Psalms 78:58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
The setting
Jerusalem temple, 8th century BC. Asaph describes the high places — unauthorized worship sites on hilltops throughout ancient Israel/Palestine...
The emotion here: grieved by watching people he loves chase false gods
The original word
qana (קָנָא) — jealous, like a husband whose wife has been unfaithful
Why it matters
High places were often Canaanite shrines on hilltops where fertility rituals occurred
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 78:58
God's jealousy isn't petty — it's the pain of betrayed love
Common misconceptionPeople think God's jealousy is like human jealousy — petty and insecure. Actually, it's like a spouse's pain when their partner has an affair.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 78:58
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 78:58 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 78:58 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Asaph. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include idolatry, divine anger, provocation. Notable phrases: provoked him to anger; high places; engraved images.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Psalms 78:58 mean to you, today?
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