John Calvin Commentary Psalms 106:14

"But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert." — Psalms 106:14 (ASV)

And they lusted. He goes on, according to the history, to mention the sin which, in accordance with the duty of his office as a teacher, he had briefly noticed. If anyone inquires how they did not heed God’s counsel, he answers: because they had indulged their lusts. For the only way of acting with proper moderation is when God rules and presides over our affections. It is therefore all the more necessary to bridle that strong tendency to fleshly lusts which naturally rages within us. For whoever allows himself to desire more than is necessary, openly sets himself in direct opposition to God, since all fleshly lusts are directly opposed to Him.

To tempt God is not to submit to His will, but to desire more than He is willing to grant. And since there are a variety of ways of tempting God, the prophet here refers to one way of doing so: specifically, that the people had been so presumptuous as to limit God to means of their own devising. Thus, in rejecting the way which they should have followed, they ascribed to God an entirely new attribute, as if to say, "If God does not feed us with flesh, we will not regard Him as God."

He gave them the food which should have satisfied them. And though God is not limited by any means at all, yet it is His will that our minds be subject to the means which He has appointed. For instance, although He can nourish us without bread, nevertheless it is His will that our life be sustained by that provision; and if we neglect it, and wish to point out to Him another way of nourishing us, we tempt His power.