Tempting God in Their Heart - Psalms 78:18

In Psalms chapter seventy-eight Asaph said concerning Jehovah God, “Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness”, and in chapter seventy-eight and verse eighteen of Psalms Asaph said, “they tempted God in their heart” where we read,

And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

The verse begins, “And they tempted God in their heart ...” Asaph began with the words, “and they tempted God” or “and they, the people of Israel, tested, assayed and attempted to prove the Divine judge, ruler and Supreme God” “in their heart” which means “within their souls, minds, understanding, knowledge, thinking, reflections, memory, inclination, resolution, determination, conscience and seat of appetites and passions”. Asaph said the people of Israel tested Jehovah God within their souls and minds.

The verse goes on to say, “... by asking meat for their lust.” Asaph continued with the words, “by asking meat” or “through the means of begging, seeking and requesting prey or victuals” “for their lust” which means “as a provision for their, the people of Israel's, desires, appetites, emotions and passions”. Asaph said the people of Israel “tempted God” by begging for prey to satisfy the desires of their souls.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we see how Asaph recalled the time when the people of Israel were in the wilderness and were dissatisfied with the manna God provided every day. They wanted “meat” to satisfy their bodies and souls, and they tested God with their appetites. (See Exodus 16) In other words, they were displeased with God's provision for them, and were discontent with what He supplied. God knows the passions and desires of mankind, and He knows when they are disgruntled with Him. This is sin, and for this reason God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to be content with such as we have. (See Hebrews 13:5)

Next time Asaph asks, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".