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Psalm 78:18

They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.

16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.
19Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
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← Psalm 78:17Psalm 78:19 →
Notice

Food becomes a test of God in this account, where the words “in their heart” draw attention to the desire behind the request.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What distinguishes Israel’s request for food here from a request made in trust?

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What do the streams from the rock add to your reading of their demand for food?

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Where, if anywhere, might a desired answer become your measure of God’s care?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

12 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 78 identifies beneath Israel’s request for food.
1 Corinthians 10:9Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.Both passages describe people testing God, with Corinthians warning against testing Christ and naming the deadly consequences.
1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.Both passages address desire opposed to God, though John describes worldly lust and pride rather than Israel’s request for food.
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?”Requests for food in the psalm and water in Exodus become occasions for testing God.
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?Both passages describe Israel’s desire for food, with Numbers naming meat as the object of their craving.
Deuteronomy 6:16You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah.Deuteronomy forbids tempting God and recalls Massah; Psalm 78 describes Israel tempting God through their request for food.
Psalm 105:40They asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of the sky.Both psalms recount requests for food, but Psalm 105 emphasizes God’s provision while Psalm 78 exposes the testing behind the request.
Hebrews 3:8don’t harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of the trial in the wilderness,Both passages locate rebellion in the heart, within the setting of Israel’s wilderness testing.
Psalm 106:14–15but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.Both psalms link Israel’s craving in the desert with testing God.
1 Corinthians 10:6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.Both passages treat the people’s desire as a warning, with Corinthians urging readers against lusting after evil things.
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 mention desired goods, though Revelation describes their loss rather than a request that tests God.
James 4:2–3You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.Both address desire and asking, though James describes people who fail to ask rather than people whose asking tests God.
Where this verse fits

Temptation. envy and comparison. sermon or Bible study notes.

What the Bible says about temptation →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read Psalm 78:16–20 before one meal this week

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Encouragement

This warning leaves room to examine what lies behind a request. God had already supplied water in the desert; their desire for food became a test of him.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 78:18. 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 78 · 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).