Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Even after experiencing God's incredible faithfulness and provision, the people didn't just forget Him; they actively tested and provoked the Most High. This wasn't a passive neglect, but a deliberate rebellion against His clear commands, which are called His "testimonies"—words that bear witness to His will and character.
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After settling in the Promised Land and displacing its inhabitants, the Israelites, despite God's faithfulness, repeatedly turned away from Him. This period, particularly during the time of the judges, is depicted as a time of ongoing rebellion where they tested God's patience and disregarded His commands. The following verses show their continued straying, comparing them to a "deceitful bow" that fails to hit its mark.
God showers His people with incredible gifts – safe passage, a promised land, divine guidance. Yet, what's their response? It’s a familiar, heartbreaking pattern.
This verse hits hard because it describes people actively testing and rebelling against God after experiencing His profound faithfulness. Think about it: they had already seen the Red Sea part, received manna, and were now settled in the land God had promised and fought for them.
The Deeper Meaning of 'Tempt'
When the psalm says they 'tested' God, it’s not just about curiosity. It implies a defiance, a pushing of boundaries, like saying, 'Is God really in control? Will He really deal with us if we do this?' It’s a dangerous game of seeing how far they could push God’s patience before He finally cracked.
'Most High God' - A Name to Remember
The use of 'Most High God' (El Elyon) here is significant. It’s a reminder of God’s supreme authority and power, the One who is above all. Yet, despite His loftiness and the immense blessings He’d already poured out, they chose rebellion.
The 'testimonies' God gives aren't just a boring list of dos and don'ts. They're divine witness statements that reveal God's character and His will for us.
The phrase 'did not keep his testimonies' points to a deep-seated refusal to live by God’s standards. These weren't arbitrary laws; they were God's 'witnesses' – His divine declarations about how life truly works and how His people were meant to live in relationship with Him and others.
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The Heart of the Law
'Testimonies' speaks to the core of God's will, the principles that testify about Him and for His people. When Israel failed to keep them, they weren't just breaking rules; they were rejecting God’s very character and His plan for their flourishing.
A Pattern of Forgetfulness
This verse, within the larger psalm, highlights a recurring theme: Israel’s tendency to forget God’s past faithfulness and His clear instructions. They’d experience His power and love, only to discard the very things that testified to Him, preferring their own ways.
Understand the original words
nasah · Hebrew Verb
A verb meaning to put to the test, to prove, or to try. In a biblical context, it often refers to humans doubting God's power or character, thereby putting Him to the test.
marah · Hebrew Verb
To act in open resistance against authority. Biblically, it describes the willful defiance of God’s established covenant or commands.
Elyon · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A title for God emphasizing His supremacy, sovereignty, and transcendence over all creation.
edut · Hebrew Noun
A collective term for God’s revealed laws, warnings, and decrees that bear witness to His nature and requirement for His people.
This verse speaks to the persistent unfaithfulness of Israel during the period of the Judges, after they had settled in the Promised Land. Despite God's repeated deliverance and provision, they continually fell back into idolatry and rebellion, testing God's patience and failing to uphold His commands.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters Canaan
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, cross the Jordan River and begin conquering the Promised Land.
c. 1400-1300 BC
Period of the Judges begins
Following Joshua's death, the Israelites enter a period characterized by cycles of disobedience, oppression by foreign nations, and deliverance through appointed judges.
c. 1380 BC
First cycle of apostasy and oppression
The Israelites begin worshipping local deities, leading to oppression by Mesopotamia for eight years, as described in Judges 3. This marks the beginning of recurring cycles of sin and judgment.
c. 1200-1100 BC— this verse
Continued cycles of disobedience
Throughout the era of the Judges, the pattern repeats: Israel sins, God allows foreign oppression, and then raises up judges for deliverance. This highlights their persistent unfaithfulness despite God's repeated acts of mercy.
c. 1050 BC
Philistine dominance and loss of Ark
The Philistines gain significant control over Israel, culminating in the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, a profound national humiliation and sign of God's displeasure.
c. 1010 BC
David established as King
David unites the tribes and establishes a strong monarchy, bringing a new era of stability and centralization of worship in Jerusalem.
This passage directly follows the death of Joshua and shows the Israelites immediately turning to other gods and provoking the Lord, mirroring the 'tempting and rebelling' described in Psalms 78:56.
1 Corinthians 10:9Paul directly references the Israelites' 'testing' of Christ in the wilderness and his commentary implies this is a direct parallel to 'tempting and provoking' God, highlighting the persistent nature of such sin across generations.
Nehemiah 9:16-17This prayer recounts Israel's history of rebellion and stubbornness, specifically mentioning how they 'did not obey' God's voice and 'did not keep Your commandments,' echoing the themes of disobedience to God's testimonies found in Psalms 78:56.
Hebrews 3:15-16The author of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 95, which speaks of the 'rebellion' and 'testing' of God in the wilderness, and directly connects it to the disobedience of the Israelites, reinforcing the spiritual danger of provoking God as seen in Psalms 78:56.
cambridgePsalms 78:56: "Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:"
56 . Yet &c.] Yet they tempted and rebelled against God the Most High. In spite of all God’s goodness to them, they persisted in their old unfaithfulness. Cp. Psalm 78:17-18; Psalms 40, 41 . God the Most High is not El Elyôn , as in Psalm 78:35 ; but Elôhîm Elyôn , the equivalent of Jehovah the Most High , Psalm 7:17 ; Psalm 47:2 . his testimonies ] His commandments, regarded as bearing witness to His…
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…
Even after experiencing God's incredible faithfulness and provision, the people didn't just forget Him; they actively tested and provoked the Most High. This wasn't a passive neglect, but a deliberate rebellion against His clear commands, which are called His "testimonies"—words that bear witness to His will and character.
After settling in the Promised Land and displacing its inhabitants, the Israelites, despite God's faithfulness, repeatedly turned away from Him. This period, particularly during the time of the judges, is depicted as a time of ongoing rebellion where they tested God's patience and disregarded His commands. The following verses show their continued straying, comparing them to a "deceitful bow" that fails to hit its mark.
After settling in the Promised Land and displacing its inhabitants, the Israelites, despite God's faithfulness, repeatedly turned away from Him. This period, particularly during the time of the judges, is depicted as a time of ongoing rebellion where they tested God's patience and disregarded His commands. The following verses show their continued straying, comparing them to a "deceitful bow" that fails to hit its mark.
"Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies," — Even after experiencing God's incredible faithfulness and provision, the people didn't just forget Him; they actively tested and provoked the Most High. This wasn't a passive neglect, but a delib…
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Last reviewed October 2026