Psalm 95:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

NIV: "Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,

NASB: Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, As on the day of Massah in the wilderness,

CSB: Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness

NLT: The Lord says, 'Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.

KJV: Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

NKJV: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

Following God with trust and obedience results in blessing (Deuteronomy 30:19–20; Proverbs 10:27–28; John 15:1–11). That may not always mean happiness on earth (John 16:33). But when the Lord gives us direction, our best option is to follow His lead (Psalm 23:1–3). Rejecting Him out of stubbornness leads to disaster. The psalmist has encouraged people to worship God in humility (Psalm 95:6). The alternative would be a hard-hearted rejection of His will.

Examples of this obstinate disobedience occurred when Israel left Egypt and traveled towards the Promised Land. The names Meribah and Massah mean "quarrelling" and "testing." These two names were given to Rephidim. There, the people bitterly complained about God not providing for them (Exodus 17:1–7). This came after He had already given them water (Exodus 15:22–26) and miraculously provided them with food (Exodus 16:2–3, 12–14). This same attitude was displayed when the people refused to move forward into Canaan once they arrived at the border (Numbers 14:1–4). As a result, God punished Israel with forty years of wandering (Psalm 95:10), barring an entire generation from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:28–32; Psalm 95:11).

The book of Hebrews uses this part of the psalm to encourage believers towards obedience, rather than fearful stubbornness (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15; 4:3–7).

Psalm 95:8–11 refers to the incident recorded in Exodus 17, and potentially a similar incident in Numbers 20. Despite all the Lord had done for Israel, the people "tested" Him with doubt. A similar obstinate lack of trust arose when the nation was supposed to take the Promised Land (Numbers 13—14). For this, God denied His "rest" to an entire generation of Israelites. The book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15, 4:3–7) applies this idea to show that even saved believers can experience a loss of divine fellowship and blessing when we doubt and resist God's Word.

The psalm begins with a call to worship, gratitude, and celebration of the Lord. God is great and a great King above all gods. He rules over the oceans and lands, which He created. The psalmist then turns to a warning about a time when Israel resisted the Lord's leadership. That entire generation was denied God's "rest," including being barred from entering the Promised Land.

"Enthronement" psalms make up this portion of Scripture. Because they speak of God's rule, they are also labelled "theocratic." Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96—99 have similar themes. These songs anticipate the Lord God ruling over the entire world. This perspective often aims at the future when the Messiah Jesus will personally oversee earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). The last portion of the song is quoted in the New Testament book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15, 4:3–7).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.