Discovery BoxPsalms 78:3-8 
Context78:3 What we have heard and learned 1 –
that which our ancestors 2 have told us –
78:4 we will not hide from their 3 descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, 4
about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
78:5 He established a rule 5 in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants, 6
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. 7
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey 8 his commands.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God. 9
1 tn Or “known.”
2 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).
3 tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).
4 tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the
5 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).
6 tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the
7 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.”
8 tn Heb “keep.”
9 tn Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3).
