Psalm 78 17

Psalm 78:17 kjv

And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

Psalm 78:17 nkjv

But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.

Psalm 78:17 niv

But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.

Psalm 78:17 esv

Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

Psalm 78:17 nlt

Yet they kept on sinning against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 17 Meaning

Psalm 78:17 conveys the Israelites' intensified sin against God, manifesting as deliberate rebellion in the wilderness despite His continuous provisions. It highlights their stubborn, additive pattern of defiance directly against the supreme authority of the Most High, even in the very environment designed for their complete reliance upon Him.

Psalm 78 17 Context

Psalm 78 is a Maskil (a didactic poem) by Asaph, serving as a historical chronicle and a warning. It meticulously recounts God's gracious dealings with Israel from the Exodus through the time of David, contrasting divine faithfulness with Israel's chronic disobedience and idolatry. Verses 12-16 describe God's miraculous provisions in the wilderness: parting the sea, guiding with a cloud by day and fire by night, providing water from a rock, and showering them with manna and quail. Psalm 78:17 directly follows this account of abundant grace and sustenance, highlighting the egregious paradox of Israel's escalating rebellion despite these tangible, continuous demonstrations of God's power and care. This particular verse points to the general pattern of rebellion seen throughout their desert wanderings, encompassing various specific incidents of murmuring, testing, and open defiance against the Lord.

Psalm 78 17 Word analysis

• But (gam - גַּם): This conjunction serves as a strong emphatic marker, often translated as "even," "also," or "yet." Here, it creates a sharp contrast, introducing a new and unexpected dimension – an intensification of sin – after detailing God's miraculous provisions. It suggests "even though" God provided, "yet they sinned."
• they sinned (chata' - חָטְאוּ): From the root chaṭa, meaning to miss the mark, err, fall short, or offend. It refers to a moral transgression, a deviation from God's standard. This term signifies not mere failure but a culpable offense against divine law and character.
• yet more (yā·saḵ-wā·yō·w-w - יָֽסְפוּ וַיּוֹסִ֤פוּ, literally "and they added" or "they continued to add"): This phrase highlights the cumulative and progressive nature of their sin. It indicates an aggravation or intensification of their misconduct; their sin was not a singular event but a continuous, escalating pattern.
• against him (lô - לֹו): This dative pronoun points to the direct object of their sin. It emphasizes that their transgression was not merely abstract wrongdoing but a personal offense and affront aimed directly at God Himself, their covenant Lord and Benefactor.
• by rebelling (lə·ha·mrō·wṯ - לְהַמְרוֹת): From the verb marah (מָרָה), meaning to be contentious, defiant, disobedient, obstinate, or bitter. This word describes an act of deliberate, stiff-necked opposition and open defiance against authority. It signifies not just failure, but an active challenge to God's will and supremacy.
• in the wilderness (ba·mid·bār - בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר): This geographical location is highly significant. The midbar was a harsh, desolate environment where human survival was impossible without divine intervention. It was meant to be a place of dependency, testing, and spiritual formation. Their rebellion here was particularly egregious as it occurred where God was most visibly demonstrating His providence and requiring absolute trust. It was where they had every opportunity to learn faithfulness, yet they repeatedly failed.
• against the Most High (‘eḏ-‘el·yō·w·n - עַל־עֶלְיֽוֹן): Elyon (עֶלְיוֹן) means "Highest" or "Most High." This title emphasizes God's supreme authority, transcendent nature, and absolute sovereignty over all creation. Rebelling "against the Most High" means their sin was directed at the ultimate, preeminent, and undisputed power in the universe, elevating the gravity and audacity of their disobedience. It speaks of a challenge to God's very being and rightful dominion.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But they sinned yet more against him": This opening clause establishes a tragic trajectory. The word "but" provides a stark contrast to the preceding verses describing God's generous provisions. "Sinned yet more" signifies an escalating pattern of transgression, suggesting that their initial sins were compounded, pointing to a persistent, aggravated rebellion that directly targeted God, despite His continuous goodness.
• "by rebelling in the wilderness": This phrase details the nature and setting of their amplified sin. "Rebelling" (marah) indicates willful, open defiance rather than accidental error. The specific context "in the wilderness" emphasizes that this rebellion occurred in the very place where God's omnipresence and provision were most critically necessary and demonstrably active. It highlights the ingratitude and spiritual blindness of a people who hardened their hearts despite supernatural care.
• "against the Most High": This concluding phrase underlines the profound severity and audacity of their rebellion. Targeting "the Most High" (Elyon) means their opposition was not against a mere human leader or earthly power, but against the supreme, sovereign, and all-powerful God of creation. This elevates their sin to the highest level of cosmic defiance, challenging divine authority itself.

Psalm 78 17 Bonus section

• The wilderness period is a crucial theological paradigm in Scripture, serving both as a type for spiritual testing and as a stark warning against persistent unbelief and disobedience. It signifies a necessary transition, where dependence on God is paramount.
• The progression in the psalm, from God's acts of salvation and provision to Israel's rebellion, underscores a fundamental theological tension: divine faithfulness contrasted with human faithlessness. This recurring pattern aims to teach future generations (Psalm 78:4-8) not to emulate their forefathers' stubbornness.
• The choice of "Most High" (Elyon) for God’s title, especially in a didactic psalm, reinforces His preeminence and omnipotence. It highlights that the Israelites' rebellion was not merely against Moses or their leadership, but directly against the supreme King of the universe, rendering their actions profoundly serious.

Psalm 78 17 Commentary

Psalm 78:17 encapsulates Israel's profound spiritual failure during their wilderness sojourn. It depicts a cycle of God's astonishing grace met with human ingratitude and escalated defiance. Despite spectacular demonstrations of divine provision—water from rock, daily manna, miraculous leading—their hearts grew harder, compounding their initial sins into open rebellion. This was not a passive failing, but an active, obstinate opposition to the God who sustained them. Their repeated murmuring and testing of God "in the wilderness"—a crucible of faith meant to humble and teach reliance—became a stage for direct affronts against His ultimate authority as the "Most High." The verse reveals the dangers of a heart unresponsive to grace, highlighting that continued sin leads to a deepening spiritual blindness and an intensifying challenge to divine sovereignty. It serves as a perpetual warning against taking God's unfailing goodness for granted and against the hardening of the heart that leads to unbelief.