Psalms 78:58-59
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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What's easily missed here is the intimate nature of Israel's sin. God isn't just angry; He's jealous. Their "high places" and idols weren't just wrong choices; they were acts of spiritual infidelity, betraying the covenant relationship God had established with them, like a spouse turning to a lover.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust and obey God despite His faithfulness. After conquering Canaan and settling in the land, the people, instead of wholly dedicating themselves to God, began to practice idolatry with local Canaanite customs. This verse specifically describes their relapse into worshipping at unauthorized "high places" and setting up idols, actions that deeply angered and grieved God, leading to judgment.
Did you know that even after entering the Promised Land, the Israelites continued practices that deeply angered God? Discover what 'high places' were and why they were so offensive to Him.
The phrase 'high places' refers to specific locations where worship, often idolatrous, took place. These were typically elevated spots, like hilltops or man-made platforms, chosen for their visibility and perceived closeness to the heavens.
Why Were High Places Sinful?
What does it mean for God to be 'moved to jealousy'? Explore how idols represent a profound betrayal that strikes at the very heart of God's love for His people.
The act of 'moving God to jealousy' with 'graven images' is a powerful expression of divine emotion. Jealousy, in this context, isn't petty or insecure; it's the righteous indignation of a lover whose affections are being deliberately diverted to rivals.
Idols as Rivals
Understand the original words
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.
This psalm reflects on Israel's recurring pattern of straying from God, particularly during the period of the Judges and into the early monarchy, where worship often blended true devotion with the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters Canaan
After years in the wilderness, the Israelites conquer and settle in the promised land, displacing the Canaanite inhabitants.
c. 1400-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
A tumultuous era where Israel cycles through periods of faithfulness to God, followed by apostasy and oppression by neighboring nations.
c. 1050 BC
Eli's Priesthood and Ark Capture
The Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines, marking a low point for Israel and signifying a departure from central worship.
c. 1010 BC
David established as King
David is crowned king over all Israel, ushering in a more unified and centralized worship of God, with Jerusalem as the capital.
c. 970-931 BC
This passage establishes the 'jealousy' God feels when His people worship idols, directly paralleling the 'moving to jealousy' mentioned in Psalms 78:58 and highlighting the sin of idolatry as a violation of God's exclusive claim.
Deuteronomy 32:16This verse speaks of Israel provoking God to jealousy with foreign gods and abominations, directly echoing the sentiment of Psalms 78:58 and showing this pattern of disobedience was a recurring theme even in the early history of Israel.
1 Kings 14:23This verse describes the high places that were used for idol worship in Judah, directly linking the physical act of 'high places' worship mentioned in Psalms 78:58 to a specific historical and religious practice that angered God.
Jeremiah 7:29-31The prophet Jeremiah condemns the 'high places' and 'graven images' in Jerusalem, showing that centuries after the time of the Judges, this same sin continued to provoke God's anger, reinforcing the historical weight of Psalms 78:58.
Romans 11:11Paul uses the concept of 'provoking to jealousy' in the context of Israel's rejection of God, showing how their actions, including straying from God's ways, led to a spiritual consequence that resonates with the provocation described in Psalms 78:58.
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…
calvinPsalms 78:52-58: "But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock."
- And he made his people to go forth like sheep, and led them in the wilderness like a flock. 53. And he conducted them in safety, and they were not afraid: and the sea covered their enemies. 54. And he brought them to his holy border, [literally to the border of his holiness,] this mountain, [353] which his right hand acquired. [354] 55. He expelled the heathen from before them;…
What's easily missed here is the intimate nature of Israel's sin. God isn't just angry; He's jealous. Their "high places" and idols weren't just wrong choices; they were acts of spiritual infidelity, betraying the covenant relationship God had established with them, like a spouse turning to a lover.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust and obey God despite His faithfulness. After conquering Canaan and settling in the land, the people, instead of wholly dedicating themselves to God, began to practice idolatry with local Canaanite customs. This verse specifically describes their relapse into worshipping at unauthorized "high places" and setting up idols, actions that deeply angered and grieved God, leading to judgment.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated failures to trust and obey God despite His faithfulness. After conquering Canaan and settling in the land, the people, instead of wholly dedicating themselves to God, began to practice idolatry with local Canaanite customs. This verse specifically describes their relapse into worshipping at unauthorized "high places" and setting up idols, actions that deeply angered and grieved God, leading to judgment.
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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.
Reign of Solomon and Temple Construction
Solomon builds the First Temple in Jerusalem, a central place for worship, but later strays into idolatry.
931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the Northern Kingdom of Israel (ten tribes) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 8th-5th century BC
Exile and Return
The Northern Kingdom falls to Assyria (722 BC), and the Southern Kingdom falls to Babylon (586 BC), with exiles eventually returning to rebuild.
"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." — What's easily missed here is the intimate nature of Israel's sin. God isn't just angry; He's jealous. Their "high places" and idols weren't just wrong choices; they were acts of spiritual infidel…
