Psalm 78 58

Psalm 78:58 kjv

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

Psalm 78:58 nkjv

For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

Psalm 78:58 niv

They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols.

Psalm 78:58 esv

For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.

Psalm 78:58 nlt

They angered God by building shrines to other gods;
they made him jealous with their idols.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 58 Meaning

Psalm 78:58 describes the unfaithfulness of the Israelites following their inheritance of the Promised Land. They aroused God's indignation by establishing illegal places of worship known as "high places" where pagan rites or illicit forms of Yahwistic worship were conducted. They also provoked His divine zeal by bowing down to "carved images," thereby engaging in idolatry and breaking His covenant. This verse encapsulates their repeated turning away from the Lord to foreign gods and practices, incurring divine judgment.

Psalm 78 58 Context

Psalm 78 is a Maskil (instructive poem) by Asaph, serving as a didactic historical recount of Israel's relationship with God from the Exodus through the establishment of Davidic kingship. The psalm meticulously chronicles God's wondrous works and unwavering faithfulness alongside Israel's persistent rebellion, idolatry, and forgetfulness of His covenant.

Verse 58 specifically falls within the section (Ps 78:56-64) detailing the period after Israel entered the Promised Land and settled in Canaan. Having driven out some of the inhabitants and possessed their land (v. 55), the Israelites "tested and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not keep his testimonies" (v. 56). Verse 58 highlights a core aspect of their rebellion: their immediate embrace of the idolatrous practices of the very nations they were meant to dispossess. Their building of "high places" and worship of "carved images" directly violated the Mosaic Law and the first two commandments given at Sinai (Ex 20:3-5). This provoked God's righteous anger and jealousy, leading to the divine judgment described in the following verses, such as the abandonment of the tabernacle at Shiloh (v. 60) and the devastating defeat by the Philistines. The psalmist implies a polemic against syncretistic worship (blending Yahwism with Canaanite cults) and the practice of high places, contrasting it with God's demand for exclusive, pure worship.

Psalm 78 58 Word analysis

• For they provoked him to anger: הַכְעִיסוּהוּ (hakh'iysuhu). This is the Hiphil form of the verb כָּעַס (ka'as), meaning "to cause anger," "to irritate," "to vex." It implies an active and deliberate action on Israel's part to arouse God's indignation. God's anger here is not a capricious human emotion but a holy, righteous response to covenant disloyalty and affront to His purity.
• with their high places: בְּבָמוֹתָם (bəbāmōṯām). Bamot (high places) refers to elevated sites or artificial mounds where worship, often idolatrous or illicit, took place. In Israel, these were primarily sites of Canaanite worship (e.g., of Baal, Asherah) but were frequently adopted by Israelites for syncretistic worship, mixing elements of Yahwism with pagan rituals. Despite commands to destroy them (Dt 12:2-3), they persisted throughout much of Israel's history as centers of rebellion against the prescribed centralized worship at the tabernacle/Temple.
• and moved him to jealousy: וַיַּקְנִיאֻהוּ (vayyaqn'i'uhu). This is the Hiphil of קָנָא (qana), meaning "to cause zeal" or "to cause jealousy." Divine jealousy (as seen in Ex 34:14, Dt 4:24) is not envy in the human sense, but an attribute of God's holy character. It is His righteous, intense possessiveness and zeal for the exclusive devotion of His covenant people. Any turning to other gods is seen as spiritual adultery, triggering His fervent desire for their faithful love.
• with their carved images: בִּפְסִילֵיהֶם (biphəsiyleyhem). Pesilim refers to "carved images" or "graven images," typically idols made from wood, stone, or metal. This term specifically refers to something fashioned by human hands to be worshipped, directly violating the second commandment. The creation and worship of such images symbolized Israel's reliance on human constructs rather than on the invisible, transcendent God of Israel.

Words-group analysis:

• "Provoked him to anger... moved him to jealousy": These parallel phrases emphasize the profound offense of Israel's actions against God. They highlight two complementary divine responses to idolatry: righteous anger stemming from transgression, and zealous jealousy stemming from betrayed covenant love and exclusive devotion.
• "high places" and "carved images": These two terms encompass the primary means of Israel's idolatrous rebellion. "High places" points to illicit places of worship, often associated with syncretism and abominable rituals, while "carved images" denotes the idols themselves—the objects of forbidden worship that replaced the true God. Together, they represent a wholesale abandonment of God's law regarding both the "where" and the "how" of worship.

Psalm 78 58 Bonus section

The consistent use of the Hiphil (causative) stem for both "provoked to anger" (הכעיסו) and "moved to jealousy" (ויקניאו) is grammatically significant. It stresses that Israel caused these reactions in God. It wasn't merely that God became angry, but that Israel actively provoked Him. This highlights human agency and accountability for their sin. The psalmist's historical recounting is not simply factual but interpretative, drawing out the theological meaning of Israel's repeated backsliding as a direct affront to God's character and covenant. This deepens the lament over their unfaithfulness and underscores the depth of their rebellion. The recurring cycle of sin and divine discipline throughout Psalm 78, often rooted in forgetting God's past mercies and power (e.g., Ps 78:42), acts as a stern warning against the insidious nature of spiritual amnesia and idolatry.

Psalm 78 58 Commentary

Psalm 78:58 serves as a concise indictment of Israel's perennial struggle with idolatry following their entrance into the Promised Land. The "high places" and "carved images" represent the pervasive challenge of Canaanite religion that often intertwined with, and ultimately corrupted, the worship of Yahweh. The divine responses – anger and jealousy – underscore God's unwavering holiness and His covenantal expectation of exclusive loyalty. God's "anger" reflects His just response to transgression against His righteous laws, while His "jealousy" demonstrates His zealous demand for the undivided affection of His people, like a husband demanding fidelity from his wife. This verse powerfully encapsulates the recurring pattern in Israel's history: divine provision and faithfulness met with human rebellion and idolatry, leading to inevitable divine discipline. It is a timeless reminder that deviation from God's commands, especially concerning worship, deeply grieves Him and invites His judgment, as illustrated by the subsequent destruction of the sanctuary at Shiloh (Ps 78:60).

Practical usage examples:

• It serves as a cautionary tale: Do we set up "high places" in our own lives (e.g., places or pursuits we prioritize over God, seeking satisfaction elsewhere)?
• It questions our worship: Are we tempted by "carved images" (modern idols like money, status, comfort, self) that divert our worship and allegiance from the living God?
• It emphasizes God's holiness: Our Lord is a jealous God who deserves our exclusive devotion; anything less provokes His righteous jealousy.