They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as a simple statement of remembering God's past actions, but notice the specific terms used: "Rock" and "Redeemer." This isn't just a general recollection; it's remembering God in the very roles that provided ultimate security and restoration, highlighting their desperate need for His saving power when they were in dire straits.
They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated cycles of sin and God's persistent faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. Asaph emphasizes how, even in dire straits when facing God's judgment after their failures, the people would suddenly recall God's past protection and deliverance, acknowledging Him as their foundational strength and the one who had freed them. However, this remembrance often led to superficial repentance, with their hearts remaining distant from God.
Ever feel like life is crumbling around you? The Psalmist reminds us that even in chaos, there's a foundation that won't move.
The verse calls God 'our rock.' This isn't just a poetic image; it speaks to God's unchanging nature and His role as our ultimate security.
The Steadfast Rock
This remembrance wasn't just intellectual; it was a recognition that their well-being depended on this stable, powerful God, not on their own fleeting circumstances or strength.
Who do you call on when you're truly in a bind? This verse points to a God who is not only powerful but has the right to rescue us.
The phrase 'the Most High God their redeemer' highlights two crucial aspects of God's identity and action.
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The Sovereign Redeemer
In remembering God as their Redeemer, they recalled His past mighty acts of deliverance, especially from slavery in Egypt, and recognized His authority to act again.
Understand the original words
tsur · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor describing God as a place of refuge, stability, and unshakeable strength for His people; He is the immovable foundation upon which their lives depend.
Elyon · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A title for God emphasizing His supremacy, sovereignty, and transcendence over all creation and all other powers.
ga'al · Hebrew Noun (participle)
One who rescues another from bondage, debt, or death by paying the necessary price or exerting power; biblically, God is the ultimate Deliverer who buys back His people for Himself.
This psalm reflects on Israel's recurring pattern of forgetting God's mighty deeds in times of ease and only remembering Him as Rock and Redeemer when faced with hardship, often after suffering severe consequences for their disobedience.
c. 1440 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, leading them through the Red Sea and into the wilderness.
c. 1440-1400 BC— this verse
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites journeyed for 40 years in the Sinai desert, experiencing God's provision (manna, water from the rock) and their own frequent disobedience and rebellion.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites entered and began to conquer the Promised Land, a process that took several generations.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
David became king, uniting the tribes and establishing Jerusalem as the capital, ushering in a period of greater national stability and worship.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria to Assyria
The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its people and the end of its existence as a separate kingdom.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon
The Babylonians conquered Judah, destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and exiled a significant portion of the population, marking a period of national devastation.
This passage uses the 'rock' imagery for God and describes the people forgetting Him, directly connecting to the Psalmist's theme of remembrance and the people's forgetfulness.
Isaiah 43:14Isaiah is called 'your Redeemer,' and 'your God, your Holy One, the King of Israel,' mirroring the 'Most High God their redeemer' phrase and highlighting God's role as deliverer.
Nehemiah 9:17This prayer recounts Israel's history, mentioning God as 'a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love,' and specifically notes their rebellion and God's redemption, resonating with the memory of God's actions despite Israel's failures.
Psalm 106:21This verse directly follows a narrative of Israel forgetting God's 'deeds' and His 'redeemer,' showing a similar pattern of remembrance and forgetfulness in Israel's history.
clarkePsalms 78:35: "And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer."
That God was their rock - They recollected in their affliction that Jehovah was their Creator, and their Father; the Rock, the Source, not only of their being, but of all their blessings; or, that he was their sole Protector. And the high God their Redeemer - ואל עליון גאלם veel elyon goalam, "And the strong God the Most High, their kinsman." That one who possessed the right of redemption; the nearest…
ellicottPsalms 78:35: "And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer."
(35) Rock. —A reminiscence of Deuteronomy 32:15-18 .
It's easy to read this as a simple statement of remembering God's past actions, but notice the specific terms used: "Rock" and "Redeemer." This isn't just a general recollection; it's remembering God in the very roles that provided ultimate security and restoration, highlighting their desperate need for His saving power when they were in dire straits.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated cycles of sin and God's persistent faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. Asaph emphasizes how, even in dire straits when facing God's judgment after their failures, the people would suddenly recall God's past protection and deliverance, acknowledging Him as their foundational strength and the one who had freed them. However, this remembrance often led to superficial repentance, with their hearts remaining distant from God.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated cycles of sin and God's persistent faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. Asaph emphasizes how, even in dire straits when facing God's judgment after their failures, the people would suddenly recall God's past protection and deliverance, acknowledging Him as their foundational strength and the one who had freed them. However, this remembrance often led to superficial repentance, with their hearts remaining distant from God.
"They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer." — It's easy to read this as a simple statement of remembering God's past actions, but notice the specific terms used: "Rock" and "Redeemer." This isn't just a general recollection; it's remembering God…
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Last reviewed October 2026