Psalm 78:18-20
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The people didn't just want food; they "tempted God in their heart" by demanding it for their lusts, not their needs. This subtle distinction highlights that their sin wasn't merely asking for something, but doing so out of an unbridled, selfish craving that questioned God's provision and power. It reveals a deep-seated spiritual discontent that’s easily masked by outward requests.
They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is recounting the history of Israel's repeated failures to trust God, contrasting His faithfulness with their ingratitude, especially during their wilderness wanderings. After reminding them of God's miraculous provisions, like water from a rock, the text focuses on the people's discontent with the manna, their "heavenly bread." This verse highlights their internal dissatisfaction, leading them to demand foods that cater to their desires rather than their needs, questioning God's ability to provide.
Did the Israelites ask for food because they were starving, or for another reason entirely? Discover the subtle shift from genuine need to selfish desire.
The Israelites weren't just hungry; they were craving.
A Shift in Motivation
This wasn't a plea for help, but a test of God's power driven by selfish longing.
We hear the word 'tempt' and often think of giving in to personal sin. But what does it mean to 'tempt God'?
To 'tempt God' isn't about making God sin; it's about disrespecting His character and challenging His abilities.
Challenging the Almighty
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Understand the original words
nasah · Hebrew Verb
To put God to the test or to try His patience; it implies a lack of trust in God's character and providence despite past evidence of His power.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
A term for the deity of Israel, referring to the one true God who is the Creator, Sustainer, and covenant-keeper of His people.
yeshimon · Hebrew Noun
A desolate, uninhabited place; biblically, it is often a place of testing, provision, and divine encounter where humans are stripped of worldly supports and forced to rely entirely on God.
shulchan · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for God's ability to provide sustenance and bounty. It reflects the covenantal care God promises to those who walk in obedience.
nakah · Hebrew Verb
To smite or strike with physical force; in Scripture, it is often used for God's exercise of power, whether in judgment or to miraculously open sources of provision.
This verse points to a specific, repeated pattern in Israel's wilderness journey: despite God's consistent provision and miraculous acts, the people’s hearts craved more, leading them to test God's patience and power through their dissatisfaction and demands.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea and beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Manna and Quail Provision
In the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites complained about lack of food, and God provided manna daily and quail in the evenings. This verse references their dissatisfaction with this provision.
c. 1446 BC
Water from the Rock
At Rephidim, the Israelites complained of thirst and demanded water. God instructed Moses to strike a rock, from which water flowed, satisfying their need.
c. 1445 BC
Kibroth-Hattaavah - Graves of Lust
The Israelites again craved meat and complained vehemently, leading God to send quail in vast numbers. However, many who ate greedily died from God's judgment, and the place was named the 'Graves of Lust'.
c. 1445 BC
Second Water from the Rock
At Kadesh, the Israelites again grumbled for water. Moses struck the rock twice as instructed, and water flowed, though his disobedience led to him being barred from entering the Promised Land.
c. 1000 BC
Establishment of the Davidic Kingdom
After a period of turmoil and the rejection of the sanctuary at Shiloh, David was established as king, marking a new era centered in Jerusalem and Judah.
This passage details the Israelites' grumbling for meat in the wilderness after receiving manna, directly mirroring the 'craving food' mentioned in Psalm 78:18 and showing the historical event that likely inspired the psalm.
Numbers 11:4-6This passage explicitly records the Israelites' craving for meat and their discontent with manna, highlighting the 'lust' and dissatisfaction that Psalm 78:18 addresses, showing the root of their testing God.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3This passage reminds Israel that God fed them in the wilderness with manna to humble and test them, showing that their craving for something else was a rejection of God's provision and a test of His faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 10:9The Apostle Paul directly links the Israelites' sin of 'craving evil things' in the wilderness to testing Christ, showing how this Old Testament event served as a warning against similar desires and lack of faith for New Testament believers.
Matthew 15:18-19Jesus teaches that what comes out of the heart – including evil desires and cravings – defiles a person, connecting the internal state of 'testing God in their heart' to the outward expression of sinful desires.
clarkePsalms 78:18: "And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust."
By asking meat for their lust - לנפשם lenaphsham, "for their souls," i.e., for their lives; for they said in their hearts that the light bread, the manna, was not sufficient to sustain their natural force, and preserve their lives. It seems, however, from the expression, that they were wholly carnal; that they had no spirituality of mind; they were earthly, animal, and devilish.
expositorsPsalms 78:1-72: "Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth."
Psalm 78:1-72 THIS psalm is closely related to Psalm 105:1-45 ; Psalm 106:1-48 ; Psalm 107:1-43 . Like them, it treats the history of Israel, and especially the Exodus and wilderness wanderings, for purposes of edification, rebuke, and encouragement. The past is held up as a mirror to the present generation. It has been one long succession of miracles of mercy met by equally continu…
The people didn't just want food; they "tempted God in their heart" by demanding it for their lusts, not their needs. This subtle distinction highlights that their sin wasn't merely asking for something, but doing so out of an unbridled, selfish craving that questioned God's provision and power. It reveals a deep-seated spiritual discontent that’s easily masked by outward requests.
The psalmist is recounting the history of Israel's repeated failures to trust God, contrasting His faithfulness with their ingratitude, especially during their wilderness wanderings. After reminding them of God's miraculous provisions, like water from a rock, the text focuses on the people's discontent with the manna, their "heavenly bread." This verse highlights their internal dissatisfaction, leading them to demand foods that cater to their desires rather than their needs, questioning God's ability to provide.
The psalmist is recounting the history of Israel's repeated failures to trust God, contrasting His faithfulness with their ingratitude, especially during their wilderness wanderings. After reminding them of God's miraculous provisions, like water from a rock, the text focuses on the people's discontent with the manna, their "heavenly bread." This verse highlights their internal dissatisfaction, leading them to demand foods that cater to their desires rather than their needs, questioning God's ability to provide.
"They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Ca…" — The people didn't just want food; they "tempted God in their heart" by demanding it for their lusts, not their needs. This subtle distinction highlights that their sin wasn't merely asking for some…
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Last reviewed October 2026
