The Meaning of Psalms 78:64 Explained

Psalms 78:64

KJV: Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

YLT: His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.

Darby: Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

ASV: Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Their priests  fell  by the sword;  and their widows  made no lamentation. 

What does Psalms 78:64 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 78:59-72 - God Raises Up His Shepherd David
This paragraph continues the history of the Judges, and tells the story of what befell after the battle in which Eli's sons were slain. See 1 Samuel 4:1-22. It is difficult to estimate the despair which that disaster caused, because Israel seemed the light-bearer of the world. What hope was there for mankind, if its lamp of testimony was extinguished!
It inspires great confidence, however, to read in Psalms 78:65 of God's awakening. The language, of course, is highly metaphorical, because He neither slumbers nor sleeps. But there have been many times in the history of the Church when He has seemed to be indifferent. Sin and evil have held undisputed sway. Then a time of revival has suddenly set in. Some David or Daniel, some Athanasius or Augustine, some Wycliffe or Luther, some Spurgeon or Moody, has been brought from an obscure family-"one of the least of the thousands of Judah"-and he has led the host of God with unerring accuracy and success. Even at this hour, amid the sheepfolds or the far-spreading acres of the Western world, God is probably training the ardently looked-for leaders of His Church. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 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 78:64 mean?

Their priests by the sword fell and their widows no made lamentation
כֹּ֭הֲנָיו בַּחֶ֣רֶב נָפָ֑לוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה

כֹּ֭הֲנָיו  Their  priests 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בַּחֶ֣רֶב  by  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
נָפָ֑לוּ  fell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו  and  their  widows 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.
לֹ֣א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִבְכֶּֽינָה  made  lamentation 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.