Psalms 78:35

Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex)

English Translation

They remembered that God was their rock, The Most High God their redeemer.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Download a study sheet

One document with this verse’s original text, its word-by-word gloss line, the meaning frame, cross-references with their text, attributed commentary, and full source and license credits — printable, and it pastes into notes with its structure intact.

This verse Autodidact and up

Study sheet (.html) Plain text (.txt)

A passage Seminary Student

Up to 50 verses in one chapter. A passage sheet keeps up to 6 commentary sources and 12 cross-references per verse, in the order this page ranks them, and says so on the sheet whenever that leaves anything out. Ask for a single verse and you get the Autodidact verse sheet above.

Everything on this page stays free to read, with no account — the sheet is a download of what is already on screen, not access to it.

Want to remove ads? Support Godless Engineer

Word by word

More ways to search: Search by grammar → Find every occurrence → Compare this word →

Practice this passage: Drill this verse → Learn its vocabulary →

עֶ֝לְיוֹן

ʻelyôwn

H5945

“Most High”

Adjective, Adjective, Masculine, Singular, Absolute

Appears 53× in the Hebrew Bible
First appears at Genesis 14:18

Full BDB Definition

Origin: from H5927

TWOT: 1624g , 1624h

high, upper (adjective) - of Davidic king exalted above monarchs - Highest, Most High (noun masculine) - name of God - of rulers, either monarchs or angel-princes

About this verse

These counts appear in no published source. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged text and Lemma’s own curated glosses. What Lemma adds →

7: words
7: distinct lemmas
Wisdom: section

Shared distinctive vocabulary

עֶ֝לְיוֹן Most High H5945 occurs in 53 verses of the Hebrew Bible. Also found in:

Grammatical profile

2 verbs
3 nouns
1 adjective
1 conjunction

Verb forms

וַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּ Qal · Sequential Imperfect
גֹּאֲלָֽם Qal · Participle Active

Hebrew & Septuagint length

In English translation the verse runs 13 words from the Hebrew and 16 from the Septuagint (LXX English) — closely comparable.

A rough comparison of the two English renderings, which tokenize alike — not a word-level alignment.

Word counts can differ between the Hebrew and the Greek without any difference in meaning — e.g. the Hebrew direct-object marker אֵת has no separate Greek word, and Greek often adds the article ὁ.

Cross-references

Topical passages linked to Psalms 78:35 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — connected by theme and wording, ordered by reader-vote popularity; previews shown in the World English Bible.

Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he.
Isaiah 41:14 Don't be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel; I will help you, says Yahweh, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Exodus 15:13 "You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.
Deuteronomy 7:8 but because Yahweh loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked: You have grown fat, you are grown thick, you are become sleek; Then he forsook God who made him, Lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
Isaiah 48:17 Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
Exodus 6:6 Therefore tell the children of Israel, 'I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments:

Deuteronomy 9:26 I prayed to Yahweh, and said, Lord Yahweh, don't destroy your people and your inheritance, that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Deuteronomy 15:15 You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today.
Deuteronomy 32:30–31 How should one chase a thousand, Two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, Yahweh had delivered them up?
Psalms 74:2 Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, Which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance; Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
Psalms 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments,
Psalms 78:11 They forgot his doings, His wondrous works that he had shown them.
Psalms 78:42 They didn't remember his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;
Psalms 106:13 They soon forgot his works. They didn't wait for his counsel,

Psalms 106:21 They forgot God, their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,
Isaiah 44:6 Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
Isaiah 63:8–9 For he said, Surely, they are my people, children who will not deal falsely: so he was their Savior.

Cross-references courtesy of OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

Hebrew and Greek witnesses Masoretic Hebrew ↔ Greek Septuagint

The same verse in the two great witnesses to the Old Testament, shown verse-for-verse.

You’re reading Greek Psalm 77 (Hebrew Psalm 78). The Septuagint counts the superscription, so verse numbers can differ from the Hebrew — chapter-level alignment, not verse-by-verse. Numbering follows Rahlfs.

These are two independent witnesses, not word-aligned to each other, and the Septuagint is shown in lemma (dictionary) form.

Hebrew Psalms 78:35 Masoretic · Westminster Leningrad Codex

וַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּ כִּֽי אֱלֹהִ֣ים צוּרָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ל עֶ֝לְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָֽם

They remembered that God was their rock, The Most High God their redeemer.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Greek LXX Greek Psalm 77:35 Septuagint · lemma form

καί μιμνήσκω ὅτι ὁ θεός βοηθός αὐτός εἰμί καί ὁ θεός ὁ ὕψιστος λυτρωτής αὐτός εἰμί

And they remembered that God was their helper, and the most high God was their redeemer.

LXX2012 (modern English Septuagint) · Public Domain

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (CC BY 4.0). Greek: Septuagint (public domain); English from LXX2012 (modern English Septuagint) (Public Domain). How the Septuagint differs from the Hebrew →

Commentary

Notes on Psalms 78:35 from classic Christian and Jewish commentators (each source and its license shown beneath its notes). The classic Christian expositions comment on the surrounding passage and are grouped to its opening verse, so a note may address several verses; the Jewish commentaries on the Tanakh (Rashi and others) are per-verse, so they appear only where the commentator wrote on this verse.

Lemma curates 59 commentaries, every one of them public domain or Creative Commons licensed, each selected and text-cleaned for this edition rather than reprinted as found. About our sources →

Commentary source

Trapp's Complete Commentary

John Trapp

Psa 78:35 And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

Ver. 35. And they remembered] Misery is the best art of memory. But this remembrance of God was but as letters written in the sand, or as a picture drawn on the ice, that long continueth not; it was but a flash, and while they were in a good mood; it was but as Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which he had soon forgotten. They remembered God, lingua non corde, with the tongue, but not with the heart, as Aben Ezra here glosseth. They gave God a mess of fair words, calling him Rock, Redeemer, &c., but he is not to be so courted and complimented; goats may be fed with leaves, but God is not mocked.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. A. Alexander on Psalms

Joseph Addison Alexander

35. (Psa 78:35) And remembered that God (was) their Rock, and the Mighty, the Most High, their Redeemer. It was only at these times of peculiar suffering that the people, as a body, called to mind their national relation to Jehovah, as their founder, their protector, and their refuge. See above, on Psa 18:2, and compare Deu 32:4; Deu 32:15; Deu 32:18; Deu 32:31.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Tyndale Open Resources

78:35-39 The Israelites remembered the right doctrine (9:9; 91:1), but they did not allow God to change their hearts (Lev 26:41).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 35. That God was their rock] They recollected in their affliction that Jehovah was their Creator, and their Father; the Rock, the Source, not only of their being, but of all their blessings; or, that he was their sole Protector.

And the high God their Redeemer.] ואל עליון גאלם veel elyon goalam, "And the strong God the Most High, their kinsman." That one who possessed the right of redemption; the nearest akin to him who had forfeited his inheritance; so the word originally means, and hence it is often used for a redeemer. The Hebrew word גאל goel answers to the Greek σωτηρ, a saviour; and is given to the Lord Jesus Christ, the strong God, the Most High, the Redeemer of a lost world. After this verse there is the following Masoretic note: חצי הספר chatsi hassepher, "The middle of the book." And thus the reader has arrived at the middle of the Psalter, a book for excellence unparalleled.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(35) Rock.—A reminiscence of Deu_32:15-18.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne

35. their rock] Cp. Deu_32:4 ff.

the high God] God Most High, El Elyôn, a combination found elsewhere only in Gen_14:18 ff. But cp. Psa_73:11; and Psa_7:17, Psa_47:2, Jehovah Elyôn; Psa_57:2, Elôhîm Elyôn.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John Gill's Exposition

Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth,.... In prayer to him, they only drew nigh to him with their mouths, and honoured him with their lips; they showed much love to him and his ways and ordinances hereby; but their hearts were not with him, but after their lusts; they made fine speeches and fair promises, but their hearts and mouths did not agree; they spoke with a double heart, thinking and endeavouring to "deceive" the Lord, as the word (b) here used signifies; but he is not to be deceived, nor will he be mocked; the Targum is,

"they allured (or persuaded) him, with their mouth;''

they attempted to do so; the Syriac and Arabic versions are, "they loved him with their mouth"; professed great love and sincere affection to him, when they had none:

and they lied unto him with their tongues; to lie unto men is bad, but to God is worse; and it is a most vain and foolish thing, since there is not a word in the tongue of any but is known to him.

(b) "quamvis conarentur eum decipere", Junius & Tremellius; "attamen decipiebant eum", Cocceius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they remembered that God was their Rock - See Deu 32:4, Deu 32:15, Deu 32:31. Compare the notes at Psa 18:2. That is, they were brought to reflect that their only security and defense was God. They were made to feel that they could not rely on themselves, or on any human power, and that their only trust was in God.

And the high God their Redeemer - The God who is exalted over all; the true and living God. The truth was brought to their recollection that it was He who had delivered them from bondage in Egypt, and who had brought them out into freedom. On the word “Redeemer,” see the notes at Isa 41:14. Compare Isa 43:14; Isa 44:6, Isa 44:24; Isa 47:4; Isa 59:20; Psa 25:22; Job 5:20.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations

They considered that God, and God alone, had preserved them in all their former exigences, and that he only could now help them, and not those idols or creatures which they had preferred before him; and therefore being driven by absolute necessity, they fled to him for relief.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Treasury of David

Charles H. Spurgeon

Ver. 35. And they remember that God was their rock. Sharp strokes awoke their sleepy memories. Reflection followed infliction. They were led to see that all their dependence must be placed upon their God; for he alone had been their shelter, their foundation, their fountain of supply, and their unchangeable friend. What could have made them forget this? Was it that their stomachs were so full of flesh that thy had no space for ruminating upon spiritual things?

And the high God their redeemer. They had forgotten this also. The high hand and outstretched arm which redeemed them out of bondage had both faded from their mental vision. Alas, poor man, how readily dost thou forget thy God! Shame on thee, ungrateful worm, to have no sense of favours a few days after they have been received. Will nothing make thee keep in memory the mercy of thy God except the utter withdrawal of it?

Ver. 35. Redeemer. That is, from Egyptian bondage; for the bulk of the people did not understand the spiritual redemption which was typified by that transaction. Thomas Scott.

Ver. 35. Between this and the following verse the Masorah puts this note, "half of the book" i.e., half of the Book of Psalms ends here. John Gill.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Pulpit Commentary

And they remembered that God was their Rock; i.e. their strength and stay. The expression is first used of God in Deu_32:4. And the high God their Redeemer. (comp. Psa_19:14 Psa_74:2)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Redeemer - That God alone had preserved them in all their former exigencies, and that he only could help them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

unfoldingWord translationNotes

Door43 World Missions Community

General Information:

The tells of what the Israelites did.

call to mind

"remember." See how this is translated in Psalms 20:3.

God was their rock

The writer speaks about God as if he were a hill or mountain where people could go to be safe from their enemies. AT: "God was the one who protected them" (See: Metaphor)

their rescuer

"the one who rescued them"

flatter him

"tell him he was wonderful when they did not believe it"

with their mouth

The word "mouth" is a metonym for the words they spoke using their mouths. AT: "by saying what they said" (See: Metonymy)

their hearts were not firmly fixed on him

Here "hearts" is a metonym for their thoughts. To be loyal to him is spoken of as being solidly attached to him. AT: "their thoughts were not focused on him" or "they were not loyal to him" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

call

mind

Most High

word

heart

faithful

covenant

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Lesson kit

Teaching starters — assembled from the data on this page, not authored interpretation. Every prompt links to the verse data it draws on. Edit before teaching.

Psalms, in the Wisdom, opens this verse with 7 words (7 distinct Hebrew lemmas). Its most distinctive word is ʻelyôwn (“Most High”). A historical commentator’s framing appears above. Read the whole chapter for the surrounding context.

Discussion questions

The word ʻelyôwn carries the sense “Most High.” How does it shape the verse?
How does Genesis 14:18, which shares the word «Most High», read alongside this verse?
The translations on this page render this verse differently — a whole-verse word diff, not a word-by-word alignment. What might account for the different wordings?
«וַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּ» is a Qal Sequential Imperfect verb. How does that grammatical form shape the action described?
Compare how Trapp's Complete Commentary and J. A. Alexander on Psalms read this verse. Where do they agree or differ?

Things to notice

These translations choose different wording for 4 words in this verse.
7 distinct Hebrew lemmas span 7 words in this verse.