but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals that the people didn't just stray; they twisted away from God, just like their ancestors, acting like a bow that's been made improperly. This "deceitful bow" imagery highlights their unreliability, meaning they couldn't be counted on to hit the mark of obedience, ultimately failing God's purpose for them.
but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist recounts Israel's history, highlighting their constant cycle of God's faithfulness met with human failure. After God miraculously delivered them and gave them the Promised Land, they repeatedly turned away from Him, following the pattern of their ancestors' disobedience. This verse describes their treacherous departure from God's commands, comparing them to a bow that fails to shoot straight.
Why does the psalmist keep bringing up what the 'fathers' did? It seems like a broken record. But there's a profound reason for this repetition.
A Pattern of Treachery
The psalmist is drawing a direct line between the current generation and their ancestors. The phrase 'like their fathers' isn't just a casual comparison; it's a stark warning.
The Weight of History
This psalm (Psalm 78) is a historical review, designed to teach the people of Israel through their own story. Time and again, they experienced God's incredible faithfulness, from the Exodus to the provision in the wilderness. Yet, instead of learning and remaining loyal, they repeatedly fell into the same traps as those who came before them.
The Cycle of Disobedience
This recurring theme of 'dealing unfaithfully like their fathers' highlights a tragic pattern: spiritual amnesia and the repetition of sin. It shows how easily disobedience can become an inherited trait, passed down through generations if not consciously broken.
A Call to Break the Cycle
The psalmist isn't just recounting history; he's issuing a challenge. Will this generation continue the cycle of unfaithfulness, or will they learn from the past and choose a different path? This verse points to the immense responsibility we have to break negative patterns and build on the faithfulness of God, rather than the failures of our predecessors.
Ask a follow-up
Imagine drawing a bow, ready to shoot, only for it to suddenly warp or snap. That's the powerful image used here, revealing a deep spiritual instability.
When Faith Falters
The image of a 'deceitful bow' is incredibly vivid and speaks volumes about the people's spiritual condition.
What is a Deceitful Bow?
Ancient bows, especially recurved ones common in the East, were complex tools. When unstrung, they held a curve. To be used, they had to be bent the opposite way. A 'deceitful' bow was one that wouldn't hold its intended shape under tension. It might spring back unpredictably, snap, or simply fail to launch the arrow true.
The Metaphor for Faithlessness
This image perfectly captures a faith that is unreliable and untrustworthy. When tested ('drawn'), instead of performing its intended function (obedience, faithfulness, trust in God), it falters. It 'turns aside' from its target, letting the arrow fall short or fly wildly off course.
The Danger of Instability
Such instability means the bow is useless for its purpose. In the same way, a faith that 'turns aside' cannot fulfill God's purposes. It frustrates the archer (God) and fails to hit the mark (righteous living, fulfilling God's will). This verse warns against a spiritual disposition that looks right when at rest but collapses under pressure.
Understand the original words
bagad · Hebrew Verb
To behave unfaithfully or act with treachery. It often implies a breach of trust, particularly in the context of covenant relationship or marriage.
This verse uses the powerful image of a 'deceitful bow' to describe Israel's recurring unfaithfulness, a pattern established in the wilderness and continued through the turbulent period of the Judges. Like a bow that fails to shoot true, they consistently missed the mark of God's will, betraying His covenant and repeating the failures of their ancestors.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, parting the Red Sea for them to cross.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites journeyed through the Sinai desert for 40 years due to their repeated disobedience and lack of faith.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites entered and conquered the Promised Land, driving out its inhabitants.
c. 1400-1050 BC— this verse
Period of the Judges
A tumultuous era where Israel repeatedly fell into cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance, marked by frequent idolatry and unfaithfulness.
c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
Samuel reluctantly anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, marking a shift from the era of Judges to a centralized kingdom.
c. 1010 BC
David Anointed King
David, from the tribe of Judah, was anointed king, eventually establishing Jerusalem as the capital and consolidating the kingdom.
This passage uses the same imagery of a 'deceitful bow' to describe Israel's unfaithfulness and inability to return to God, mirroring the thought in Psalm 78.
Jeremiah 9:3Jeremiah also employs the 'deceitful bow' metaphor to illustrate how Israel's persistent sin and rebellion are a perversion of their intended purpose and relationship with God.
2 Samuel 1:22In contrast to the deceitful bow, Jonathan's bow is praised for its reliability ('did not turn back'), highlighting the severe failure of Israel in Psalm 78 who were like a bow that fails its purpose.
Galatians 5:16This New Testament passage speaks about the 'desires of the flesh' leading to constant opposition to God's Spirit, which resonates with the idea of an inherent, unstable 'bent' in human nature that, like the deceitful bow, pulls away from God's intended direction.
clarkePsalms 78:57: "But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow."
They were turned aside like a deceitful bow - The eastern bow, which when at rest is in the form of a [curved figure], must be recurved, or turned the contrary way, in order to be what is called bent and strung. If a person who is unskilful or weak attempt to recurve and string one of these bows, if he take not great heed it will spring back and regain its quiescent position,…
expositorsPsalms 78:1-72: "Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth."
Psalm 78:1-72 THIS psalm is closely related to Psalm 105:1-45 ; Psalm 106:1-48 ; Psalm 107:1-43 . Like them, it treats the history of Israel, and especially the Exodus and wilderness wanderings, for purposes of edification, rebuke, and encouragement. The past is held up as a mirror to the present generation. It has been one long succession of miracles of mercy met by equally continu…
This verse reveals that the people didn't just stray; they twisted away from God, just like their ancestors, acting like a bow that's been made improperly. This "deceitful bow" imagery highlights their unreliability, meaning they couldn't be counted on to hit the mark of obedience, ultimately failing God's purpose for them.
The psalmist recounts Israel's history, highlighting their constant cycle of God's faithfulness met with human failure. After God miraculously delivered them and gave them the Promised Land, they repeatedly turned away from Him, following the pattern of their ancestors' disobedience. This verse describes their treacherous departure from God's commands, comparing them to a bow that fails to shoot straight.
The psalmist recounts Israel's history, highlighting their constant cycle of God's faithfulness met with human failure. After God miraculously delivered them and gave them the Promised Land, they repeatedly turned away from Him, following the pattern of their ancestors' disobedience. This verse describes their treacherous departure from God's commands, comparing them to a bow that fails to shoot straight.
"but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow." — This verse reveals that the people didn't just stray; they twisted away from God, just like their ancestors, acting like a bow that's been made improperly. This "deceitful bow" imagery highlights the…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026