They allowed the allure of forbidden worship to undermine their relationship with the true and living God.
For they provoked Him with their high places And aroused His jealousy with their graven images. (v.58) This verse, composed by Asaph (a Levite musician who served during King David’s reign, around 1010-970 BC), illustrates how the Israelites turned from worshiping the LORD alone to adopting pagan rites. Psalm 78 as a whole recounts Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness to God despite His constant acts of deliverance and care. Here, “provoked Him” indicates that the people’s behavior stirred up God’s righteous displeasure because they disregarded the covenant meant to keep them in fellowship with their Redeemer (see also references throughout the Old Testament that warn about straying into idolatry).
The phrase their high places was often used in Scripture to refer to shrines on elevated terrains dedicated to false gods, where people offered sacrifices that conflicted with loyal worship of the LORD. Establishing these alternate worship centers not only disobeyed God’s command but also demonstrated Israel’s reliance on pagan practices to secure blessings. Meanwhile, the term graven images describes idols carved by human hands—an act that reduces the infinite Creator to a mere physical representation and undercuts His rightful place as sovereign. The text says God’s “jealousy” was aroused, conveying the divine passion to guard what is His—namely, the exclusive devotion of His people.
Idolatry lies at the heart of this verse’s warning: constructing false gods, worshiping them, and placing trust in these hand-made objects ignites God’s righteous jealousy (Exodus 20:4-5). In the New Testament, we see this same principle carried forward as Jesus teaches the supreme importance of loving God wholeheartedly (Matthew 22:37). Turning away from Him to any sort of idol—be it a physical “graven image” or a misplaced priority—demonstrates the same underlying unbelief and rebellion that Psalm 78 laments in ancient Israel.
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Psalms 78:58 meaning
For they provoked Him with their high places And aroused His jealousy with their graven images. (v.58) This verse, composed by Asaph (a Levite musician who served during King David’s reign, around 1010-970 BC), illustrates how the Israelites turned from worshiping the LORD alone to adopting pagan rites. Psalm 78 as a whole recounts Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness to God despite His constant acts of deliverance and care. Here, “provoked Him” indicates that the people’s behavior stirred up God’s righteous displeasure because they disregarded the covenant meant to keep them in fellowship with their Redeemer (see also references throughout the Old Testament that warn about straying into idolatry).
The phrase their high places was often used in Scripture to refer to shrines on elevated terrains dedicated to false gods, where people offered sacrifices that conflicted with loyal worship of the LORD. Establishing these alternate worship centers not only disobeyed God’s command but also demonstrated Israel’s reliance on pagan practices to secure blessings. Meanwhile, the term graven images describes idols carved by human hands—an act that reduces the infinite Creator to a mere physical representation and undercuts His rightful place as sovereign. The text says God’s “jealousy” was aroused, conveying the divine passion to guard what is His—namely, the exclusive devotion of His people.
Idolatry lies at the heart of this verse’s warning: constructing false gods, worshiping them, and placing trust in these hand-made objects ignites God’s righteous jealousy (Exodus 20:4-5). In the New Testament, we see this same principle carried forward as Jesus teaches the supreme importance of loving God wholeheartedly (Matthew 22:37). Turning away from Him to any sort of idol—be it a physical “graven image” or a misplaced priority—demonstrates the same underlying unbelief and rebellion that Psalm 78 laments in ancient Israel.