John Calvin Commentary Psalms 95:9

"When your fathers tempted me, Proved me, and saw my work." — Psalms 95:9 (ASV)

When your fathers tempted me, they proved me. The Psalmist implies, as I have already remarked, that the Jews had been from the first of a perverse and almost intractable spirit. There were two reasons that made it highly useful to remind the children of the guilt attributable to their fathers.

We know how apt people are to follow the example of their predecessors; custom lends authority, what is ancient becomes venerable, and such is the blinding influence of familiar example that whatever may have been done by our ancestors often passes for a virtue without examination. We see an instance of this in the Papacy, with the audacity it shows in opposing the authority of the church fathers to God’s Word.

The Jews were, more than any others, most liable to be deceived in this regard, as they were always accustomed to boast of their fathers. The Psalmist accordingly sought to detach them from their fathers by pointing out the monstrous ingratitude attributable to them. A second reason, and one to which I have already referred, is that he wanted to show them their need to be warned on this subject.

Had their fathers not manifested a rebellious spirit, they might have retorted by asking on what ground he warned them against hardness of heart, since their nation had until then maintained a character for docility and teachableness. However, since the opposite was true—their fathers having from the first been perverse and stubborn—the Psalmist had a clear reason for insisting on the correction of this particular vice.

There are two ways of interpreting the words that follow. Since tempting God is nothing less than yielding to an unhealthy and unjustifiable craving for proof of His power, 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 on new proof after His power had already been amply demonstrated by undeniable evidence.

However, another meaning may be given to the term proved. According to this interpretation, the meaning of the passage would be as follows: Your fathers tempted Me by asking where God was, despite all the benefits I had given them; and they proved Me—that is, they had actual experience of what I am—because I did not cease to give them clear proofs of My presence, and consequently they saw My work.

Whatever interpretation we adopt, the Psalmist’s design is clearly to show how inexcusable the Jews were in desiring a revelation of God’s power, just as if it had been hidden and not taught to them by the most undeniable proofs.

Even if they had received no previous demonstration of it, they would have shown an inappropriate spirit in demanding of God why He had failed to provide them with food and drink. But to doubt His presence after He had brought them from Egypt with an outstretched hand and demonstrated 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 that aggravated their guilt.

Overall, I consider the following to be the meaning of the passage: Your fathers tempted Me, although they had abundantly proved—that is, perceived by clear and undeniable evidence—that I was their God; indeed, although My works had been clearly set before them.

The lesson is one that is equally applicable to us, for the more abundant testimonies we may have had of the power and loving-kindness of the Lord, the greater our sin will be if we insist on receiving additional proofs of them.

How many do we find today demanding miracles, while others murmur against God because He does not grant their wishes?

Some may ask why the Psalmist singles out the particular case of Meribah when there were many other instances he could have cited. They never ceased to provoke God from the moment they passed the Red Sea; and in bringing only this one charge against them, the Psalmist might seem by his silence on other points to justify their conduct.

But the figure of speech, synecdoche, is common in Scripture, and it would be quite natural to suppose that one case is selected to represent many. At the same time, another reason for this specific mention may have been that, as clearly appears from Moses, the ingratitude and rebellion of the people reached its peak on this occasion, when they complained for lack of water.

I am aware that interpreters differ on this. However, this was the case. They then committed the crowning act of their former impiety; nor was it until this outcry was made, as the culminating act of all their previous wickedness, that they gave clear proof of their incurable obstinacy.