 78 juxtaposes two series of events in Israel's history to demonstrate that the people's sin triggered divine punishment, but, even more important, to show that an offer of a new beginning comes after punishment.
8 Teachings about God
[8a Does God sleep?!]
Psalms 78, 7, 44, 121 (and see 73:20)
(סה) וַיִּקַ֖ץ כְּיָשֵׁ֥ן ׀ אדושם כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר מִתְרוֹנֵ֥ן מִיָּֽיִן׃
(65) The Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a warrior shaking off-c wine.
(ז) ק֘וּמָ֤ה ה' ׀ בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ הִ֭נָּשֵׂא בְּעַבְר֣וֹת צוֹרְרָ֑י וְע֥וּרָה אֵ֝לַ֗י מִשְׁפָּ֥ט צִוִּֽיתָ׃
(7) Rise, O LORD, in Your anger;
assert Yourself against the fury of my foes;-c
bestir Yourself on my behalf;
You have ordained judgment.
(24) Rouse Yourself; why do You sleep, O Lord?
Awaken, do not reject us forever!
(4) See, the guardian of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps!
8b God's Mercy (v. 38): at the center of the psalm
(note that verse 36 is the middle verse in the entire book of Psalms)
(לח) וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃
(38) But He, being merciful/rachum, forgave iniquity
and would not destroy;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent to His fury;
This verse is quoted frequently in the Siddur: Twice in the early section of Pesukei deZimra (the daily Psalms) in the morning, once in the closing portion of the morning service, as the opening verse of the weekday evening service, and as part of the liturgy for the end of Shabbat.
(ה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד ה' בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם ה'׃ (ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר ה' ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ ה' ׀ ה' אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ (ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
(5) ה' came down in a cloud—and stood with him there, proclaiming the name ה'. (6) ה' passed before him and proclaimed: “!י-הוה! ה' a God compassionate/rachum and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin—yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
9 Teaching about Humanity
9a 'they were but flesh'
a passing breath that does not return.
Berlin & Brettler on 78:39
Clearly this author, as is typical of the biblical period, does not believe in resurrection.
9b A human king takes over
(יד) וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם בֶּעָנָ֣ן יוֹמָ֑ם וְכׇל־הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה בְּא֣וֹר אֵֽשׁ׃
(14) He [=God] led them with a cloud by day,
and throughout the night by the light of fire.
(נג) וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם לָ֭בֶטַח וְלֹ֣א פָחָ֑דוּ וְאֶת־א֝וֹיְבֵיהֶ֗ם כִּסָּ֥ה הַיָּֽם׃
(53) He [=God] led them in safety; they were unafraid;
as for their enemies, the sea covered them.
(עב) וַ֭יִּרְעֵם כְּתֹ֣ם לְבָב֑וֹ וּבִתְבוּנ֖וֹת כַּפָּ֣יו יַנְחֵֽם׃ {פ}
(72) He [=David] tended them with blameless heart;
with skillful hands he led them.
10 Grammar corner: yqtl forms
In Modern Hebrew, the forms of declined verbs indicate whether they are in the present, past, or future tense:
kotev (he) writes (present)
katav he wrote (past)
yikhtov he will write (future).
Yikhtov is an example of a yqtl form, meaning that there is a prefix "y" before the 3 consonants of the root of the verb (represented by "qtl"). We are familiar with many names that show this form. In English, they may start with "j", "i", or sometimes, "y":
- Israel yisrael
- Jacob ya'akov
- Isaac yitzchak
- Joseph yosef
- Jeremiah yirmiyah
- Isaiah yeshayah
- Yair ya'ir
In the Hebrew of Tanach, we have the same forms, but they do not indicate present, past, or future activity in the same simple sense as in Modern Hebrew. A yqtl verb can mean "will do..." or "does..." depending on the context.
"See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps!" (Ps. 121), not "the guardian of Israel will not slumber or sleep"!
Sometimes, the yqtl form in the Tanach refers to an event that clearly occurred in the past.
"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God" / az yashir Moshe uvenei Yisrael et hashirah hazo't... (Exodus 15:`1)
Michael Dahood, Anchor Bible: Psalms 51-100, Introductory note to Psalm 78
No psalm, it would seem, employs as many yqtl forms to express past time: see verses 15, 26, 29, 38 (thrice), 40 (twice), 45, 47, 49, 58, 64, 72.
(לח) וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃
(38) But He, being merciful, forgave/yekhapper iniquity
and would not destroy/velo' yashchit;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent/velo' ya`ir to His fury;