Mazmur 78:40

78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,

and insulted him ¹  in the desert!

Mazmur 81:7

81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.

I answered you from a dark thundercloud. ² 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ³  (Selah)

[78:40]  ¹ tn Or “caused him pain.”

[81:7]  ² tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).

[81:7]  ³ sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.