Psalm 78:38-39
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God's compassion isn't just a feeling; it's an active force that atones for iniquity, a word that implies a covering or appeasing. Even when Israel repeatedly angered Him, God restrained His full wrath not just out of patience, but because He truly felt for them, remembering their fragile humanity.
Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a historical review, reminding the people of Israel of their repeated failures to trust God, even after witnessing His mighty acts. The text details their stubbornness and rebellion throughout their wilderness journey, highlighting their ingratitude despite God's consistent provision and protection. Against this backdrop of persistent sin, this verse emphasizes God's incredible mercy and restraint, showing how He frequently held back His full wrath, remembering their human frailty.
How can God, who is perfectly just, forgive wrongdoing? This verse reveals a profound truth about His merciful nature.
The psalmist highlights God's deep compassion, using the word 'atoned' to describe His action. This isn't just overlooking sin, but a covering, a making right. Even when His people were repeatedly unfaithful, God's inherent compassion moved Him to deal with their iniquity. This points to a divine solution for sin, anticipating the ultimate atonement made through Jesus Christ.
The Nature of God's Mercy
God's anger against sin is real, but this verse shows it's not always unleashed in full force. What does this 'restraint' reveal about His patience?
The psalm emphasizes that God 'restrained his anger often' and 'did not stir up all his wrath.' This points to God's incredible patience and longsuffering with His people. Their constant rebellion could have justly led to total destruction, but God deliberately held back the full outpouring of His judgment.
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The Discipline of Patience
Understand the original words
rachum · Hebrew Adjective
Characterized by deep sympathy, tender mercy, and a disposition to show kindness, especially to those who are suffering or underserving. It is a central attribute of God's character.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
To cover, cleanse, or reconcile; an act that removes the barrier of sin, satisfying divine justice and restoring relationship between God and humanity.
avon · Hebrew Noun
Moral perversity, guilt, or departure from the right path; the inner distortion or "bentness" of the human nature that leads to acts of sin.
aph · Hebrew Noun
A strong emotional reaction to perceived wrong, injustice, or rebellion; in Scripture, God's anger is a manifestation of His holiness reacting against sin.
chemah · Hebrew Noun
The intense, judicial indignation and settled judgment of God against sin, distinct from mere emotional anger, expressing His righteous wrath against all ungodliness.
basar · Hebrew Noun
Human nature in its fragility, mortality, and weakness. It highlights the contrast between the eternal, unchanging Creator and the finite, transient nature of human beings.
This psalm reflects on Israel's entire history, but Psalm 78:38 specifically highlights God's consistent compassion during the wilderness period, when their repeated failures nearly led to total destruction. It emphasizes that even in their rebellion, God repeatedly restrained His wrath, remembering their human frailty.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through miraculous plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites journey through the Sinai Peninsula for 40 years, marked by repeated rebellion, grumbling, and divine punishment, yet also by God's sustained provision.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following the death of Moses, Joshua leads the Israelites in conquering the Promised Land.
c. 1400-1077 BC
Period of the Judges
A cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance characterized Israel's history after Joshua's death, highlighting continued unfaithfulness.
c. 1077 BC
Fall of Shiloh
The Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines after the sanctuary at Shiloh is destroyed, signifying a low point in Israel's spiritual and national life.
c. 1046 BC
David Anointed King
David is established as king over Israel, ushering in a new era of national unity and divine favor.
This passage beautifully describes God's character, emphasizing His compassion, slowness to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, which directly mirrors the sentiment in Psalm 78:38.
Numbers 14:18This verse echoes the description of God's character from Exodus, stating 'The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty.' This highlights the balance of God's mercy and justice, as seen in Psalm 78:38 where His anger is restrained.
Isaiah 55:8-9These verses state that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, implying that His merciful responses, like holding back His wrath, are not based on human logic but on His divine nature and purposes, much like His compassion in Psalm 78:38.
Hebrews 12:5-6This New Testament passage, quoting Proverbs, speaks about God's discipline of His children, explaining that He chastens those He loves. This sheds light on why God restrains His full wrath in Psalm 78:38 – He loves His people and disciplines them rather than utterly destroying them.
Lamentations 3:22-23This passage from Lamentations proclaims, 'The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.' This reinforces the enduring nature of God's compassion and mercy, providing a timeless perspective on why He held back His wrath for Israel.
clarkePsalms 78:38: "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."
But he, being full of compassion - Feeling for them as a father for his children. Forgave their iniquity - יחפר yechapper, made an atonement for their iniquity. And did not stir up all his wrath - Though they often grieved his Spirit, and rebelled against him, yet he seldom punished them; and when he did chastise them, i…
pulpitPsalms 78:38: "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."
Verse 38. - But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity. (On God's compassion, see Exodus 34:6, 7; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8.) And destroyed them not. The allusion is to such occasions as are noted in Exodus 32:10-14; Numbers 14:12-20; Numbers 16:21, 45-50, when God was on the point of destroyin…
God's compassion isn't just a feeling; it's an active force that atones for iniquity, a word that implies a covering or appeasing. Even when Israel repeatedly angered Him, God restrained His full wrath not just out of patience, but because He truly felt for them, remembering their fragile humanity.
This psalm is a historical review, reminding the people of Israel of their repeated failures to trust God, even after witnessing His mighty acts. The text details their stubbornness and rebellion throughout their wilderness journey, highlighting their ingratitude despite God's consistent provision and protection. Against this backdrop of persistent sin, this verse emphasizes God's incredible mercy and restraint, showing how He frequently held back His full wrath, remembering their human frailty.
This psalm is a historical review, reminding the people of Israel of their repeated failures to trust God, even after witnessing His mighty acts. The text details their stubbornness and rebellion throughout their wilderness journey, highlighting their ingratitude despite God's consistent provision and protection. Against this backdrop of persistent sin, this verse emphasizes God's incredible mercy and restraint, showing how He frequently held back His full wrath, remembering their human frailty.
"Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passe…" — God's compassion isn't just a feeling; it's an active force that atones for iniquity, a word that implies a covering or appeasing. Even when Israel repeatedly angered Him, God restrained His full w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
