The Meaning of Psalms 95:8 Explained

Psalms 95:8

KJV: Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

YLT: Harden not your heart as in Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

Darby: Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah, in the wilderness;

ASV: Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Harden  not your heart,  as in the provocation,  [and] as [in] the day  of temptation  in the wilderness: 

What does Psalms 95:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 95:1-11 - Praise The Lord And Tempt Him Not
This psalm is deeply inwoven into the life of the Church, because of the worshipful strain which pervades it, and also because of the illuminating manner in which it is introduced into the argument of Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16. The works of God in creation are specially enumerated as incentives to praise. The sea, the hills, the deep places of the earth have often inspired the minstrel, but how much more the devout soul!
Let us remember, also, when we are tossed on the seas of life, or are called to descend into valleys of shadow, that faith will still dare to sing. But in the second stanza of the psalm, from Psalms 95:6 onward, we are confronted with the sad story of Exodus 17:1-16. There are Meribahs and Massahs in all lives, where we murmur against God's dealings and lose our inward rest. There is a sabbatism of the heart when the will is yielded to God's will, and the bean is cleansed from its wayward whims; when the very peace that fills the divine nature settles down on the heart. That experience is an entrance into God's rest. It remains unexhausted for all the people of God. Let us not miss it through default of faith! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 95

1  An exhortation to praise God
3  For his greatness
6  And for his goodness
8  And not to tempt him

What do the individual words in Psalms 95:8 mean?

Not do harden your hearts as in Meribah as [in] the day of trial in the wilderness
אַל־ תַּקְשׁ֣וּ לְ֭בַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה כְּי֥וֹם מַ֝סָּ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר

תַּקְשׁ֣וּ  do  harden 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: קָשָׁה  
Sense: to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh.
לְ֭בַבְכֶם  your  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה  as  in  Meribah 
Parse: Preposition-k, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְרִיבָה  
Sense: strife, contention.
כְּי֥וֹם  as  [in]  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מַ֝סָּ֗ה  of  trial 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסָּה 
Sense: despair, test.
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.