Psalms 106

1 Praise ye Jehovah. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness [endureth] forever.

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Jehovah, Or show forth all his praise?

3 Blessed are they that keep justice, And he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people; Oh visit me with thy salvation,

5 That I may see the prosperity of thy chosen, That I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, That I may glory with thine inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of thy lovingkindnesses, But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, That he might make his mighty power to be known.

9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: So he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.

10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 And the waters covered their adversaries; There was not one of them left.

12 Then believed they his words; They sang his praise.

13 They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel,

14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.

15 And he gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.

16 They envied Moses also in the camp, [And] Aaron the saint of Jehovah.

17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram.

18 And a fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked.

19 They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image.

20 Thus they changed their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.

21 They forgat God their Saviour, Who had done great things in Egypt,

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, [And] terrible things by the Red Sea.

23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy [them].

24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, They believed not his word,

25 But murmured in their tents, And hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah.

26 Therefore he sware unto them, That he would overthrow them in the wilderness,

27 And that he would overthrow their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their doings; And the plague brake in upon them.

30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment; And so the plague was stayed.

31 And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, Unto all generations for evermore.

32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes;

33 Because they were rebellious against his spirit, And he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34 They did not destroy the peoples, As Jehovah commanded them,

35 But mingled themselves with the nations, And learned their works,

36 And served their idols, Which became a snare unto them.

37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,

38 And shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.

39 Thus were they defiled with their works, And played the harlot in their doings.

40 Therefore was the wrath of Jehovah kindled against his people, And he abhorred his inheritance.

41 And he gave them into the hand of the nations; And they that hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand.

43 Many times did he deliver them; But they were rebellious in their counsel, And were brought low in their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry:

45 And he remembered for them his covenant, And repented according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

46 He made them also to be pitied Of all those that carried them captive.

47 Save us, O Jehovah our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, And to triumph in thy praise.

48 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye Jehovah.

Psalms 106 Commentary

Chapter 106

The happiness of God's people. (1-5) Israel's sins. (6-12) Their provocations. (13-33) Their rebellions in Canaan. (34-46) Prayer for more complete deliverance. (47,48)

Verses 1-5 None of our sins or sufferings should prevent our ascribing glory and praise to the Lord. The more unworthy we are, the more is his kindness to be admired. And those who depend on the Redeemer's righteousness will endeavour to copy his example, and by word and deed to show forth his praise. God's people have reason to be cheerful people; and need not envy the children of men their pleasure or pride.

Verses 6-12 Here begins a confession of sin; for we must acknowledge that the Lord has done right, and we have done wickedly. We are encouraged to hope that though justly corrected, yet we shall not be utterly forsaken. God's afflicted people own themselves guilty before him. God is distrusted because his favours are not remembered. If he did not save us for his own name's sake, and to the praise of his power and grace, we should all perish.

Verses 13-33 Those that will not wait for God's counsel, shall justly be given up to their own hearts' lusts, to walk in their own counsels. An undue desire, even for lawful things, becomes sinful. God showed his displeasure for this. He filled them with uneasiness of mind, terror of conscience, and self-reproach. Many that fare deliciously every day, and whose bodies are healthful, have leanness in their souls: no love to God, no thankfulness, no appetite for the Bread of life, and then the soul must be lean. Those wretchedly forget themselves, that feast their bodies and starve their souls. Even the true believer will see abundant cause to say, It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not consumed. Often have we set up idols in our hearts, cleaved to some forbidden object; so that if a greater than Moses had not stood to turn away the anger of the Lord, we should have been destroyed. If God dealt severely with Moses for unadvised words, what do those deserve who speak many proud and wicked words? It is just in God to remove those relations that are blessings to us, when we are peevish and provoking to them, and grieve their spirits.

Verses 34-48 The conduct of the Israelites in Canaan, and God's dealings with them, show that the way of sin is down-hill; omissions make way for commissions: when they neglected to destroy the heathen, they learned their works. One sin led to many more, and brought the judgments of God on them. Their sin was, in part, their own punishment. Sinners often see themselves ruined by those who led them into evil. Satan, who is a tempter, will be a tormentor. At length, God showed pity to his people for his covenant's sake. The unchangeableness of God's merciful nature and love to his people, makes him change the course of justice into mercy; and no other change is meant by God's repentance. Our case is awful when the outward church is considered. When nations professing Christianity, are so guilty as we are, no wonder if the Lord brings them low for their sins. Unless there is general and deep repentance, there can be no prospect but of increasing calamities. The psalm concludes with prayer for completing the deliverance of God's people, and praise for the beginning and progress of it. May all the people of the earth, ere long, add their Amen.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 106

This psalm is without the name of its author, as the Syriac interpreter observes. Aben Ezra, on Ps 106:47, says, that one of the wise men of Egypt (perhaps Maimonides) was of opinion that it was written in the time of the judges, when there was no king in Israel; and another, he says, thought it was written in Babylon: but he was of opinion it was wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or by a prophetic spirit, concerning their present captivity; and so Kimchi. The petition in Ps 106:47, "gather us from among the Heathen", has led most interpreters to conclude that it was written either in the Babylonish captivity, or, as some, in the times of Antiochus: but by comparing it with 1Ch 16:7, it appears that it was written by David, at the time of the bringing up of the ark to Zion; since the first and two last verses of it are there expressly mentioned, in the psalm he gave Asaph to sing on that occasion, Ps 106:34-36, who therein might have respect to the Israelites that had been taken captive by some of their neighbours, as the Philistines, and still retained; though there is no difficulty in supposing that David, under a prophetic spirit, foresaw future captivities, and represents those that were in them. As the preceding psalm treats of the mercies and favours God bestowed upon Israel, this of their sins and provocations amidst those blessings, and of the goodness of God unto them; that notwithstanding he did not destroy them from being a people; for which they had reason to be thankful.