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Psalm 78:31

when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel.

30They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
31when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel.
32For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.
33Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
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← Psalm 78:30Psalm 78:32 →
Notice

Israel's strongest men die under God's anger, making this account of satisfied cravings a sobering challenge to confidence in human strength.

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

What troubles you about God's anger reaching even the strongest men of Israel?

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How does the food still in their mouths shape your reading of this judgment?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

4 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
Job 15:27because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.The shared thread is limited to bodily description: Job names fatness, while the psalm names strength and death under God's anger.
Psalm 22:29All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive.Both passages show the limits of human life before God: strength cannot prevent judgment, and no one can keep his soul alive.
Ephesians 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.Both texts speak of God's wrath, with the psalm recounting deaths in Israel and Ephesians warning of wrath upon the disobedient.
Psalm 78:21Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,Both verses describe God's anger going up against Israel, with fire named in verse 21 and deaths in verse 31.
Where this verse fits

Sermon or Bible study notes. temptation.

What the Bible says about temptation →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read verses 29–32 and mark what follows being filled

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Encouragement

This account names God's judgment in Israel's history; it gives no grounds for treating every death as punishment. Even Israel's strongest remained under God's authority.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 78:31. 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).