Psalm 78 recounts the history of God's dealings with Israel, focusing on their repeated disobedience and God's repeated acts of deliverance and provision. Psalm 78:20 specifically references the event in the wilderness where Moses struck a rock and water miraculously flowed out to quench the Israelites' thirst (Exodus 17:5-7 and Numbers 20:8-11).
The verse expresses a rebellious questioning of God's power and willingness to provide. The Israelites, despite having witnessed the miracle of water from the rock, are still doubting God's ability to meet their needs, specifically for food (bread and meat).
Here's a breakdown of the verse's meaning:
"Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed.": This is a statement of fact, recalling the recent and undeniable miracle God performed. It should logically lead to trust in God's power.
"Can he give bread also?": This is the first part of the doubt. Despite seeing God provide water in abundance, they question whether He can provide something as simple as bread.
"Will he provide meat for his people?": This is the second, and perhaps more brazen, part of the doubt. Not only do they doubt if he can provide bread, but they wonder if he can provide meat - a more luxurious and less readily available food source in the wilderness. This shows a lack of trust and perhaps even a sense of entitlement.
In essence, the verse reveals the Israelites' ingratitude and lack of faith. Even after witnessing a clear demonstration of God's power and provision, they question His ability and willingness to meet their further needs. It highlights their tendency to forget God's past faithfulness and succumb to doubt and fear.
The verse serves as a critique of the Israelites' unbelief and a reminder of the danger of forgetting God's past acts of deliverance. It also speaks to the human tendency to doubt God's provision even after experiencing His blessings.
Psalm 78 recounts the history of God's dealings with Israel, focusing on their repeated disobedience and God's repeated acts of deliverance and provision. Psalm 78:20 specifically references the event in the wilderness where Moses struck a rock and water miraculously flowed out to quench the Israelites' thirst (Exodus 17:5-7 and Numbers 20:8-11).
The verse expresses a rebellious questioning of God's power and willingness to provide. The Israelites, despite having witnessed the miracle of water from the rock, are still doubting God's ability to meet their needs, specifically for food (bread and meat).
Here's a breakdown of the verse's meaning:
"Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed.": This is a statement of fact, recalling the recent and undeniable miracle God performed. It should logically lead to trust in God's power.
"Can he give bread also?": This is the first part of the doubt. Despite seeing God provide water in abundance, they question whether He can provide something as simple as bread.
"Will he provide meat for his people?": This is the second, and perhaps more brazen, part of the doubt. Not only do they doubt if he can provide bread, but they wonder if he can provide meat - a more luxurious and less readily available food source in the wilderness. This shows a lack of trust and perhaps even a sense of entitlement.
In essence, the verse reveals the Israelites' ingratitude and lack of faith. Even after witnessing a clear demonstration of God's power and provision, they question His ability and willingness to meet their further needs. It highlights their tendency to forget God's past faithfulness and succumb to doubt and fear.
The verse serves as a critique of the Israelites' unbelief and a reminder of the danger of forgetting God's past acts of deliverance. It also speaks to the human tendency to doubt God's provision even after experiencing His blessings.