Psalms 78:2-7

78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;

I will make insightful observations about the past.

78:3 What we have heard and learned

that which our ancestors have told us –

78:4 we will not hide from their descendants.

We will tell the next generation

about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,

about his strength and the amazing things he has done.

78:5 He established a rule in Jacob;

he set up a law in Israel.

He commanded our ancestors

to make his deeds known to their descendants,

78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,

might know about them.

They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.

78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.

They will not forget the works of God,

and they will obey his commands.


tn Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה+מָשָׁל (mashal + khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death (Ps 49:4).

tn Or “known.”

tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).

tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).

tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the Lord.” “Praises” stand by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14.

tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).

tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the Lord’s mighty deeds (see vv. 3-4).

tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”

tn Heb “keep.”