Psalms 95:8
Psalms 95:8 in Multiple Translations
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness,
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness;
Let not your hearts be hard, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the waste land;
don't have a hard-hearted attitude, “as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert,
Harden not your heart, as in Meribah, and as in the day of Massah in the wildernesse.
Harden not your heart as [in] Meribah, As [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness,
Don’t harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Bring to the Lord glory unto his name. Bring up sacrifices, and come into his courts:
He says, “Do not become stubborn [IDM] like your ancestors did at Meribah, and like they did at Massah in the desert.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 95:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 95:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אַל
תַּקְשׁ֣וּ
לְ֭בַבְ/כֶם
כִּ/מְרִיבָ֑ה
כְּ/י֥וֹם
מַ֝סָּ֗ה
בַּ/מִּדְבָּֽר
אַל
ʼal
H408
not
Part
תַּקְשׁ֣וּ
qâshâh
H7185
to harden
V-Hiphil-Juss-2mp
לְ֭בַבְ/כֶם
lêbâb
H3824
heart
N-ms | Suff
כִּ/מְרִיבָ֑ה
mᵉrîybâh
H4808
provocation
Prep | N-proper
כְּ/י֥וֹם
yôwm
H3117
day
Prep | N-ms
מַ֝סָּ֗ה
maççâh
H4531
despair
N-proper
בַּ/מִּדְבָּֽר
midbâr
H4057
mouth
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 95:8
אַל
ʼal
H408
"not"
Part
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Definition: 1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference) 1a) do not, let not (with a verb) 1b) let there not be (with a verb understood) 1c) not, no (with substantive) 1d) nothing (as substantive) Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Usage: Occurs in 572 OT verses. KJV: nay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than. See also: Genesis 13:8; Joshua 11:6; 1 Chronicles 22:13.
תַּקְשׁ֣וּ
qâshâh
H7185
"to harden"
V-Hiphil-Juss-2mp
In the Bible, this word means to be hard or severe, like when Pharaoh's heart was hardened against the Israelites in Exodus.
Definition: 1) to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be hard, be difficult 1a2) to be hard, be severe 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be ill-treated 1b2) to be hard pressed 1c) (Piel) to have severe labour (of women) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to make difficult, make difficulty 1d2) to make severe, make burdensome 1d3) to make hard, make stiff, make stubborn 1d3a) of obstinacy (fig) 1d4) to show stubbornness
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, (labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, (-necked)). See also: Genesis 35:16; 2 Chronicles 10:4; Psalms 95:8.
לְ֭בַבְ/כֶם
lêbâb
H3824
"heart"
N-ms | Suff
The heart is the innermost part of a person, including their mind, will, and emotions. In the book of Psalms, David talks about his heart being heavy with sorrow, while in the book of Proverbs, it discusses the importance of guarding one's heart.
Definition: 1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage Aramaic equivalent: le.vav (לְבַב "heart" H3825)
Usage: Occurs in 230 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding. See also: Genesis 20:5; 1 Chronicles 17:2; Psalms 4:5.
כִּ/מְרִיבָ֑ה
mᵉrîybâh
H4808
"provocation"
Prep | N-proper
This Hebrew word means quarrel or strife, describing a place of contention between God and the Israelites, as seen in Exodus 17:7.
Definition: strife, contention
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: provocation, strife. See also: Genesis 13:8; Psalms 95:8; Psalms 106:32.
כְּ/י֥וֹם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
מַ֝סָּ֗ה
maççâh
H4531
"despair"
N-proper
A trial or testing, like when God tested the Israelites in the wilderness, as seen in Exodus 17:7 where they questioned God's presence.
Definition: despair
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: temptation, trial. See also: Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 29:2; Psalms 95:8.
בַּ/מִּדְבָּֽר
midbâr
H4057
"mouth"
Prep | N-ms
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Definition: 1) mouth 1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
Usage: Occurs in 257 OT verses. KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness. See also: Genesis 14:6; Joshua 5:4; Psalms 29:8.
Study Notes — Psalms 95:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 95:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 95:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 95:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 95:8
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 95:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
- Sermons on Psalms 95:8
Context — Do Not Harden Your Hearts
6O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice,
8do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work. 10For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 17:7 | He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” |
| 2 | Hebrews 3:8–9 | do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. |
| 3 | Numbers 20:13 | These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them. |
| 4 | Numbers 14:11 | And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them? |
| 5 | Numbers 14:22 | not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— |
| 6 | Hebrews 3:15–19 | As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.” For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter. |
| 7 | Deuteronomy 6:16 | Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah. |
| 8 | 1 Samuel 6:6 | Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When He afflicted them, did they not send the people on their way as they departed? |
| 9 | Hebrews 12:25 | See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven? |
| 10 | Romans 2:5 | But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. |
Psalms 95:8 Summary
This verse is warning us not to become stubborn and unresponsive to God's voice, like the Israelites did in the wilderness. When we harden our hearts, we are refusing to trust and obey God, which can lead to serious consequences, as seen in Psalms 95:10. Instead, we should strive to have soft hearts, open to God's leading and guidance, as mentioned in Psalms 95:7 and Ephesians 4:30. By trusting in God's goodness and faithfulness, we can avoid hardening our hearts and instead, follow Him with obedience and faith.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to harden our hearts?
To harden our hearts means to become stubborn and unresponsive to God's voice, as seen in the example of the Israelites at Meribah and Massah, where they tested and tried God despite seeing His work, as mentioned in Psalms 95:9 and Exodus 17:7.
What is the significance of Meribah and Massah in the wilderness?
Meribah and Massah were places where the Israelites rebelled against God, despite His provision and care for them, as recorded in Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20:1-13, serving as a warning to us not to repeat their mistakes.
How can we avoid hardening our hearts like the Israelites did?
We can avoid hardening our hearts by being obedient to God's voice, as mentioned in Psalms 95:7, and by trusting in His goodness and faithfulness, as seen in Psalms 100:5 and Deuteronomy 7:9.
What is the consequence of hardening our hearts?
The consequence of hardening our hearts is God's anger and judgment, as seen in Psalms 95:10, where God says He was angry with the generation that hardened their hearts, and in Hebrews 3:7-11, where we are warned not to harden our hearts as they did.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I may be hardening my heart to God's voice?
- How can I cultivate a softer heart, one that is responsive to God's leading and guidance?
- What are some ways I can trust in God's goodness and faithfulness, even when circumstances are difficult?
- What does it mean for me to 'hear God's voice' today, and how can I be more attentive to His leading in my life?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 95:8
Harden not your hearts,.... Against Christ, against his Gospel, against all the light and evidence of it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 95:8
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
Harden not your heart, by wilful disobedience and obstinate unbelief, rebelling against the light, and resisting the Holy Ghost, and his clear discoveries of the truth of the gospel. As in the provocation; as you did in that bold and wicked contest with God in the wilderness. Or, as in Meribah, which was the proper name of the place where that happened, and which also was called Massah, as is evident from . As in the day of temptation; in the day in which you tempted me. Or, as in the day of Massah, i.e. when you were at Massah.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
Psalms 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, [and] as [in] the day of temptation in the wilderness:Ver. 8. Harden not your heart] By unbelief, and the deceitfulness of sin, Hebrews 3:12-13, which gradually affirms the heart against God. As in the provocation] As your fathers did at Massah and Meribah; be not you as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as they were, Acts 7:51.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
(8) The mention of the guiding voice suggests to the poet to make God Himself address His people, and with this verse the Divine warning begins. Provocation . . . temptation.—It is better to keep here the proper names Meribah and Massah (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:13 : comp. Deuteronomy 33:8).
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 95:8
8–11. Jehovah speaks, warning Israel not to repeat the sins of obstinacy and unbelief by which their ancestors provoked Him.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 95:8
Harden not your heart - See this verse explained in the notes at Hebrews 3:8.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 95:8
8. As in the provocation… as in the day of temptation—It is better to take “provocation” and “temptation” as proper names. The Hebrew simply reads: As Meribah, as the day of Massah, in the wilderness.
Sermons on Psalms 95:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Jacob's Last Words by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the significance of the rock in biblical stories. He starts by referencing the interpretation of Daniel's dream, where the rock symboli |
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Hardness of Heart by Charles Finney | Charles Finney addresses the 'Hardness of Heart' in his sermon, emphasizing how the disciples, despite witnessing miracles, failed to understand due to their hardened hearts. He ex |
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Let Us Arise, Then, at Last by St. Benedict of Nursia | St. Benedict of Nursia urges believers to awaken from spiritual slumber and heed the divine call to rise up and listen to God's voice. He emphasizes the importance of not hardening |
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Hardness of Heart by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson addresses the peril of a hardened heart, emphasizing that repeated rejection of God's warnings leads to an incurable state. He explains that hardness of heart is ch |
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How Should We Respond to God in This Process? by K.P. Yohannan | K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the importance of responding to God's voice and the choice we have to either soften or harden our hearts in the face of life's challenges. He warns that wh |
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Is the Lord Among Us, or Not by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the advancements of technology, particularly the TV camera, and how it has brought both incredible discoveries and disturbing events into ou |
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Grace That Endures by Dennis Kinlaw | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of hallowing God's name and glorifying Him above all else. He shares his struggle in deciding what to speak about and highligh |