Psalms 78:56-59
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies, but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols. When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to read this verse as simply saying they rebelled. But the phrase "tested and rebelled against the Most High God" actually highlights that their rebellion wasn't just a passive disobedience, but an active challenging and provoking of God, as if to see just how far they could push Him without consequence.
After God blesses Israel with the promised land, they settle in and begin to fall into the same patterns of disobedience as their ancestors. This section highlights their ongoing failure to keep God's commands and their repeated turning away from Him, even after experiencing His mighty acts and provisions. The psalmist uses this historical review to warn the present generation against repeating the mistakes of the past.
You'd think that after all God had done, Israel would be obedient. But this verse tells a different story.
The people of Israel had experienced God's incredible power and faithfulness. They'd been delivered from slavery, guided through the wilderness, and brought into a promised land. Yet, instead of deep gratitude and obedience, they 'tested and provoked' God.
This wasn't just a minor slip-up. The original Hebrew language conveys a sense of repeatedly putting God's patience to the limit, like someone constantly pushing a boundary to see how far they can go. They weren't just accidentally disobeying; they were actively challenging God's authority and goodness, even after experiencing His blessings firsthand.
God's 'testimonies' are more than just rules; they're divine signposts. What happens when we ignore them?
The verse states that Israel 'did not keep His testimonies.' What are 'testimonies' in this context? They are God's commands, laws, and decrees that serve as a witness to His will and character. Think of them as God's loving instructions, designed to guide His people toward life and well-being.
By not keeping them, Israel wasn't just breaking rules; they were disregarding God's very character and His plan for them. It was a rejection of the wisdom and truth God had revealed, preferring their own way over His. This is a dangerous path, as it leads away from God's presence and protection.
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 a recurring theme throughout Israel's history, particularly during the turbulent era of the Judges, where periods of divine deliverance were met with stubborn disobedience and rebellion against God's commands.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, leading them through the Red Sea and guiding them in the wilderness.
~1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Following God's command and power, the Israelites conquered the land of Canaan, driving out its inhabitants and dividing the land among the tribes.
c. 1400 BC - 1050 BC— this verse
Period of the Judges
This era was marked by cycles of Israelite disobedience, oppression by surrounding nations, cries for deliverance, and God raising up judges to lead them.
~1050 BC
Anointing of David as King
God chose David to establish a lasting kingdom, signifying a move towards more stable leadership after the turbulent period of the Judges.
This passage directly follows Israel's settlement in the Promised Land, highlighting how they began to worship other gods, testing and provoking God, mirroring the unfaithfulness described in Psalm 78:56.
1 Corinthians 10:9This New Testament passage directly references the Israelites' wilderness wandering, reminding believers not to 'test the Lord' as some of them did, showing the enduring relevance of their repeated acts of tempting God.
Hebrews 3:16-17This passage connects the Israelites' rebellion and testing of God in the wilderness to their ultimate failure to enter the promised rest, reinforcing the serious consequences of persistently provoking God.
Psalm 78:40This earlier verse in the same psalm calls out Israel's repeated rebellion against God, setting the stage for verse 56 by emphasizing the ongoing pattern of disobedience despite God's past faithfulness.
Nehemiah 9:16-17This prayer recounts Israel's history, explicitly mentioning their rebellion and refusal to obey God's commands during their time in the wilderness, echoing the sentiment of testing and not keeping God's testimonies.
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…
It's easy to read this verse as simply saying they rebelled. But the phrase "tested and rebelled against the Most High God" actually highlights that their rebellion wasn't just a passive disobedience, but an active challenging and provoking of God, as if to see just how far they could push Him without consequence.
After God blesses Israel with the promised land, they settle in and begin to fall into the same patterns of disobedience as their ancestors. This section highlights their ongoing failure to keep God's commands and their repeated turning away from Him, even after experiencing His mighty acts and provisions. The psalmist uses this historical review to warn the present generation against repeating the mistakes of the past.
After God blesses Israel with the promised land, they settle in and begin to fall into the same patterns of disobedience as their ancestors. This section highlights their ongoing failure to keep God's commands and their repeated turning away from Him, even after experiencing His mighty acts and provisions. The psalmist uses this historical review to warn the present generation against repeating the mistakes of the past.
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bagad · Hebrew Verb
To behave unfaithfully or act with treachery. It often implies a breach of trust, particularly in the context of covenant relationship or marriage.
ka'as · Hebrew Verb
To incite, irritate, or goad someone to emotional reaction. In Scripture, it is frequently used to describe human behavior that moves God to righteous indignation.
bamah · Hebrew Noun
Sites of unauthorized worship, typically built on elevated ground, often associated with pagan practices and the setting up of idols that competed with the worship of Yahweh.
pesel · Hebrew Noun
A human representation of a deity. Biblically, these are inanimate objects or images that are sinful to worship because they replace the true God and cannot save.
qin'ah · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting God’s intense, protective, and exclusive love for His covenant people, which is ignited when His people offer the devotion rightfully His to false gods.
hemah · Hebrew Noun
The intense, righteous reaction of God against sin and evil. It is His settled opposition to everything that is contrary to His holiness.
ma'as · Hebrew Verb
To reject, cast off, or despise. It signifies a decisive breaking of fellowship or a refusal to recognize a previous relationship.
"Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies, but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with the…" — It's easy to read this verse as simply saying they rebelled. But the phrase "tested and rebelled against the Most High God" actually highlights that their rebellion wasn't just a passive disobedience…
