Psalms 78:40

78:39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! provoke: or, rebel against

KJV

How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

What does Psalms 78:40 mean?

Psalms 78:40 is a verse in the book of Psalms, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include מָה (mâh), מָרָה (mârâh), מִדְבָּר (midbâr).

Hebrew interlinear

Howמָהmâh/maw/H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses

oft

did

they

provokeמָרָהmârâh/maw-raw'/H4784to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively, to provoke)

him

the

wilderness,מִדְבָּרmidbâr/mid-bawr'/H4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)

and

grieveעָצַבʻâtsab/aw-tsab'/H6087properly, to carve, i.e. fabricate or fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger

him

the

desert!יְשִׁימוֹןyᵉshîymôwn/yesh-ee-mone'/H3452a desolation

provoke:

or,

rebel

against

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Psalms 78:40.

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 63:10

But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

Psalms 106:14

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. lusted: Heb. lusted a lust

Psalms 107:4

They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

Frequently asked questions

What does Psalms 78:40 say?

Psalms 78:40 (King James Version) reads: "How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! provoke: or, rebel against"

Is Psalms 78:40 in the Old or New Testament?

Psalms 78:40 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Psalms.

Reflect

As you read Psalms 78:40, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Psalms 78:40 →

← 78:39 78:41 →