How does Psalm 78:20 demonstrate God's power and provision for His people? Setting the Scene Psalm 78 is a historical psalm, rehearsing God’s mighty works for Israel and exposing Israel’s frequent unbelief. Verse 20 zooms in on an incident from the wilderness journey: “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out and torrents overflowed. But can He also give bread? Can He provide meat for His people?” (Psalm 78:20) The psalmist recalls the miraculous water from the rock (Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11) and sets it beside Israel’s doubting questions about bread and meat. Power Revealed in the Past Act • God “struck the rock,” an act that overrides the laws of nature. • “Waters gushed out and torrents overflowed”—not a trickle but a flood, vividly displaying omnipotence. • The psalmist uses the memory of that overflowing supply to prove God’s absolute capability; if He can make water pour from solid granite, nothing is beyond Him. Provision Foreshadowed • The rhetorical questions—“But can He also give bread?…meat?”—highlight the absurdity of doubting after such a miracle. • God soon answers those questions with manna (Exodus 16:4) and quail (Numbers 11:31-32), confirming that His provision matches His power. • Psalm 78 later testifies, “He rained down meat upon them like dust” (v. 27). Past power guarantees future provision. Lessons for Today • Remembering God’s works guards against present unbelief (Psalm 78:7). • God’s ability is never the issue; our trust is (Mark 9:23). • He meets both the dramatic need (water from a rock) and the daily need (bread on the ground). Cross-References that Echo the Theme • Exodus 17:6—“Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” • Psalm 105:41—“He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.” • Deuteronomy 8:3—“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna…that man does not live on bread alone.” • Philippians 4:19—“And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” • Ephesians 3:20—“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” Takeaway Truths • God’s power is limitless, proven by water gushing from a rock. • His provision is comprehensive—He supplies what is needed, when it is needed. • Doubt shrivels when memory is active; rehearse God’s past acts to fuel present faith. |
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