Psalm 78 19

Psalm 78:19 kjv

Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

Psalm 78:19 nkjv

Yes, they spoke against God: They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

Psalm 78:19 niv

They spoke against God; they said, "Can God really spread a table in the wilderness?

Psalm 78:19 esv

They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

Psalm 78:19 nlt

They even spoke against God himself, saying,
"God can't give us food in the wilderness.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 19 Meaning

Psalm 78:19 captures the deep-seated unbelief and rebellious spirit of the Israelites in the wilderness. Despite having witnessed God's miraculous deliverance and provision, they openly challenged His power and willingness to sustain them. Their question, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?", expresses not an inquiry but an audacious demand, questioning the Creator's omnipotence and generosity within seemingly impossible circumstances. It highlights their limited view of God, shrinking His infinite power to the boundaries of their immediate human experience and the harshness of their environment. This was a direct test of God's ability to provide more than basic sustenance, demanding luxury and abundance where none was naturally available.

Psalm 78 19 Context

Psalm 78 is a "Maskil" or "didactic psalm," purposed for instruction, primarily for the upcoming generations of Israel. Authored by Asaph, it serves as a historical recounting of God's faithfulness to Israel from the Exodus through the time of King David, meticulously detailing their repeated cycles of rebellion, God's gracious response, and their persistent failure to heed His covenant and miracles.

Verse 19 is embedded within the detailed narration of the wilderness wanderings, specifically following accounts of God's mighty acts like parting the Red Sea (v. 13), providing water from the rock (vv. 15-16), and showering them with manna (v. 24). Despite these extraordinary demonstrations of divine power and provision, the Israelites displayed profound ingratitude and a questioning heart. This verse sets the stage for God's provision of quail, but also His subsequent judgment on their cravings and unbelief, underscoring the deep-rooted faithlessness that plagued the generation delivered from Egypt.

Psalm 78 19 Word analysis

• They spoke against God: The Hebrew vaydabberu b'Elohim (וַיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּאלֹהִים). Dabberu (spoke) indicates an active, conscious declaration. The preposition b' (in b'Elohim) here implies "against" or "concerning," denoting an attitude of accusation or challenge directly targeted at God. This wasn't merely grumbling among themselves; it was an open, impudent verbal assault on the Divine, questioning His very nature and capacity. This showed profound disrespect and spiritual rebellion, stemming from a lack of trust in His absolute authority and goodness.

• saying: The Hebrew lemor (לֵאמֹר). This is a common Hebrew conjunction that introduces direct speech, but in this context, it amplifies the deliberate nature of their rebellious statement. It underscores that what followed was a direct utterance, not a fleeting thought.

• Can God: The Hebrew Hayoekhal El (הֲיִיכַל אֵל). The initial Ha- (הַ) is an interrogative particle, signifying a question. Yoekhal comes from yakhol, meaning "to be able," "to be capable," or "to have power." El is a name for God, often emphasizing His power, might, and strength. Their "Can God?" was not a genuine inquiry seeking understanding but an expression of profound skepticism and challenge, effectively setting human limitations upon divine omnipotence. They were asserting, implicitly, that their current desperate situation was beyond even God's capacity to resolve, betraying a complete lack of faith in His boundless power.

• prepare a table: The Hebrew la'arokh shulchan (לַעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן). Arokh means "to arrange" or "to set out," implying an ordered and generous display. Shulchan means "table" and by extension, a prepared feast or banquet. This goes beyond a simple request for food for survival. They demanded an elaborate, abundant, and luxurious provision—a banquet fit for royalty, signifying comfort, excess, and an ultimate sense of satisfaction—all in a place renowned for scarcity. It illustrates their entitled spirit and ungratefulness, despite daily manna.

• in the wilderness?: The Hebrew bammidbar (בַּמִּדְבָּר). Midbar refers to the "wilderness" or "desert"—a dry, barren, hostile environment characterized by lack, danger, and severe hardship. The location is critical: by asking for a feast in such a desolate place, they highlight the perceived impossibility from a human perspective, thereby emphasizing the audacity of their challenge to God. It underscores their failure to trust God's ability to operate outside of natural human expectations and circumstances, even though He had repeatedly done so since leading them into this very wilderness.

• They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God...?': This phrase group signifies a blasphemous act. It wasn't just expressing a need, but an open accusation and defiant questioning of God's inherent capabilities and sovereign control. Their "speaking against" coupled with the skeptical "Can God?" reveals a heart hardened by unbelief, prone to doubt God's goodness and power even in the face of His undeniable presence and past miraculous deeds. This shows they had not truly internalized His power but saw it only as a means to their desires, not an end in itself.

• prepare a table in the wilderness?: This phrase captures the essence of their challenge and theological error. It represents a human-defined limit on God's power, born from their own physical discomfort and perceived impossibility. They juxtaposed an image of luxurious abundance ("table") with a place of utter barrenness ("wilderness"), implicitly mocking or challenging God to defy natural law for their pleasure. This demanding posture indicated a self-centered approach to their relationship with God, prioritizing their craving over covenant loyalty and grateful trust.

Psalm 78 19 Bonus section

• The wilderness served as a proving ground for Israel's faith, designed by God to test and reveal the true posture of their hearts (Deut 8:2-3). Their constant complaining and questioning in such an environment showcased a profound failure of this test.
• This act of "testing God" by setting conditions or doubting His ability, as Israel did here, is expressly forbidden throughout Scripture (Deut 6:16; Matt 4:7; 1 Cor 10:9). It is seen as a sign of unfaithfulness and often precedes divine judgment.
• The desire for a "table" in the wilderness contrasts sharply with God's design for manna as daily bread for humble dependence. Their demand was a sign of rebellion against the spiritual lessons of the wilderness journey and a longing for the carnal comforts of Egypt.
• The Psalm recounts this history not just as an informative narrative but as a didactic one, emphasizing God's enduring patience despite their unfaithfulness and seeking to instil fear and reverence for Him in future generations. It's a reminder that forgetting God's past works inevitably leads to present unbelief.

Psalm 78 19 Commentary

Psalm 78:19 powerfully exposes the sin of unbelief and the audacious testing of God's power. It encapsulates Israel's profound spiritual failure during the wilderness wanderings, a theme recurrent throughout biblical history. Despite witnessing the parting of the Red Sea, the consistent provision of manna, and water gushing from a rock, the Israelites succumbed to doubt rooted in their immediate discomfort and human limitations. Their question, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?" was not a request born of humble desperation, but a cynical challenge thrown at the Almighty. It signifies a refusal to acknowledge God's limitless sovereignty over natural conditions and a deep-seated ingratitude for what had already been abundantly provided. This attitude implied that God's power was insufficient for their elaborate desires or subject to their understanding of the possible. The Psalm uses this historical failure as a stern warning, urging subsequent generations and believers today to avoid hardening their hearts, testing God, or forgetting His miraculous works and covenant faithfulness, especially when faced with daunting or seemingly impossible circumstances. It's a call to profound trust in God's omnipotence and generous care, even in the "wildernesses" of our lives.