Psalms 78:56
Psalms 78:56 in Multiple Translations
But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And kept not his testimonies;
But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;
But they provoked God Most High, rebelling against him. They did not follow what he had told them.
Yet they tempted, and prouoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies,
And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And His testimonies have not kept.
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep his testimonies,
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
However, the Israeli people rebelled against God, who is greater than any other god, and they did many evil things to see if they could do those things without God punishing them, and they did not obey his commandments.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 78:56
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 78:56 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יְנַסּ֣וּ
וַ֭/יַּמְרוּ
אֶת
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
עֶלְי֑וֹן
וְ֝/עֵדוֹתָ֗י/ו
לֹ֣א
שָׁמָֽרוּ
וַ/יְנַסּ֣וּ
nâçâh
H5254
to test
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3mp
וַ֭/יַּמְרוּ
mârâh
H4784
to rebel
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp
עֶלְי֑וֹן
ʻelyôwn
H5945
high
Adj
וְ֝/עֵדוֹתָ֗י/ו
ʻêdâh
H5713
witness
Conj | N-fp | Suff
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
שָׁמָֽרוּ
shâmar
H8104
to keep
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 78:56
וַ/יְנַסּ֣וּ
nâçâh
H5254
"to test"
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to test or try something, often to prove its worth or character. It is used in stories like Job, where God allows Satan to test Job's faith. The idea of testing is also seen in the wilderness, where the Israelites were tested by God.
Definition: : test 1) to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to test, try 1a2) to attempt, assay, try 1a3) to test, try, prove, tempt
Usage: Occurs in 34 OT verses. KJV: adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try. See also: Genesis 22:1; Judges 6:39; Psalms 26:2.
וַ֭/יַּמְרוּ
mârâh
H4784
"to rebel"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp
To rebel means to resist or disobey authority, often in a stubborn or defiant way. In the Bible, it's used to describe people's disobedience towards God or their parents.
Definition: 1) to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be disobedient towards, be rebellious against 1a) (Qal) to be disobedient, be rebellious 1a1) towards father 1a2) towards God 1b) (Hiphil) to show rebelliousness, show disobedience, disobey
Usage: Occurs in 44 OT verses. KJV: bitter, change, be disobedient, disobey, grievously, provocation, provoke(-ing), (be) rebel (against, -lious). See also: Numbers 20:10; Psalms 78:17; Psalms 5:11.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
עֶלְי֑וֹן
ʻelyôwn
H5945
"high"
Adj
The Most High, a name for God emphasizing His supreme power and authority. It appears in Psalm 57:2, where David cries out to the Most High God for help, showing trust in God's power. This name highlights God's lofty position above all things.
Definition: adj 1) high, upper 1a) of Davidic king exalted above monarchs
Usage: Occurs in 53 OT verses. KJV: (Most, on) high(-er, -est), upper(-most). See also: Genesis 14:18; Psalms 47:3; Psalms 7:18.
וְ֝/עֵדוֹתָ֗י/ו
ʻêdâh
H5713
"witness"
Conj | N-fp | Suff
This word refers to a divine testimony or witness, always in the plural form, and is used to describe God's laws. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy, emphasizing God's instructions. The word is about God's guidance.
Definition: testimony, witness
Usage: Occurs in 25 OT verses. KJV: testimony, witness. Compare H5712 (עֵדָה). See also: Genesis 21:30; Psalms 119:24; Psalms 25:10.
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
שָׁמָֽרוּ
shâmar
H8104
"to keep"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Definition: : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded 1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed 1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
Usage: Occurs in 440 OT verses. KJV: beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man). See also: Genesis 2:15; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Kings 14:8.
Study Notes — Psalms 78:56
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 78:56 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:56
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:56
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:56
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:56
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:56
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:56
- Sermons on Psalms 78:56
Context — I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
54He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
55He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
57They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow. 58They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 2:11–12 | And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 32:15–21 | But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear. You ignored the Rock who brought you forth; you forgot the God who gave you birth. When the LORD saw this, He rejected them, provoked to anger by His sons and daughters. He said: “I will hide My face from them; I will see what will be their end. For they are a perverse generation— children of unfaithfulness. They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding. |
| 3 | Psalms 78:40–41 | How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel. |
| 4 | 2 Kings 17:7–23 | All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.” Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and themselves became worthless, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained, and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced. So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence. When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin. The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them. Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 16:15–26 | But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking. You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred! You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself. You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them. And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD. You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols. And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood. Woe! Woe to you, declares the Lord GOD. And in addition to all your other wickedness, you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square. At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by. You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger. |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 31:16–20 | And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest with your fathers, and these people will rise up and prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake Me and break the covenant I have made with them. On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them. On that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’ And on that day I will surely hide My face because of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods. Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them. When I have brought them into the land that I swore to give their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper. Then they will turn to other gods and worship them, and they will reject Me and break My covenant. |
| 7 | Nehemiah 9:25–26 | They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness. But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies. |
Psalms 78:56 Summary
[Psalms 78:56 tells us that the Israelites tested and disobeyed God, even after He had brought them into the promised land and given them many blessings. This verse reminds us that disobeying God's commands can have serious consequences, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:15. We can learn from the Israelites' mistake by seeking to obey God's commands, as stated in John 14:15, and trusting in His power and wisdom, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6. By doing so, we can avoid the temptation to test or doubt God, and instead live a life of faith and trust in Him.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'test' God in Psalms 78:56?
To test God means to challenge His power, wisdom, or goodness, as seen in Exodus 17:2 and Deuteronomy 6:16, where the Israelites doubted His provision and care for them.
Why did the Israelites disobey God's decrees in this verse?
The Israelites disobeyed God's decrees because of their own sinful nature and lack of faith, as stated in Romans 3:23, which says that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
What are the consequences of disobeying God's decrees?
The consequences of disobeying God's decrees can be severe, as seen in Psalms 78:56-58, where the Israelites faced God's judgment and wrath due to their disobedience, and as warned in Deuteronomy 28:15, which lists the curses that will come upon those who disobey God's commands.
How can we apply the lesson of Psalms 78:56 to our own lives?
We can apply the lesson of Psalms 78:56 by recognizing the importance of obeying God's commands, as stated in John 14:15, and seeking to live a life of faith and trust in Him, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I may be testing or disobeying God in my own life, and how can I repent and turn back to Him?
- How can I cultivate a deeper trust in God's power and wisdom, and avoid the temptation to test or doubt Him?
- What are some of God's decrees or commands that I may be neglecting or disobeying, and how can I make a conscious effort to obey them?
- How can I learn from the example of the Israelites in Psalms 78:56, and avoid making the same mistakes in my own life?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:56
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God,.... After the death of Joshua, and in the times of the judges, by worshipping and serving the gods of the nations, and forsaking the Lord their God,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:56
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: -Israel's unfaithfulness in the time of the Judges caused God to forsake the tabernacle of Shiloh, and brought down other sore judgments. Verse 56.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:56
Psalms 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:Ver. 56. Yet they tempted and provoked, &c.] Neither God’ s judgments on their enemies nor his mercies to themselves could keep them within the bounds of obedience; but in a land of uprightness they would deal unjustly, and not behold the majesty of the Lord, Isaiah 26:10.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:56
56–58. The unfaithfulness of Israel in Canaan during the period of the Judges.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:56
Yet they tempted and provoked ... - They tried the patience of God, and provoked him to anger after they were peaceably settled in the promised land. See Judges 2:10-13.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:56
56. Yet they tempted… God—Profiting nothing by the nation’s experience in the wilderness, the people now repeat the follies and incur the punishments of their forefathers.
Sermons on Psalms 78:56
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
How God Provided for the Children of Israel by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses how God provided for the children of Israel during their time in the wilderness. He focuses on the story of Moses striking the rock to |
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Birth of the New World Order by Michael Coffman | The video mentioned in the sermon transcript is called "Waco, the Rules of Engagement." It tells the story of a government attack on a group of peaceable people who were Christians |
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Bristol Conference 1976-13 Studies in the Judges by Bob Clark | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the historical context of the Israelites and their relationship with God. He emphasizes that God would discipline them when they failed to e |
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From the Death of Moses to the Death of Eli by Flavius Josephus | Flavius Josephus recounts the period after the death of Joshua, where the Israelites faced challenges due to their disobedience and neglect of God's laws. The tribe of Benjamin fac |
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The Tragedy of Third Generation Religion by Paris Reidhead | Paris Reidhead preaches on the tragedy of third-generation religion, using Judges chapter 2 to illustrate how the Israelites turned to idols despite witnessing God's miracles. He e |
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When Tears Come to a Religious Man's House by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on a story from Luke Chapter 7 where Jesus is dining at the house of a man named Simon. The preacher highlights how Simon, a religious man, fai |
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Isaiah (Part 1) - Introduction by Ron Bailey | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that God does not shy away from hopeless cases, despite our limited resources and narrow hearts. He highlights how God speaks to nations and |