Psalms 78:59
When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
Original Language Analysis
שָׁמַ֣ע
heard
H8085
שָׁמַ֣ע
heard
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
1 of 6
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אֱ֭לֹהִים
When God
H430
אֱ֭לֹהִים
When God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
2 of 6
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
וַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑ר
this he was wroth
H5674
וַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑ר
this he was wroth
Strong's:
H5674
Word #:
3 of 6
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
Historical Context
Specific judgments likely referenced include the Philistine capture of the ark at Shiloh (1 Samuel 4), defeat at Aphek, and ongoing oppression during the judges period. God's 'abhorrence' manifested in military defeat, foreign oppression, and eventually exile—covenant curses promised for disobedience (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28).
Questions for Reflection
- How should believers balance understanding God's wrath against sin with His love for sinners?
- What does it mean that Jesus absorbed God's full abhorrence of sin at the cross on behalf of believers?
- How can churches recover healthy fear of God's holiness without falling into legalistic terror?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel. The temporal clause When God heard emphasizes divine awareness—idolatry doesn't go unnoticed. Wroth (vaya'avor, וַיַּעֲבֹר) literally means 'He passed over in wrath,' describing overwhelming anger. Greatly abhorred (vayyim'as me'od, וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד) means intense rejection or disgust—God utterly repudiated covenant-breaking Israel.
This anthropopathic language (attributing human emotions to God) reveals moral reality—sin genuinely offends divine holiness. God's wrath isn't arbitrary rage but holy response to evil. The intensifier greatly (me'od, מְאֹד) emphasizes the severity of divine rejection. Israel experienced what it means to be cast away from God's presence.
Yet this verse prepares for grace—God's abhorrence leads to discipline (vv. 60-64), which ultimately serves redemptive purposes. Divine wrath in the Old Testament often functions as severe mercy, designed to bring repentance. Only at the cross does God's wrath fall fully and finally—on His Son as substitute (Romans 3:25-26).