“For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 78:37 Mean?
This verse diagnoses Israel's chronic unfaithfulness with devastating brevity: their heart wasn't right, and they weren't steadfast. Two failures: wrong orientation and insufficient endurance. The heart wasn't aimed correctly, and the commitment didn't hold. Both had to be present for covenant faithfulness; both were absent.
The word "right" (nachon) means established, firm, correct, prepared. Their hearts weren't aimed at God — they were unstable, unprepared, incorrectly oriented. It's not that they had bad hearts in the sense of evil intentions; their hearts simply weren't set. They were uncommitted, fluctuating, responsive to whatever influence was nearest.
The word "stedfast" (aman) means faithful, reliable, trustworthy — the root of the word "amen." They weren't reliable partners in the covenant. They showed up sometimes but not consistently. They obeyed in good seasons and wandered in hard ones. Their faithfulness was weather-dependent.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Is your heart 'set' on God — or is it shifting based on circumstances?
- 2.Are you steadfast in your commitments, or does your faithfulness depend on your comfort level?
- 3.Which is your greater struggle — wrong orientation or insufficient endurance?
- 4.What would it take to have a heart that is both right and steadfast?
Devotional
Their heart wasn't right. They weren't steadfast. Two failures that are really one failure: they never fully committed. Their orientation was crooked, and their endurance was short.
This is the diagnosis for most spiritual failure, and it's remarkably ordinary. Israel didn't commit spectacular sins every day. They just never fully set their hearts on God. They were half-in, partly committed, occasionally faithful. When things were good, they showed up. When things were hard, they wandered. Their covenant faithfulness had an expiration date tied to their comfort level.
The word for "right" means established, fixed, set. Their hearts were never set. They were always shifting, always responding to the nearest influence, always adjustable. A heart that isn't set is a heart that can be turned by anything — a better offer, a harder season, a more attractive alternative.
The word for "steadfast" is the root of "amen" — true, reliable, faithful. They couldn't say amen to the covenant and mean it for longer than one season. Their yes was temporary. Their commitment was seasonal.
Which of these two failures is yours? Is your heart not set — not fully oriented toward God? Or is your heart set but not steadfast — committed in good seasons but unreliable in hard ones? Both need fixing. One needs alignment; the other needs endurance.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
But he, being full of compassion,.... Or merciful; having bowels of mercy, as a tender mother to the son of her womb; a…
For their heart was not right with him - Luther renders this, “Not fast with him.” The Hebrew word means “to fit, to…
In these verses,
I. The psalmist observes the late rebukes of Providence that the people of Israel had been under, which…
right … stedfast Or, stedfast … faithful. Cp. Psa 78:78, where the same words are used. The heartis the organ of thought…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture