Psalm 78:58-59
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What's striking here is how God's reaction is framed as "jealousy." This isn't about insecurity, but about God's righteous anger when the worship and loyalty that belong to Him alone are given to idols, like a spouse whose love is betrayed. It highlights that these were not just minor transgressions, but deep betrayals that provoked God intensely.
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)
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their persistent unfaithfulness despite God's amazing deliverance and provision. After establishing them in the Promised Land, instead of wholeheartedly following God, the people began to worship local deities at illicit shrines, essentially betraying their covenant relationship with God. This verse explains their continued sinfulness during the period of the judges, right up until the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.
Ever wonder why God seemed so angry about specific places of worship? This verse points to a particular kind of sin that broke God's heart.
The verse speaks of 'high places,' which were outdoor shrines, often on hills or mountains, where people would worship other gods.
Why were they so bad?
God isn't just a distant observer; His emotions are deeply engaged with His people. This verse reveals a powerful aspect of His divine heart.
The phrase 'moved him to jealousy' is a profound way to describe God's reaction to Israel's idolatry.
Understanding Divine Jealousy
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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.
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.
This psalm looks back on Israel's history, particularly the tumultuous period of the Judges, to rebuke his contemporaries for their own persistent unfaithfulness. The verse points to the widespread practice of idolatry on 'high places' and the worship of idols, which deeply angered and grieved God, mirroring the sins of previous generations.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters Canaan
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites conquered and settled in the land of Canaan, displacing its inhabitants.
c. 1400-1050 BC— this verse
Period of the Judges
A turbulent era following Joshua's death, characterized by cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance under various leaders. This is the period highlighted by the psalm for Israel's recurring faithlessness.
c. 1050 BC
Fall of Shiloh and capture of Ark
The sanctuary at Shiloh, containing the Ark of the Covenant, was destroyed by the Philistines, symbolizing a low point of God's apparent abandonment due to Israel's sin.
c. 1010 BC
David becomes King of Israel
David unites the tribes and establishes Jerusalem as the capital, ushering in a new era of national stability and centralized worship.
This passage directly addresses God's jealousy concerning idols, explaining that He will not tolerate rivals, which directly relates to the 'moving Him to jealousy' mentioned in Psalms 78:58.
Deuteronomy 32:16This verse describes Israel's provocation of God through idolatry, paralleling the theme of 'high places' and 'graven images' in Psalms 78:58 and highlighting the concept of God's 'jealousy' over their straying affections.
1 Kings 12:31-32This passage recounts Jeroboam setting up high places and idols in Israel, a direct historical example of the sin described in Psalms 78:58 and its deliberate, organized nature.
Ezekiel 16:38This verse uses the metaphor of adultery to describe Israel's idolatry, powerfully illustrating the 'jealousy' God feels when His people turn to other 'lovers,' similar to the spiritual betrayal detailed in Psalms 78:58.
Romans 10:2While on the surface this verse speaks of zeal for God, it also highlights the danger of a misplaced or misinformed passion, which can be a parallel to the Israelites' misguided zeal for their high places and idols, a form of 'provoking' God.
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 striking here is how God's reaction is framed as "jealousy." This isn't about insecurity, but about God's righteous anger when the worship and loyalty that belong to Him alone are given to idols, like a spouse whose love is betrayed. It highlights that these were not just minor transgressions, but deep betrayals that provoked God intensely.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their persistent unfaithfulness despite God's amazing deliverance and provision. After establishing them in the Promised Land, instead of wholeheartedly following God, the people began to worship local deities at illicit shrines, essentially betraying their covenant relationship with God. This verse explains their continued sinfulness during the period of the judges, right up until the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their persistent unfaithfulness despite God's amazing deliverance and provision. After establishing them in the Promised Land, instead of wholeheartedly following God, the people began to worship local deities at illicit shrines, essentially betraying their covenant relationship with God. This verse explains their continued sinfulness during the period of the judges, right up until the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.
"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 striking here is how God's reaction is framed as "jealousy." This isn't about insecurity, but about God's righteous anger when the worship and loyalty that belong to Him alone are given to ido…
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Last reviewed October 2026
