The Meaning of Psalms 78:59 Explained

Psalms 78:59

KJV: When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

YLT: God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.

Darby: God heard, and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

ASV: When God heard this , he was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When God  heard  [this], he was wroth,  and greatly  abhorred  Israel: 

What does Psalms 78:59 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 78:59-72 - God Raises Up His Shepherd David
This paragraph continues the history of the Judges, and tells the story of what befell after the battle in which Eli's sons were slain. See 1 Samuel 4:1-22. It is difficult to estimate the despair which that disaster caused, because Israel seemed the light-bearer of the world. What hope was there for mankind, if its lamp of testimony was extinguished!
It inspires great confidence, however, to read in Psalms 78:65 of God's awakening. The language, of course, is highly metaphorical, because He neither slumbers nor sleeps. But there have been many times in the history of the Church when He has seemed to be indifferent. Sin and evil have held undisputed sway. Then a time of revival has suddenly set in. Some David or Daniel, some Athanasius or Augustine, some Wycliffe or Luther, some Spurgeon or Moody, has been brought from an obscure family-"one of the least of the thousands of Judah"-and he has led the host of God with unerring accuracy and success. Even at this hour, amid the sheepfolds or the far-spreading acres of the Western world, God is probably training the ardently looked-for leaders of His Church. [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 78:59 mean?

When heard [this] God and He was furious and abhorred greatly Israel
שָׁמַ֣ע אֱ֭לֹהִים וַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑ר וַיִּמְאַ֥ס מְ֝אֹ֗ד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל

שָׁמַ֣ע  When  heard  [this] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֱ֭לֹהִים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑ר  and  He  was  furious 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
וַיִּמְאַ֥ס  and  abhorred 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.
מְ֝אֹ֗ד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.