Psalm 78 20

Psalm 78:20 kjv

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

Psalm 78:20 nkjv

Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?"

Psalm 78:20 niv

True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?"

Psalm 78:20 esv

He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?"

Psalm 78:20 nlt

Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
but he can't give his people bread and meat."

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 20 Meaning

Psalm 78:20 encapsulates the audacious unbelief of the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, despite having just witnessed a stupendous miracle. The verse recounts God's powerful provision of abundant water from a struck rock, yet immediately highlights their subsequent skeptical questioning of His ability to provide food (bread and meat). It portrays human ingratitude and a profound limitation of God's omnipotence in the face of His undeniable faithfulness.

Psalm 78 20 Context

Psalm 78 is a Maskil (a didactic psalm) of Asaph, intended to teach future generations about God's faithfulness and Israel's consistent rebellion. It functions as a historical review, tracing Israel's journey from the Exodus through the wilderness and judges' period, up to the establishment of David's kingship. The central theme is the tension between God's gracious and powerful acts of deliverance and provision, and Israel's recurring pattern of rebellion, testing, and unbelief, particularly marked by their forgetfulness of His past mercies.

Verse 20 falls within the section describing the wilderness wanderings. It immediately follows the miraculous provision of water from the rock at Rephidim (Exod 17), setting the stage for the subsequent accounts of God providing manna and quail. This verse starkly contrasts God's magnificent, proven power with the audacious ingratitude and narrow-minded skepticism of His chosen people, who doubted His capacity for further provision despite fresh evidence of His omnipotence.

Psalm 78 20 Word analysis

• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinnēh): An emphatic particle used to draw attention to something remarkable, wonderful, or important. Here, it underscores the astonishing nature of God's act and the dramatic contrast that follows.

• he struck (הִכָּה - hikka): From the verb נָכָה (nakah), "to strike," "to hit." This implies a forceful and decisive action, pointing to God's immediate and powerful response to Israel's need, using Moses as His instrument.

• the rock (צּוּר - tsur): Refers to the physical bedrock in the wilderness. Biblically, tsur also frequently describes God Himself as a refuge, strength, or foundation (e.g., Deut 32:4, Psa 18:2), foreshadowing His own life-giving provision.

• so that waters (וַיָּזֻבוּ מַיִם - vayyāzuvū mayim):

  • gushed out (וַיָּזֻבוּ - vayyāzuvū): From the verb זָוַב (zuv), "to flow," "to stream forth." This is not a slow trickle, but a dynamic, bursting forth of water, indicating abundant and immediate provision.
  • waters (mayim): Essential for life in a desert environment, symbolizing sustenance and the miraculous.

• and streams overflowed (וּנְחָלִים יִשְׁטֹפוּ - unẖālīm yišṭop̄ū):

  • streams (נְחָלִים - nechalim): Often refers to wadis, which are typically dry riverbeds that become torrents during rains. Here, it signifies not just a single spring, but a sustained, river-like flow, emphasizing the vastness of the provision.
  • overflowed (יִשְׁטֹפוּ - yišṭop̄ū): From the verb שָׁטַף (shaṭaph), "to flood," "to wash over." This denotes an excessive abundance, far more than was strictly necessary, highlighting God's generosity.

• Can he give bread also? (הַגַּם־לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת - hag·gam-leḥem yūḵal tēt):

  • Can he... also? (הַגַּם - hag·gam): An interrogative particle indicating doubt or challenge. The "also" is critical, linking this doubt directly to the previous undeniable miracle. It’s an act of limiting God despite His clear demonstration.
  • bread (לֶחֶם - lechem): General term for food, typically a staple like grain. Here, specifically referring to the manna, God's provision from heaven. Their question exposes a disbelief that God could shift the mode of His provision.

• Can he provide meat for his people? (אִם־יָכִין שְׁאֵר לְעַמּוֹ - im-yāḵīn šĕ’ēr lĕ‘ammô):

  • Can he provide (אִם־יָכִין - im-yāḵīn): Another expression of doubt, deepening the challenge to God's capability and trustworthiness. "Is he able to prepare/furnish?"
  • meat (שְׁאֵר - šĕ’ēr): Flesh, referring specifically to the quails provided. This demand for meat signifies not just a need, but a desire for a luxury beyond basic survival, pushing their unbelief to new levels.
  • for his people (לְעַמּוֹ - lĕ‘ammô): Emphasizes the relationship: they are His people, under His covenant. Their persistent questioning undermines this very relationship of trust and dependence.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out and streams overflowed.": This segment describes a past, verifiable, and extremely generous act of God's power. It highlights the direct, undeniable evidence of His ability to provide miraculously, even from seemingly impossible sources, and in great abundance.
  • "Can he give bread also? Can he provide meat for his people?": This section reveals a profound spiritual blindness and ingratitude. Despite the dramatic evidence of water from a rock, they limit God's power by doubting His ability to provide different necessities. The progression from basic sustenance (bread) to more luxurious food (meat) indicates not just a need, but a complaining desire and an increasing level of dissatisfaction and spiritual testing. It represents the audacious challenge from His covenant people to their omnipotent God.

Psalm 78 20 Bonus section

• The Israelite's skepticism in Psalm 78:20 illustrates a common human fault: assuming God's power is limited to specific areas or types of miracles, rather than encompassing all of life's provisions.
• This specific instance of "testing" God (Exod 17:7) demonstrates a hardening of hearts that, as seen later in Hebrews, ultimately prevents entry into God's rest (Heb 3:7-19).
• The progression from water (immediate necessity for survival) to bread (daily sustenance) and then to meat (a desired luxury beyond basic need) highlights a worsening spiral of discontent and demands rather than trust and patience.
• The Psalm ultimately serves as a call for future generations (including us) to learn from Israel's mistakes and not forget God's faithfulness, cultivating a heart of gratitude and unwavering trust.

Psalm 78 20 Commentary

Psalm 78:20 stands as a stark testament to the profound spiritual amnesia and ingratitude of the Israelites. The psalmist dramatically recounts God's recent, undeniable miracle of extracting abundant water from a solid rock—a supernatural act demonstrating limitless power and overflowing provision. Yet, almost immediately following this magnificent display, the very people who benefited questioned His capacity for further provision. Their inquiry, "Can he give bread also? Can he provide meat for his people?", is not a humble plea but a bold, cynical challenge, revealing a deep-seated lack of trust in God’s ongoing care.

This verse lays bare the human tendency to limit God based on past experiences, rather than His inherent character. They could only conceive of water from a rock; providing manna from heaven or meat in the desert was apparently beyond their conceptualization of His power. It reflects a fundamental failure to grasp that the God who provides for one need is capable of providing for all. The inclusion of "for his people" underscores the tragic irony: the people blessed by a unique covenant with an all-powerful God responded with skepticism rather than faith. This serves as a timeless warning against confining God within the boundaries of our understanding or prior experience, urging us to trust His limitless capacity and unchanging faithfulness in every circumstance.