Psalms 78:33
Psalms 78:33 in Multiple Translations
So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, And their years in terror.
So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.
So he snuffed out their futile lives, bringing them to an end in terror.
Therefore their daies did hee consume in vanitie, and their yeeres hastily.
And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 78:33
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 78:33 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יְכַל
בַּ/הֶ֥בֶל
יְמֵי/הֶ֑ם
וּ֝/שְׁנוֹתָ֗/ם
בַּ/בֶּהָלָֽה
וַ/יְכַל
kâlâh
H3615
to end
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms
בַּ/הֶ֥בֶל
hebel
H1892
vanity
Prep | N-ms
יְמֵי/הֶ֑ם
yôwm
H3117
day
N-mp | Suff
וּ֝/שְׁנוֹתָ֗/ם
shâneh
H8141
year
Conj | N-fp | Suff
בַּ/בֶּהָלָֽה
behâlâh
H928
dismay
Prep | N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 78:33
וַ/יְכַל
kâlâh
H3615
"to end"
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.
Definition: : finish 1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be complete, be at an end 1a2) to be completed, be finished 1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled 1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense) 1a5) to be spent, be used up 1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail 1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish 1b2) to complete (a period of time) 1b3) to finish (doing a thing) 1b4) to make an end, end 1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass 1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought) 1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease 1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend 1b9) to destroy, exterminate 1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
Usage: Occurs in 199 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, [idiom] fully, [idiom] have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste. See also: Genesis 2:1; 2 Chronicles 29:17; Psalms 18:38.
בַּ/הֶ֥בֶל
hebel
H1892
"vanity"
Prep | N-ms
Hebel means emptiness or vanity, describing something transitory and unsatisfactory, like a breath of air. It appears in the book of Ecclesiastes, where Solomon writes about life's fleeting nature. The KJV translates it as vanity or altogether.
Definition: 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly
Usage: Occurs in 64 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] altogether, vain, vanity. See also: Deuteronomy 32:21; Ecclesiastes 4:7; Psalms 31:7.
יְמֵי/הֶ֑ם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
N-mp | Suff
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
וּ֝/שְׁנוֹתָ֗/ם
shâneh
H8141
"year"
Conj | N-fp | Suff
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Definition: 1) year 1a) as division of time 1b) as measure of time 1c) as indication of age 1d) a lifetime (of years of life) Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
Usage: Occurs in 647 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). See also: Genesis 1:14; Genesis 47:28; Numbers 7:35.
בַּ/בֶּהָלָֽה
behâlâh
H928
"dismay"
Prep | N-fs
This noun means panic or destruction, often caused by sudden terror or alarm. It's used in the Bible to describe chaotic and frightening situations, like invasions or natural disasters. It can also mean trouble or ruin.
Definition: dismay, sudden terror or ruin, alarm
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: terror, trouble. See also: Leviticus 26:16; Isaiah 65:23; Psalms 78:33.
Study Notes — Psalms 78:33
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 78:33 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:33
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:33
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:33
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:33
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
- Sermons on Psalms 78:33
Context — I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
31God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.
32In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.
33So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
34When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God. 35And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 14:35 | I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this entire wicked congregation, which has conspired against Me. They will meet their end in the wilderness, and there they will die.” |
| 2 | Numbers 14:29 | Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. |
| 3 | Numbers 26:64–65 | Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 | When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 2:14–16 | The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. Indeed, the LORD’s hand was against them, to eliminate them from the camp, until they had all perished. Now when all the fighting men among the people had died, |
| 6 | Ecclesiastes 1:2 | “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!” |
| 7 | Job 5:6–7 | For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. |
| 8 | Ecclesiastes 1:13–14 | And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. |
| 9 | Psalms 90:7–9 | For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence. For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh. |
| 10 | Genesis 3:16–19 | To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” |
Psalms 78:33 Summary
Psalms 78:33 tells us that when people refuse to follow God, He may allow their lives to feel empty and without purpose, even if they live a long time. This can happen when we prioritize the wrong things or ignore God's warnings, as seen in Proverbs 29:1. But God is always ready to forgive and restore us when we turn to Him, as seen in Psalms 51:1-19, where David cries out for mercy and restoration after sinning against God. By surrendering our lives to God and seeking to honor Him, we can experience a life of purpose and fulfillment, rather than one marked by futility and terror.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to end someone's days in futility?
According to Psalms 78:33, when God ends someone's days in futility, it means their life is marked by a lack of purpose or fulfillment, despite possibly having many years or accomplishments, as seen in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 where Solomon describes the emptiness of a life without God.
How does sudden terror relate to the concept of God's judgment?
Sudden terror, as mentioned in Psalms 78:33, can be a manifestation of God's judgment, where individuals are suddenly faced with the reality of their sin and the consequences of rejecting God, similar to the fear that gripped the hearts of those in Proverbs 1:24-32 who refused to listen to wisdom.
Is this verse suggesting that God is cruel or heartless?
No, Psalms 78:33 is actually highlighting the consequences of sin and rebellion against God, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:1-68, where God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, demonstrating that God's actions are rooted in His justice and love.
How can we apply this verse to our own lives?
We can apply Psalms 78:33 by recognizing the importance of living a life surrendered to God, as seen in Romans 12:1-2, and seeking to honor Him in all we do, lest we suffer the same fate as those in this verse, and instead experience the fullness and purpose that comes from following God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I may be living my life in futility, and how can I surrender those areas to God?
- How do I respond to the sudden terrors or challenges that come into my life, and what does this reveal about my trust in God?
- In what ways have I seen God's judgment or discipline in my own life, and how has it shaped me into the person I am today?
- What are some practical steps I can take to ensure that my life is marked by purpose and fulfillment, rather than futility and terror?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:33
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity,.... They were not immediately cut off by the hand of God, though some were; but the greatest part spent their time, for about eight and thirty years
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:33
Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
In vanity; in tedious and fruitless marches hither and thither, sometimes forward, and sometimes backward, which they knew would never bring them in their own persons to their promised and much-desired land. In trouble; in manifold diseases, dangers, perplexities, and horrors of their own minds and consciences.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
Psalms 78:33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.Ver. 33. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity] So that they never saw the promised land, for the which they came out of Egypt; but their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Who knoweth, saith a reverend man, whether God purpose not to wear out this present generation that hath been defiled with the superstition of the world, that we may not see the good that he will bring upon this Church? And their years in trouble] Or, in terror, for they were in continual fear of God’ s wrath, of their enemies round about, of wild beasts, fiery serpents, &c.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
(32-33) For the allusion see Numbers 14:11-12; Numbers 14:28-35.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
Verse 33. Their days did he consume in vanity] By causing them to wander forty years in the wilderness, vainly expecting an end to their labour, and the enjoyment of the promised rest, which, by their rebellions, they had forfeited.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:33
33. in vanity … in trouble] Or, as a breath, unsubstantial and transitory (Psalms 39:5; Psalms 39:11; Psalms 62:9): with sudden terror (Leviticus 26:16).
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:33
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity - He suffered them to spend their days - the days of that entire generation - in vain and fruitless wanderings in the desert.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:33
33. Their days did he consume in vanity—During the thirty-eight years of their wandering, after the sentence of Num 14:28-35, nothing is recorded of them except the conspiracy of Korah and his company, and a few camp stations.
Sermons on Psalms 78:33
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(Gospel in the Book of Esther) 1. the Doom of the People by Roy Hession | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the theme of redemption and foreshadowing in the word of God. He emphasizes that even though the nation of Israel faced discipline and conseq |
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Attack of the Devil - Part 5 by Joshua Daniel | This sermon emphasizes the dangers of pride in various forms, contrasting the pride of nations like Britain and America with the humility found in repentance and tender hearts. It |
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2 Corinthians Teaching - God Who Raises the Dead by K.P. Yohannan | K.P. Yohannan discusses the profound motivations behind Christian ministry as illustrated in 2 Corinthians, emphasizing the duality of the fear of the Lord and the love of Christ. |
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Life Is a Vapor. Live Like It! by Tim Conway | This sermon emphasizes the importance of having a mindset aligned with God's perspective on life and eternity. It contrasts the worldly mindset that views life as forever with the |
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All Is Vanity by David Hocking | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the futility of pursuing worldly goals and pleasures. He emphasizes that these pursuits do not bring lasting satisfaction or fulfillment. The |
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Leonard Ravenhill 85yrs Old Rebukes Pastors!! by Compilations | This sermon emphasizes the seriousness of reverence for God and the importance of being attentive and respectful in His presence. It calls for a deep reflection on one's attitude t |
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Don't Waste Your Life by Will Galkin | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the brevity and fragility of life. He uses the imagery of broken objects to illustrate how quickly and unexpectedly life can change. The pre |