The Meaning of Psalms 78:10 Explained

Psalms 78:10

KJV: They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

YLT: They have not kept the covenant of God, And in His law they have refused to walk,

Darby: They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

ASV: They kept not the covenant of God, And refused to walk in his law;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They kept  not the covenant  of God,  and refused  to walk  in his law; 

What does Psalms 78:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 78:1-12 - Learning From The Fathers
This psalm is said to have arisen, from a strong controversy between Judah and Ephraim as to the location of God's sanctuary, and its final transfer within the limits of the tribe of Judah. The psalmist enumerates the moral and spiritual considerations that led to the choice. See Psalms 78:67-68. The great message of the psalm is the inconstancy of the people, which so often manifested itself. Whose spirit was not stedfast with God, Psalms 78:8. They turned back in battle, Psalms 78:9. See also Psalms 78:17; Psalms 78:37; Psalms 78:41; Psalms 78:57. It may be that the psalmist implies that these failures were for the most part Ephraim's, and that therefore Judah was chosen. Surely, however, there was not much to choose between them, and whatever favor was shown to either of them was wholly attributable to God's unchanging mercy.
This hymn was probably intended to be learned by the children in the Hebrew home, that they might set their hearts on God and not forget His works. It is a good practice to store the fresh memories of the young with the words of Scripture, which will often return in afterlife in hours of temptation and distress. The memorizing of the Word of God is a most valuable habit. The wheels of the mind and heart must grind-let them grind wheat. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 78

1  An exhortation both to learn and to preach, the law of God
9  The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient
67  The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David

What do the individual words in Psalms 78:10 mean?

Not they did keep the covenant of God and in His law they refused to walk
לֹ֣א שָׁ֭מְרוּ בְּרִ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וּ֝בְתוֹרָת֗וֹ מֵאֲנ֥וּ לָלֶֽכֶת

שָׁ֭מְרוּ  they  did  keep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
בְּרִ֣ית  the  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וּ֝בְתוֹרָת֗וֹ  and  in  His  law 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
מֵאֲנ֥וּ  they  refused 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָאַן  
Sense: (Piel) to refuse.
לָלֶֽכֶת  to  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.