But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
But they turned away and were unfaithful just like their ancestors: they went off course like a bow that shoots arrows in the wrong direction.
The writer is saying that God's people repeated the same pattern of unfaithfulness as previous generations, becoming unreliable like a broken bow that can't hit its target.
📚 Historical Context
Psalms 78 is a historical psalm attributed to Asaph, which serves as a poetic recounting of Israel's history from the Exodus through their wilderness wanderings and into the monarchy, emphasizing God's faithfulness amid the people's repeated rebellions. This verse specifically highlights the ongoing pattern of unfaithfulness among the Israelites, comparing them to their ancestors who turned away from God's covenant despite His deliverance. The metaphor of a "deceitful bow" refers to something unreliable in battle, illustrating how the people's faithlessness made them ineffective in fulfilling God's purposes.
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