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Psalms 78:38

Mercy and compassionForgivenessGrace

36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
KJV
But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
WEB
But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.
ASV
But he, being merciful, forgave [their] iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: Yea, many a time turned he his anger away, And did not stir up all his wrath.
DARBY
But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:
BLB
And He, the compassionate One, forgave the iniquity and did not destroy [them]; and He often restrained His anger, and He did not stir up all His wrath.
ÅB
Men han, han er miskunnelig, han tilgir misgjerning og forderver ikke; mange ganger lot han sin vrede vende om og lot ikke all sin harme bryte fram.
OTB
Men Han, som er barmhjertig, tilga deres misgjerning og ødela dem ikke;
Og ofte holdt Han tilbake sin vrede
Og lot ikke all sin harme bryte løs.
B1930
Men han, han er miskunnelig, han tilgir misgjerning og forderver ikke; mange ganger lot han sin vrede vende om og lot ikke all sin harme bryte frem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 48:9

    For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

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  • Numbers 14:18–20

    The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

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  • Ezekiel 20:17

    Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

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  • Ezekiel 20:13–14

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

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  • Isaiah 44:21–22

    Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

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  • Ezekiel 20:21–22

    Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

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  • Exodus 34:6–9

    And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

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  • 2 Kings 21:20

    And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

    Read in context