What Does Psalm 78:1 Mean in the King James?
Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes listening a movement: instruction enters as the ear turns toward the voice.
THE MEANING
You are addressed as one who can receive instruction through listening: the words reach your ear, and your attention turns toward them. The instruction comes as spoken words, close enough to be heard and taken in.
THE ROOT
הַטּוּ
hattu
GROWS FROM
נטה
natah
To stretch out, extend, bend, or turn.
“incline” in this verse is hattu. The verb makes listening a directed movement: the ear turns toward the voice. Its wider sense of extending shows attention as something reaching out to receive what is spoken.
ALSO GROWS
natuy: Extended, outstretched.
נָטוּי
This form makes the extension within “incline” visible: the ear reaches toward the voice.
matteh: Staff, rod; tribe.
מַטֶּה
The staff is an extended object, carrying the root’s sense of stretching outward into a concrete form.
תּוֹרָה
torah
GROWS FROM
ירה
yarah
To throw or cast; by extension, to point, direct, or teach.
The word translated “law” carries the sense of instruction that directs. Beside words spoken aloud, it is something received as guidance through hearing.
ALSO GROWS
yarah: To throw, cast, point, direct, or teach.
יָרָה
The verb shows the directional sense inside instruction: it points toward a way.
moreh: Teacher, instructor.
מוֹרֶה
The teacher is the one who directs or instructs, bringing the root’s movement into the voice heard here.
THE PATTERN
Receiving instruction begins with attention turned toward the voice.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:THE THREAD
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.The same Hebrew verb for “incline,” meaning to stretch out or turn, appears in both verses. Psalm 78 names what the ear receives as instruction; Isaiah shows this turning toward the voice opening into life and covenant.
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