Psalms 78:36But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
The setting
Israel, ~1000 BC. Asaph recounts the wilderness generation's pattern of rebellion and false repentance in the desert between Egypt and Canaan.
The emotion here: heartbroken over repeated betrayals by God's people
The original word
chalaq (חלק) — smooth, slippery speech; flattery designed to deceive
Why it matters
This psalm covers 400 years of history from Egypt to David's kingship
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 78:36
This isn't about pagans - it's about God's chosen people saying the right words with wrong hearts
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about obvious lies, but it's about saying true words (praising God) while having false motives - religious manipulation.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 78:36
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 78:36 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 78:36 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Asaph. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include hypocrisy, false worship. Notable phrases: flattered him; lied to him.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Psalms 78:36 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "grieving"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.