They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Their question, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" isn't just about food; it's a blatant challenge to God's very nature. They witnessed His power in the past, but by asking this, they imply He's either unwilling or unable to continue caring for them, reducing Him to a servant whose ability is now suspect.
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust God despite His mighty acts. After God miraculously provided water from a rock, the people, still grumbling and ungrateful, questioned His ability to provide for them in the harsh desert. Their words reveal a deep lack of faith, doubting if God could offer the abundance they craved, much like the comforts they'd left behind in Egypt.
When life feels like a barren desert, it's easy to question God's provision. This verse reveals the dangerous nature of such doubts.
The people of Israel, fresh from experiencing God's miraculous power, still voiced their unbelief. They asked, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” This wasn't just a casual question; it was a direct challenge to God's ability and faithfulness.
What happens when gratitude is absent and discontentment takes root? This verse shows the painful consequences of a people forgetting God's past deeds.
The psalmist points out that Israel's doubt wasn't born in a vacuum. It arose from a heart that had forgotten God's incredible acts of provision. They had just seen God perform a mighty miracle – causing water to gush from a rock – yet they quickly turned to questioning His ability to provide even more.
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Understand the original words
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.
This verse recalls a specific moment of profound doubt in the wilderness, where the Israelites, despite witnessing God's miraculous provision of manna and water, questioned His ability to sustain them with a varied diet, revealing a deep-seated lack of faith and a longing for the comforts of Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
After centuries of slavery, the Israelites were miraculously led out of Egypt by God, crossing the Red Sea.
c. 1446 BC
Wilderness Journey Begins
Following the Exodus, the Israelites embarked on their journey toward the Promised Land, facing immediate challenges of sustenance.
c. 1446 BC
Manna and Quail Provision
God provided manna daily and quail in the evenings to feed the Israelites in the desert, demonstrating His power and care.
c. 1446 BC
Water from the Rock at Rephidim
When the people thirsted and grumbled, God commanded Moses to strike a rock, from which water flowed abundantly.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Complaint and Doubt in the Wilderness
Despite God's provision of manna and water, the Israelites questioned God's ability to provide a constant, varied meal, like they had in Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
God's Wrath and Judgment
The people's persistent doubt and sin led to God's anger, manifested through fire and judgment, because they lacked faith and trust.
c. 1366 BC
Later Wilderness Events
Further instances of rebellion and divine discipline occurred during the 40-year wilderness wanderings, reinforcing the pattern of Israel's unfaithfulness.
This passage directly shows the Israelites' grumbling about lacking food in the wilderness, setting the stage for the question about God's ability to provide, as highlighted in Psalm 78:19.
Numbers 11:4-6Here, the people explicitly voice their discontent, yearning for the food they had in Egypt and questioning God's provision in the desert, mirroring the sentiment of Psalm 78:19.
1 Corinthians 10:9The Apostle Paul directly references this instance of Israel tempting God with their complaints about food in the wilderness, showing its significance as a warning for believers.
Deuteronomy 8:3This verse emphasizes that God provided manna to teach Israel that humans live by every word from God, directly contrasting with the Israelites' desire for more than God's provision in Psalm 78:19.
Psalm 23:5This psalm presents a beautiful contrast, showing God as the one who prepares a table for His people in the presence of their enemies, highlighting the faithfulness that the Israelites in Psalm 78:19 failed to trust.
poolePsalms 78:19: "Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?"
No text from Poole on this verse.
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…
Their question, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" isn't just about food; it's a blatant challenge to God's very nature. They witnessed His power in the past, but by asking this, they imply He's either unwilling or unable to continue caring for them, reducing Him to a servant whose ability is now suspect.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust God despite His mighty acts. After God miraculously provided water from a rock, the people, still grumbling and ungrateful, questioned His ability to provide for them in the harsh desert. Their words reveal a deep lack of faith, doubting if God could offer the abundance they craved, much like the comforts they'd left behind in Egypt.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust God despite His mighty acts. After God miraculously provided water from a rock, the people, still grumbling and ungrateful, questioned His ability to provide for them in the harsh desert. Their words reveal a deep lack of faith, doubting if God could offer the abundance they craved, much like the comforts they'd left behind in Egypt.
"They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" — Their question, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" isn't just about food; it's a blatant challenge to God's very nature. They witnessed His power in the past, but by asking this, they imply…
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Last reviewed October 2026