The Meaning of Psalms 78:34 Explained

Psalms 78:34

KJV: When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.

YLT: If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,

Darby: When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early after God;

ASV: When he slew them, then they inquired after him; And they returned and sought God earnestly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When he slew  them, then they sought  him: and they returned  and enquired early  after God. 

What does Psalms 78:34 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 78:25-37 - Blessed Yet Ungrateful
God our Father is prepared to do "exceeding abundantly" for His children; but too often we become so engrossed with His gifts as to forget and neglect the Giver. We allow ourselves enjoyment to point of satiety; and then, by an inevitable revulsion, we begin to suffer. Always acknowledge God while enjoying His gifts. Do not separate the gifts of His grace and those of His providence. All good and perfect gifts are from Him, and are to be received with equal thanksgiving. Do not use them in excess, but in moderation; and let not the enjoyment of their sweetness be your main object, but that you may be fitted to play your part and do your work in the world.
It must greatly wound the love of God that we need to be placed on short rations in order to bring us back to Himself. But how true is Psalms 78:34 of us all! We sadly require to have the stedfast heart, and to be faithful to our side of the Covenant, for we must all confess to the sin of fickleness and changeableness in our religious life. Our constant prayer should be that of Psalms 51:10, Renew a stedfast spirit within me. But how can this be ours, except by the dwelling and uprising within us of the life of God? [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 78

1  An exhortation both to learn and to preach, the law of God
9  The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient
67  The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David

What do the individual words in Psalms 78:34 mean?

When He slew them then they sought Him and they returned and sought earnestly for God
אִם־ הֲרָגָ֥ם וּדְרָשׁ֑וּהוּ וְ֝שָׁ֗בוּ וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־ אֵֽל

הֲרָגָ֥ם  He  slew  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וּדְרָשׁ֑וּהוּ  then  they  sought  Him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
וְ֝שָׁ֗בוּ  and  they  returned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־  and  sought  earnestly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁחַר  
Sense: to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for.
אֵֽל  for  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.