Read
Psalm 106:14
but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.
12Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.
13They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel,
14but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.
15He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.
16They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, the LORD’s saint.
Notice
Craving in the desert follows songs of praise, exposing how a remembered rescue can fade when present wants begin to govern trust in God.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What stands out to you about the turn from singing God’s praise to testing him?
Write on thisWhere might a present craving be crowding out remembrance of what God has done?
Write on thisConnect
Where else Scripture says this
11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Matthew 4:7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”Jesus forbids testing God, the very act Psalm 106 names alongside the people’s surrender to craving.
1 Corinthians 10:9Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.Both passages describe people testing God; Paul warns against testing Christ and names the deadly consequences some suffered.
Numbers 11:4The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly; and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?Numbers describes the craving for meat among the people, while the psalm names craving as part of their wilderness rebellion.
Exodus 17:2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”Both passages name testing God in connection with the people’s demands, with Exodus recording their quarrel over water.
1 Corinthians 10:6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.Paul treats the people’s wrongful desires as a warning, matching the psalm’s account of giving in to craving.
Luke 4:12Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”Jesus rejects tempting God, while the psalm records the people putting God to the test in the wasteland.
Hebrews 3:8don’t harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of the trial in the wilderness,Both recall rebellion in the wilderness, with Hebrews warning against the hardness of heart associated with that testing.
Deuteronomy 14:26You shall trade the money for whatever your soul desires: for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you. …Both speak of desire, though Deuteronomy describes permitted enjoyment before God and the psalm describes craving joined to testing him.
Revelation 18:14The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you. All things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more …Both passages name intense desire; the psalm describes surrender to craving, while Revelation describes desired riches being lost.
Numbers 14:22because all those men who have seen my glory and my signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not …Both describe people testing God in the wilderness, with Numbers stressing that they had already seen his works.
Psalm 78:40–41How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!Both psalms recall rebellion against God in the desert, with Psalm 78 naming the grief their rebellion caused him.
Where this verse fits
Temptation. waiting. guilt and confession.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Take time to examine what you want without treating every desire as suspect. Here, the warning concerns giving in to craving and putting God to the test.
Now put it in your words.
Start an entry on Psalm 106:14. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.
Keep goingPsalm 106 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).