And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
The psalm surrounding this verse recounts God's rich blessings to His people and their poor return for those benefits. In the wilderness Israel constantly worked against a good God, and despite all He had done for them they sinned yet more against Him by provoking the Most High. That continued rebellion persisted even after His wondrous and mighty works, with the people sinning further by provoking Him.
That provoking included tempting Him. When trials came they turned to complaining and forgot the source of their strength, forgetting the God who had made and redeemed them and failing to remember His works and warnings. Their longing for Egypt's former comforts, which God withheld while testing their fidelity, illustrates this rebellion and their failure to value His service and the freedom He had given them.
By disobedience they brought themselves into the condition that was the sure result of their own course of action. Under rebuke and chastisement they repented and sought God, but under temptation they fell again into self-indulgence, self-gratification, and disobedience. Fully receiving truth of heavenly origin sanctifies and guards against such complaining, so that with Christ abiding within there is continual advance in the divine life instead of forgetting God in trial.
The psalm surrounding this verse recounts God's rich blessings to His people and their poor return for those benefits. In the wilderness Israel constantly worked against a good God, and despite all He had done for them they sinned yet more against Him by provoking the Most High. That continued rebellion persisted even after His wondrous and mighty works, with the people sinning further by provoking Him.
That provoking included tempting Him. When trials came they turned to complaining and forgot the source of their strength, forgetting the God who had made and redeemed them and failing to remember His works and warnings. Their longing for Egypt's former comforts, which God withheld while testing their fidelity, illustrates this rebellion and their failure to value His service and the freedom He had given them.
By disobedience they brought themselves into the condition that was the sure result of their own course of action. Under rebuke and chastisement they repented and sought God, but under temptation they fell again into self-indulgence, self-gratification, and disobedience. Fully receiving truth of heavenly origin sanctifies and guards against such complaining, so that with Christ abiding within there is continual advance in the divine life instead of forgetting God in trial.