Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 95:9
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
9. The Israelites tempted and tried God by faithless doubts of His goodness and arbitrary demands that He should prove His power (Exo 17:2; Exo 17:7; Psa 78:18; Psa 78:41; Psa 78:56).
and saw my work ] While they on their part tempted God, He on His part was ever working out His providential plan, by mercy and by chastisement. But it suits the context better to render, Though they had seen my work. (For the construction cp. Neh 6:1.) Though they had just had proof of God’s power and goodwill in the Exodus, it had not taught them to trust Him. Cp. Num 14:22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When your fathers – Your ancestors. See this verse explained in the notes on Heb 3:9.
Tempted me – Tried me; tried my patience, to see how much I would bear. This does not mean, as it commonly does now with us, to place inducements before one to lead him into sin, but to try one – to put his patience to the test. This they did, in the case referred to, by their obduracy and evil conduct.
Proved me – See the notes at Heb 3:9. And saw my work. Though they constantly saw my work; saw my gracious interpositions; saw what I was doing for their own good.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. When your fathers tempted me] Tried me, by their insolence, unbelief, and blasphemy. They proved me – they had full proof of my power to save and to destroy. There they saw my works – they saw that nothing was too hard for God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When; or, in which place; which may belong either to Meribah and Massah, or to the wilderness last mentioned. Or, surely, as this word is oft used in Scripture, as hath been observed once and again.
And saw; or, although or after that they saw or had seen; which is added as a just and great aggravation of their unbelief, after such a sensible and evident experience of Gods power and goodness to them.
My works; both my works of mercy, which gave them abundant cause to trust me; and my works of justice, for which they had reason to fear and please me. Heb. my work, to wit, that great and stupendous work of bringing my people out of Egypt with a strong hand, and of conducting them safely through the Red Sea into the wilderness, and of destroying the Egyptians. For not many more of Gods great works were done before they came to Meribah.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
When your fathers tempted me,…. Or, “where” i; that is, in the wilderness, particularly at Meribah and Massah; it was Christ they tempted, as appears from 1Co 10:9
proved me: had proof of his power, goodness, and mercy, in providing for them, and in the preservation of them: or “tried” k him, his patience, longsuffering, and forbearance, by their repeated provocations of him:
and saw my work; his work of judgment upon their enemies the Egyptians, by inflicting plagues upon them, and by the destruction of Pharaoh and his host at the Red sea; and his work of goodness to them, in bringing them out of bondage, leading them through the Red sea safely, raining manna about their tents, and giving them water out of the rock; or particularly his work in consuming them in the wilderness, as he swore he would, and which they saw with their eyes, and was near forty years a doing. The Syriac version joins the “forty years” at the beginning of the next verse to this; the phrase standing in such a situation as to be connected with both, and is true of each; so the apostle uses it both ways, Heb 3:9.
i “quo”, Pagninus, Montanus; “ubi”, V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, so Ainsworth. k “explorarunt me”, Tigurine version, Piscator, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9 When your fathers tempted me, they proved me The Psalmist insinuates, as I have already remarked, that the Jews had been from the first of a perverse and almost intractable spirit. And there were two reasons which made it highly useful to remind the children of the guilt chargeable upon their fathers. We know how apt men are to follow the example of their predecessors; custom begets a sanction; what is ancient becomes venerable, and such is the blinding influence of home example, that whatever may have been done by our forefathers passes for a virtue without examination. We have an instance in Popedom, of the audacity with which the authority of the fathers is opposed to God’s word. The Jews were of all others most liable to be deceived upon this side, ever accustomed as they were to boast of their fathers. The Psalmist accordingly would detach them from the fathers, by taking notice of the monstrous ingratitude with which they had been chargeable. A second reason, and one to which I have already adverted, is, that he would show them the necessity in which they stood of being warned upon the present subject. Had their fathers not manifested a rebellions spirit, they might have retorted by asking the question, Upon what ground he warned them against hardness of heart, their nation having hitherto maintained a character for docility and tractableness? The fact being otherwise — their fathers having from the first been perverse and stubborn, the Psalmist had a plain reason for insisting upon the correction of this particular vice.
There are two ways of interpreting the words which follow. As tempting God is nothing else than yielding to a diseased and unwarrantable craving after proof of his power, (64) we may consider the verse as connected throughout, and read, They tempted me and proved me, although they had already seen my work God very justly complains, that they should insist upon new proof, after his power had been already amply testified by undeniable evidences. There is another meaning, however, that may be given to the term proved, — according to which, the meaning of the passage would run as follows: — Your fathers tempted me in asking where God was, notwithstanding all the benefits I had done them; and they proved me, that is, they had actual experience of what I am, inasmuch as I did not cease to give them open proofs of my presence, and consequently they saw my work. Whatever sense we adopt, the Psalmist’s design is plainly to show how inexcusable the Jews were in desiring a discovery of God’s power, just as if it had been hidden, and had not been taught them by the most incontestable proofs. (65) Granting that they had received no foregoing demonstration of it, they would have evinced an unbecoming spirit in demanding of God why he had failed to provide them with meat and drink; but to doubt his presence after he had brought them from Egypt with an outstretched hand, and evidenced his nearness to them by most convincing testimonies, — to doubt his presence in the same manner as if it had never been revealed, was a degree of perverse forgetfulness which aggravated their guilt. Upon the whole, I consider the following to be the sense of the passage — Your fathers tempted me, although they had abundantly proved — perceived by clear and undeniable evidences, that I was their God — nay, although my works had been clearly set before them. The lesson is one which is equally applicable to ourselves; for the more abundant testimonies we may have had of the power and loving-kindness of the Lord, the greater will our sin be, if we insist upon receiving additional proofs of them. How many do we find in our own day demanding miracles, while others murmur against God because he does not indulge their wishes? Some may ask why the Psalmist singles out the particular case of Meribah, when there were many other instances which he might have adduced. They never ceased to provoke God from the moment of their passing the Red Sea; and in bringing this one charge only against them, he might seem by his silence on other points to justify their conduct. But the figure synecdoche is common in Scripture, and it would be natural enough to suppose that one case is selected for many. At the same time, another reason for the specification may have been, that, as plainly appears from Moses, the ingratitude and rebellion of the people reached its greatest height on this occasion, when they murmured for water. I am aware that interpreters differ upon this. Such, however, was the fact. They then crowned their former impiety; nor was it until this outcry was made, as the consummating act of all their preceding wickedness, that they gave open proof of their obstinacy being incurable. (66)
(64) “When the Scriptures speak of men as tempting God, the meaning is, that men do that which puts the divine patience, forbearance, goodness, etc., to a trial; i. e. , makes it difficult, as it were, to preserve a strict regard to these.” — Stuart on Heb 3:8.
(65) “ D’autant qu’ils ont desire que la vertu de Dieu, laquelle leur estoit declaree par tant d’experiences, leur fust manifestee, comme s’ils ne l’eussent jamais cognue.” — Fr.
(66) “ Solus ille strepitus, quasi omnium actionum catastrophe, palam ostenderit insanabilem esse eorum pervicaciam.” — Lat.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) Proved me.Properly, of trying metals. This term is used of mans attitude towards Providence, both in a good and bad sense (Mal. 3:10; Mal. 3:15).
And saw my work.Better (as in Isa. 49:15), Yea, they saw my works, watched, that is, Gods dealings with ever the same readiness to murmur and repine, and try the Divine patience.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. When your fathers tempted me Where “your fathers tempted.” The pronoun here refers to place “ the wilderness.”
Tempted Required proof by visible tests. See on Psa 78:18. The temptations by Israel had been great: at the Red Sea, (Exo 14:11-12😉 at Marah, (Exo 15:23-24😉 at the Desert of Sin, (Exo 16:1-3😉 at Rephidim, (Exo 17:1-3😉 at Sinai, (Exodus 43;) in the matter of Nadab and Abihu, (Leviticus 10😉 in their clamour for meat to eat, (Num 11:4-6😉 in the matter of Aaron and Miriam, (Numbers 12😉 of the spies, (Numbers 13, 14😉 of Korah and his company, (Numbers 16😉 at Kadesh, (Num 20:1-5😉 near Mount Hor, (Num 21:4-6😉 in the matter of Baal-peor, (Numbers 25.)
Proved me Put me to the proof of my power and faithfulness.
Saw my work The “work” of God, here referred to, was not the punishment which followed their sin, but the whole series of miracles in Egypt and the wilderness. The apostle uses the plural, “works,” Heb 3:9. The idea is one of astonishment, that, after having seen these miracles, they should yet fall into the sin of unbelief and disobedience. The particle , ( gam,) translated and, here, as in some other instances, takes the adversative sense of yet, although “ Where your fathers tempted me, proved me, although they saw [equal to had seen ] my work.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Ver. 9. When your fathers tempted me ] Ten times, all along the wilderness, Num 14:22 , though
They saw my work
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
When. Hebrew ‘asher = where.
tempted. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6.
and = yea.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 95:9
Psa 95:9
“When your fathers tempted me,
Proved me, and saw my work.”
“When your fathers tempted me” (Psa 95:9). This tempting of God was their complaining against God in the words, “Is God among us, or not?” (Exo 17:8); and the “work of God” which the people saw was the miraculous gushing of the water from the rock which, at God’s command, Moses had smitten in the presence of the multitude, especially the elders of the people.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 95:8-10. These verses are grouped in one paragraph because they pertain to the same thought, and because they are quoted in the New Testament as a single passage. (Heb 3:7-11.) It has reference to the time of 40 years when the children of Israel were going through the wilderness. Through all that period the Lord was provoked by the stubborn behaviour of the nation. It was especially the leaders of the congregation who incited the others to rebel. Not known my ways means they had not recognized the right ways of life as directed by the Lord. They preferred to have their own way and were continually raising the banner of revolt.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
tempted
Temptation. Psa 106:14; Gen 3:1; Jam 1:2.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
When: Psa 78:17, Psa 78:18, Psa 78:40, Psa 78:41, Psa 78:56, 1Co 10:9
saw: Num 14:22, Mat 11:20-22, Joh 15:24
Reciprocal: Exo 17:2 – wherefore Deu 6:16 – tempted him Jos 24:7 – ye dwelt Psa 106:14 – tempted Pro 13:15 – but Isa 63:10 – vexed Mal 2:17 – wearied Mal 3:15 – they that tempt Mat 4:7 – Thou Luk 4:12 – Thou Luk 20:23 – Why