How often did they provoke him in the desert: and move him to wrath in the place without water?
כַּ֭מָּה יַמְר֣וּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר יַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּהוּ בִּֽישִׁימֽוֹן׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
They turned their hearts against God and troubled the Holy One of Israel, as stated in Psalm 77:41. The repetition captures their disbelief as previously noted. This reiteration serves to highlight the afflictions He brought upon the Egyptians for their benefit, which they were expected to recall with gratitude. Yet, what comes next? They failed to remember His mighty works on the day He delivered them from their oppressor.
This highlights the patience of God. The specifics of these occurrences can be gleaned from historical accounts, as the Israelites, during their idolatry with the golden calf or their association with Beelfegor (Psalms 105:28), sometimes sought to usurp the authority of the mighty Moses. Despite receiving sustenance in the form of manna, they were ungrateful. When instructed to take possession of the promised land, they were paralyzed by fear. Moreover, they committed numerous other offenses, which we will refrain from detailing further, choosing not to prolong the discourse.
Throughout history, one can frequently observe the depth of their wickedness. They not only caused Him suffering but also provoked His anger in the desert and in desolate lands. In moments of their desperation, when they were compelled to serve Him, they failed to humble themselves and seek His guidance through prayer.
The Prophet was astonished by the vastness and depth of the Jews' sinfulness, observing that they not only caused God distress repeatedly but did so in the wilderness, a place where they should have been most remorseful and turned their hearts towards heaven. In this barren land, deception and enticement were not possible as they were in the cities; instead, they showed arrogance and provoked Him in the ‘desolate land’ where they, in their thirst, ought to have demonstrated humility. Rather than turning towards righteousness, they instead chose to engage in further wickedness, challenging God—an act of folly to test the all-knowing—and offending ‘the Holy One of Israel,’ who is Christ. Isaiah had also proclaimed, ‘To whom shall ye liken Me, and with whom shall ye compare Me?
saith the Holy One’ (Isaiah 40:25), a prophecy that foreshadowed the cross, to which Christ also referred. The question arises: why did they not only irritate God, the Father, in the wilderness, but also provoke the Holy One of Israel, the Son? This is because the rock that accompanied them was Christ, yet they struggled to believe that He could draw water from the rock for them. Hence, Moses exclaimed, ‘Listen, you rebellious ones, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ (Numbers 20:10). In response to their disbelief, God, filled with anger, declared: ‘because ye have not believed Me, to show My holiness’ (Num. 20:12).
He reiterates the earlier statement, illustrating how the Israelites, while wandering in the desert, provoked God through countless transgressions, deserving of utter destruction had it not been for God's boundless mercy towards them. This inquiry further underscores the limitless nature of their sins. The very term wilderness evokes both the specifics of location and the context of time. Thus, the Prophet first rebukes the Israelites for their ingratitude, noting that despite being continually reminded of God's blessings, they failed to maintain their righteousness. Next, he denounces their unchecked cravings for sin, as they quickly engaged in numerous offenses. He subsequently points out that they were undeterred in their willingness to test God once more.
The phrase "we have turned" implies not improvement, but rather a continuous cycle of wrongdoing. Through the strong imagery of confinement, it is made clear how grievous it is to provoke God. The people, in their folly, attempted to impose laws upon God, effectively usurping His authority, confining Him, and limiting His infinite capabilities through the shackles of disbelief.
This Psalm attributed to David, imbued with prophetic insight, was entrusted to Asaph, the leader of the singers, so he could communicate it for the enlightenment of all regarding the countless blessings bestowed by the Almighty God upon the ungrateful lineage of the Jews. It serves as a rebuke for their ingratitude while also guiding others to express gratitude for the unfathomable compassion of God, particularly as manifested through Christ the Lord, to all who believe in His name. In this psalm, David speaks as if representing Christ, encouraging Christian believers to pay close attention to the Gospel’s teachings (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Athanasius).
While the message of this psalm was once more relevant to the Jews, it now pertains to the faithful of Christ: the old covenant symbolizes the new. The Savior calls His followers to listen attentively, warning them against suffering the same consequences as the earlier Jewish people who failed to obey God. He urges a thorough examination of the Gospel's law and encourages examining prophecy with sincerity (Chrysostom, Theodoret). Although the Jews were robust, they faltered during the trial of Christ's Passion due to their lack of faith. Particularly disloyal to God was the tribe of Ephraim, which succumbed to the idolatry of the golden calf, leading the other nine tribes into the same sin. In response to their betrayal, God stripped them of their valor: despite their prowess in archery, they succumbed to fear and retreated in battle. They were subsequently taken captive and dispersed among the nations (Theodoret). God showed mercy to the Jews, aware that they had fully surrendered to worldly wisdom and refused to repent. In His profound compassion, He did not annihilate all the Jews in the wilderness but instead spared and saved them. Humanity, being of the flesh, is prone to passions and corruption. The Spirit, having departed from man, will not return until the Second Coming.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS