Psa 78:19 | KingComments | STEP | The word “yet” ( ) indicates the contrast with the foregoing. God had abundantly proved His might and His provision. “Yet” it had no beneficial effect on the unfaithfulness of God’s people. It is a dramatic observation: “They still continued to sin against Him” (cf. ) and that, even though God had done so much good for them. This shows great ingratitude. They rebelled “against the Most High in the desert”. It was not only ingratitude, but great insolence and audacity. They were in the desert, totally dependent on Him. Instead of humbling themselves before Him they were presumptuous against “the Most High”. By calling God so, Asaph shows the enormous contrast between man and God. “In their heart” they “put” the Most High God “to the test” ( ). They wanted Him to prove that He really cared for them. Then they would believe in Him and obey Him. He had to provide them with “food according to their desire”. After all the evidence God had given of His faithful care, this was not weakness, but rebellion. They had grown to dislike the manna and wanted food according to their own tastes ( ). In picture it means that they disliked Christ and were longing for the food of the world. The manna is a picture of Christ ( ). When He no longer fills the heart, it is the beginning of decline in spiritual life. The people “spoke against God” ( ). They spoke from a rebellious, unbelieving heart. God did “prepare a table in the wilderness” for them all along the wilderness journey. And then they boldly asked if God could “prepare a table in the wilderness”! This is not doubting God, but denying God. This showed the hardness (cf. ) and apostasy of their hearts. With respect to the wonder of the abundance of water He had given to them from the rock, we see the same thing. They knew it: “He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing” ( ). Did that wonder and abundant provision have any effect on their trust in God? Not at all (cf. ). On the contrary, they wondered if He could also give bread and provide meat for His people. Instead of trusting God after the redemption and care He showed, they challenged Him to show His power again. The people’s reaction to past wonders shows that those wonders do not guarantee trust in God when new difficulties come. It is good that we remember wonders. That memory only has a beneficial effect on our faith if we believe and trust Him today in new difficulties. Relying on past experiences is counterproductive if we lack faith in the present difficulties. Experience can strengthen faith, but faith must be present in order to use this experience (cf. ). If we are in difficulties and there is faith, then that faith is in God Who did not spare His own Son. This faith is expressed in the firm confidence that with His Son God will also grant us all things ( ). The LORD has heard all these haughty challenges to His address ( ). The name LORD is not used much in these psalms. That that Name is used here highlights the fact that the sin of the people is a sin against the covenant with the LORD. This deliberate denial of His performance in goodness in the past has aroused His wrath. As if the LORD would not keep His own covenant. It is not possible to be indifferent to this. The fire of His wrath, “was kindled against Jacob”. Jacob is again the name of God’s people seen in their practice ( ). “His anger also mounted against Israel”. Israel is again ( ) the name for God’s people in what they have become through Him. Because they behaved so unworthily of their position, God’s wrath flared up against them ( ). God is slow to anger, but His wrath flares up when there is persistence in sin. He is not mocked ( ). His wrath was manifested by fulfilling their lusts, the fulfillment of which was at the same time a judgment from God on their unbelief ( ). The reason for the flare-up of God’s wrath was that they “did not believe in God” and “did not trust in His salvation” ( ). Instead of trusting the LORD because of the redemption and wonder signs He performed, the Israelites used these same wonder signs as an argument to doubt that God had the power to redeem. Unbelief is a serious sin. From it come all other sins. Not believing in God means rejecting Him as not worth believing in. It is directly related to trusting in Him. They did not trust in His promises to give them His salvation, that is, to bless them with His peace. And this while He had already given them His salvation in the rescue from slavery.

‏ Psalms 78:19

The People Put God to the Test

The word “yet” (Psa 78:17) indicates the contrast with the foregoing. God had abundantly proved His might and His provision. “Yet” it had no beneficial effect on the unfaithfulness of God’s people. It is a dramatic observation: “They still continued to sin against Him” (cf. Num 21:4-7) and that, even though God had done so much good for them. This shows great ingratitude.

They rebelled “against the Most High in the desert”. It was not only ingratitude, but great insolence and audacity. They were in the desert, totally dependent on Him. Instead of humbling themselves before Him they were presumptuous against “the Most High”. By calling God so, Asaph shows the enormous contrast between man and God.

“In their heart” they “put” the Most High God “to the test” (Psa 78:18). They wanted Him to prove that He really cared for them. Then they would believe in Him and obey Him. He had to provide them with “food according to their desire”. After all the evidence God had given of His faithful care, this was not weakness, but rebellion.

They had grown to dislike the manna and wanted food according to their own tastes (Num 11:5). In picture it means that they disliked Christ and were longing for the food of the world. The manna is a picture of Christ (Jn 6:30-33). When He no longer fills the heart, it is the beginning of decline in spiritual life.

The people “spoke against God” (Psa 78:19). They spoke from a rebellious, unbelieving heart. God did “prepare a table in the wilderness” for them all along the wilderness journey. And then they boldly asked if God could “prepare a table in the wilderness”! This is not doubting God, but denying God. This showed the hardness (cf. Mk 6:51-52) and apostasy of their hearts.

With respect to the wonder of the abundance of water He had given to them from the rock, we see the same thing. They knew it: “He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing” (Psa 78:20). Did that wonder and abundant provision have any effect on their trust in God? Not at all (cf. Jn 2:23-25). On the contrary, they wondered if He could also give bread and provide meat for His people. Instead of trusting God after the redemption and care He showed, they challenged Him to show His power again.

The people’s reaction to past wonders shows that those wonders do not guarantee trust in God when new difficulties come. It is good that we remember wonders. That memory only has a beneficial effect on our faith if we believe and trust Him today in new difficulties.

Relying on past experiences is counterproductive if we lack faith in the present difficulties. Experience can strengthen faith, but faith must be present in order to use this experience (cf. 2Pet 1:6). If we are in difficulties and there is faith, then that faith is in God Who did not spare His own Son. This faith is expressed in the firm confidence that with His Son God will also grant us all things (Rom 8:31-32).

The LORD has heard all these haughty challenges to His address (Psa 78:21). The name LORD is not used much in these psalms. That that Name is used here highlights the fact that the sin of the people is a sin against the covenant with the LORD. This deliberate denial of His performance in goodness in the past has aroused His wrath. As if the LORD would not keep His own covenant. It is not possible to be indifferent to this. The fire of His wrath, “was kindled against Jacob”. Jacob is again the name of God’s people seen in their practice (Psa 78:5).

“His anger also mounted against Israel”. Israel is again (Psa 78:5) the name for God’s people in what they have become through Him. Because they behaved so unworthily of their position, God’s wrath flared up against them (Num 11:1-3). God is slow to anger, but His wrath flares up when there is persistence in sin. He is not mocked (Gal 6:7a). His wrath was manifested by fulfilling their lusts, the fulfillment of which was at the same time a judgment from God on their unbelief (Psa 78:31).

The reason for the flare-up of God’s wrath was that they “did not believe in God” and “did not trust in His salvation” (Psa 78:22). Instead of trusting the LORD because of the redemption and wonder signs He performed, the Israelites used these same wonder signs as an argument to doubt that God had the power to redeem.

Unbelief is a serious sin. From it come all other sins. Not believing in God means rejecting Him as not worth believing in. It is directly related to trusting in Him. They did not trust in His promises to give them His salvation, that is, to bless them with His peace. And this while He had already given them His salvation in the rescue from slavery.