Psalm 106 14

Psalm 106:14 kjv

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

Psalm 106:14 nkjv

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert.

Psalm 106:14 niv

In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test.

Psalm 106:14 esv

But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert;

Psalm 106:14 nlt

In the wilderness their desires ran wild,
testing God's patience in that dry wasteland.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 14 Meaning

Psalm 106:14 details two significant transgressions committed by the Israelites during their wilderness journey: an insatiable and ungodly craving for their own desires, and the act of testing God's faithfulness and power. This verse encapsulates their profound lack of trust and spiritual discontent despite divine provision and guidance, manifesting in a rebellious posture against the Holy One.

Psalm 106 14 Context

Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, part of a collection of songs known as the "Hallel" Psalms, recounting the history of Israel's rebellions against the Lord. This chapter particularly details a litany of transgressions from the Exodus journey through their entry into Canaan and subsequent idolatry, ultimately leading to their exile. The purpose is to confess national sin and to remember God's persistent grace amidst their unfaithfulness. Verse 14 specifically refers to the murmuring and craving for food beyond the provided manna in the wilderness, most notably recorded in Numbers 11, where they desired meat and challenged God's ability or willingness to provide. The setting, the harsh and desolate wilderness, highlights the depth of God's provision and the depth of Israel's ingratitude and unbelief.

Psalm 106 14 Word analysis

• But lusted exceedingly (וַיִּתְאַוּוּ תַאֲוָה, wayyitʾawwū taʾăwāh):
  • וַיִּתְאַוּוּ (wayyitʾawwū): From the root תָּאָה (taʾah), meaning "to long for, crave, desire, lust." This verb implies a strong, often inappropriate, craving or hankering. It’s in the Hithpael imperfect, indicating a reciprocal or intensive action, meaning they gave themselves over to desiring.
  • תַאֲוָה (taʾăwāh): This is a noun meaning "desire, lust, craving." Its use here as an cognate accusative (verb and noun from the same root) serves to intensely emphasize the craving, signifying an extreme, insatiable, or excessive desire. It goes beyond simple hunger to a gluttonous or unholy longing that defies God’s current provision.
  • Significance: This phrase highlights not merely a desire but an excessive, unruly, and sinful one. It suggests a complete dissatisfaction with God’s provision (manna) and a rebellious demanding for something else. This covetousness borders on idolatry, prioritizing physical appetites over spiritual contentment.
• in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר, bammidbār):
  • בַּ (ba): The preposition "in" or "in the."
  • מִדְבָּר (midbār): Refers to a wilderness, desert, or pastureland; a semi-arid, often desolate region, yet one where some life could subsist. It was the specific geographic location where God demonstrated His provision daily (manna, water) and also tested their faith.
  • Significance: The wilderness was a place of divine revelation and testing, where God sought to teach Israel dependence. Their lusting in this context shows a profound rejection of His lesson and presence, demonstrating ingratitude in the face of miraculous provision in an otherwise impossible environment.
• and tempted God (וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל, wayĕnassû ʾēl):
  • וַיְנַסּוּ (wayĕnassû): From the root נָסָה (nasah), meaning "to test, try, prove." When humans "test" God, it is typically in a negative sense, implying a challenge to His character, power, or promises, usually born out of unbelief or discontent, rather than seeking genuine understanding.
  • אֵל (ʾēl): A general but exalted Hebrew word for "God." It signifies His divine authority, power, and might.
  • Significance: This phrase denotes an act of defiant distrust. Instead of relying on God, they questioned His ability, sincerity, or care. This testing often manifested as demands for signs or provision when none were seemingly available, even after experiencing His miracles. It undermines His omnipotence and goodness.
• in the desert (בִּישִׁימוֹן, bîšîmôn):
  • בִּי (bî): The preposition "in."
  • יְשִׁימוֹן (yĕšîmôn): A term for a desolate place, wasteland, or utter wilderness; a harsher, more uninhabitable expanse than midbar.
  • Significance: The repetition of geographical terms (midbar and yeshimon) emphasizes the extreme aridity and desolation of their surroundings, serving to underscore God's continuous and incredible sustenance. Their craving and testing were therefore even more inexcusable in such a place where only divine intervention could sustain them. It highlights their perverse heart, complaining about divine grace in a place of certain death without it.

Words-group Analysis:

• "But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness": This phrase details the nature and location of their primary sin – an intense, covetous craving. This desire was not just a natural appetite but a demanding lust for something different than what God had miraculously provided, indicating profound spiritual discontent and an unwillingness to trust God’s daily sustenance in the challenging environment He led them to.
• "and tempted God in the desert": This phrase reveals the consequence and implication of their lust – it directly challenged God. Their excessive craving led them to question God’s character, power, and faithfulness. This act of "tempting" God (or putting Him to the test) demonstrates a lack of reverence and belief, demanding proof from the very Being who had already proven Himself time and again, especially in the most desolate and uninhabitable parts of the journey. The parallelism of "wilderness" and "desert" reinforces the severity of their rebellion in the very environment where they were most dependent on Him.

Psalm 106 14 Bonus section

The doubling of the root "lust" (וַיִּתְאַוּוּ תַאֲוָה) in Hebrew is a significant rhetorical device, an infinitive absolute construction. It hyperbolically intensifies the action, signifying not merely desire, but a persistent, overwhelming, and perverse longing. This linguistic choice emphasizes that Israel's sin was not a fleeting weakness but a deep-seated, insatiable craving that defined their rebellion in the wilderness, setting a pattern for their subsequent acts of disobedience and hardening of heart against the Lord. The specific reference to the wilderness/desert (midbar and yeshimon) underscores that this was God's proving ground, a setting designed to strip away self-reliance and foster total dependence, yet they failed this test repeatedly.

Psalm 106 14 Commentary

Psalm 106:14 recounts Israel's egregious sin in the wilderness, characterized by an unrestrained, gluttonous craving and a direct challenge to God's faithfulness. This passage is a poignant reminder that sin often originates not merely from need but from ungrateful desires that oppose God's perfect provision. The "lusting exceedingly" points to an insatiable appetite born of unbelief, manifesting a rebellious heart unsatisfied with divine grace. Their subsequent "tempting God" reveals a deeper spiritual flaw: questioning the very character and capability of the One who had delivered them from slavery and sustained them miraculously. In the barren wilderness, where their very existence depended entirely on God's sustaining power, their complaints and demands amounted to doubting His wisdom and goodness. This account serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of covetousness, ingratitude, and challenging God’s sovereign care, inviting believers to cultivate contentment, faith, and humility in their walk.