Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm doesn't just say they were unfaithful; it highlights that their "heart was not right." This points to a core issue where their inner intentions and affections weren't aligned with God, making their outward actions and promises hollow and temporary.
Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a powerful recounting of Israel's history, showing how their repeated acts of unfaithfulness and lack of trust toward God were met with His patient discipline and enduring faithfulness. The psalmist highlights how, even after experiencing God's miraculous provision and deliverance, the people would quickly forget and fall back into sin. This verse specifically addresses the superficiality of their repentance, noting that their outward expressions of seeking God were not matched by a genuine change of heart or commitment to Him.
What does it mean for your heart to be 'right' with God? It's more than just saying the right words.
The verse states, 'Their heart was not right with him.' This isn't about having a perfect, never-wavering heart, but about the orientation of the heart. When our heart isn't 'right' or 'fitted' with God, it means our deepest affections, desires, and will aren't aligned with His. It's like a compass that's not pointing north – everything else will be off. This lack of alignment leads to outward unfaithfulness, because the inner disposition is wrong. God values this inner alignment above mere outward actions or words.
When trouble hits, we often turn to God. But does that turning last when the storm passes?
The psalm recounts Israel's pattern: 'When he slew them, then they sought him... flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.' This shows a superficial repentance. They would cry out to God in their distress, remembering Him as their 'Rock' and 'Redeemer.' However, their heart wasn't truly 'right,' and they weren't genuinely steadfast in His covenant. As soon as the affliction passed, their outward professions of faith and loyalty evaporated. Their 'seeking' was a response to punishment, not a deep-seated commitment to God. This reveals that true faithfulness isn't just a crisis response, but a consistent commitment that endures through all circumstances.
Ask a follow-up
God made a covenant with His people. What does it mean to be 'steadfast' in that promise?
The psalm declares, 'neither were they steadfast in his covenant.' God's covenant was a solemn promise, a binding relationship. To be 'steadfast' in it means to be firm, unyielding, and continuously loyal to its terms. For Israel, this meant trusting God, obeying His commands, and remembering His mighty deeds. Their failure wasn't just a momentary lapse; it was a lack of sustained commitment. They were like a 'deceitful bow' (verse 57), not shooting straight, failing to fulfill the purpose for which they were equipped. Their unsteadfastness meant they were not true to the foundational agreement they had with God, breaking the relationship He had initiated out of love.
Understand the original words
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The innermost part of a person; the seat of the will, intellect, emotions, and moral decision-making. In a biblical context, it is the center of human identity and the source of one's spiritual orientation toward or away from God.
nakon · Hebrew Adjective
Firmly fixed, established, or reliable; a state of being unswervingly devoted or constant in purpose and allegiance.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement or formal promise between God and His people, involving mutual obligations, blessings, and consequences rooted in God's grace and faithfulness.
This psalm reflects on Israel's recurring pattern of unfaithfulness, highlighting how their hearts were never truly committed to God, even after experiencing His powerful interventions. The historical backdrop of their journey from slavery to the Promised Land, marked by repeated covenant-breaking, underscores the deep-seated nature of their spiritual struggles.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, a foundational event establishing His covenant with them.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Wilderness Wanderings
After receiving the Law at Mount Sinai and forming a covenant, the Israelites journey through the wilderness for forty years, marked by frequent rebellion and God's provision.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Led by Joshua, the Israelites enter and begin to conquer the Promised Land, fulfilling God's promises to their ancestors.
c. 1400-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
A cycle of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance characterizes this era as Israel struggles to remain faithful to God and His covenant.
c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
Saul is anointed as the first king, followed by David, marking a significant shift in Israel's political and religious history.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united monarchy splits into two kingdoms: Israel (northern) and Judah (southern), leading to further spiritual decline for the north.
This passage echoes the theme of covenant unfaithfulness, describing Israel's outward show of repentance that lacked a true inward turning, much like the 'flattering with their mouth' mentioned in Psalm 78.
Hebrews 10:39This New Testament passage contrasts those who shrink back in faithlessness with those who have faith to persevere, highlighting the critical importance of a steadfast heart in continuing in God's path.
Deuteronomy 10:16This verse directly instructs Israel to 'circumcise the foreskin of your heart,' emphasizing that true obedience and faithfulness to God's covenant begin not just with outward actions, but with the inner disposition of the heart.
John 6:66After witnessing Jesus' miracles, many disciples turned back because his words were hard, demonstrating a similar lack of steadfastness and a heart not fully committed, mirroring the Israelites' reaction in Psalm 78.
Joshua 24:14Joshua calls Israel to serve the Lord with 'wholeheartedness and truth,' directly addressing the need for an undivided heart and genuine faithfulness to the covenant they had made with God.
clarkePsalms 78:37: "For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant."
Their heart was not right - When the heart is wrong, the life is wrong; and because their heart was not right with God, therefore they were not faithful in his covenant.
pulpitPsalms 78:37: "For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant."
Verse 37. - For their heart was not right with him. It is the worship of the heart alone which God values (see Deuteronomy 10:12; Proverbs 3:1; Proverbs 23:26, etc.). If the heart be not "right with God," our worship is an offence to him. Neither were they steadfast in his covenant (comp. ver. 8).
The psalm doesn't just say they were unfaithful; it highlights that their "heart was not right." This points to a core issue where their inner intentions and affections weren't aligned with God, making their outward actions and promises hollow and temporary.
This psalm is a powerful recounting of Israel's history, showing how their repeated acts of unfaithfulness and lack of trust toward God were met with His patient discipline and enduring faithfulness. The psalmist highlights how, even after experiencing God's miraculous provision and deliverance, the people would quickly forget and fall back into sin. This verse specifically addresses the superficiality of their repentance, noting that their outward expressions of seeking God were not matched by a genuine change of heart or commitment to Him.
This psalm is a powerful recounting of Israel's history, showing how their repeated acts of unfaithfulness and lack of trust toward God were met with His patient discipline and enduring faithfulness. The psalmist highlights how, even after experiencing God's miraculous provision and deliverance, the people would quickly forget and fall back into sin. This verse specifically addresses the superficiality of their repentance, noting that their outward expressions of seeking God were not matched by a genuine change of heart or commitment to Him.
"Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant." — The psalm doesn't just say they were unfaithful; it highlights that their "heart was not right." This points to a core issue where their inner intentions and affections weren't aligned with God, maki…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026