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Psalm 78:2-6
New English Translation
Psalm 78:2-6
New English Translation
2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;
I will make insightful observations about the past.[a]
3 What we have heard and learned[b]—
that which our ancestors[c] have told us—
4 we will not hide from their[d] descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,[e]
about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
5 He established a rule[f] in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants,[g]
6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,
might know about them.
They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.[h]
Footnotes
- Psalm 78:2 tn Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה + מָשָׁל (mashal + khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death (Ps 49:4).
- Psalm 78:3 tn Or “known.”
- Psalm 78:3 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).
- Psalm 78:4 tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).
- Psalm 78:4 tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the Lord.” “Praises” stand by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14.
- Psalm 78:5 tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (ʿedut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).
- Psalm 78:5 tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the Lord’s mighty deeds (see vv. 3-4).
- Psalm 78:6 tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”
Psalm 78:2-6
New International Version
Psalm 78:2-6
New International Version
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;(A)
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.(B)
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;(C)
we will tell the next generation(D)
the praiseworthy deeds(E) of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders(F) he has done.
5 He decreed statutes(G) for Jacob(H)
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,(I)
and they in turn would tell their children.
New English Translation (NET)
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