Psalms106
World English Bible · Public Domain
1 Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,
5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, 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 known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.
13 They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel,
14 but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.
15 He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.
16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
18 A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
24 Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe his word,
25 but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26 Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
27 that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations, and scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.
31 That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
33 because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips.
34 They didn’t destroy the peoples, as Yahweh commanded them,
35 but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works.
36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38 They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they were defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 He rescued them many times, 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 He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
46 He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive.
47 Save us, Yahweh, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise!
48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!
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Psalms 106Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 106. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-5
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.
vv6-12
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.
vv13-33
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.
Key Words
הָלַל: to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify
יָדָה: physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
טוֹב: good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
חֵסֵד: kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
עוֹלָם: properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always
מִי: who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
מָלַל: to speak (mostly poetical) or say
גְּבוּרָה: force (literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Cross References
Psalms 106Direct citation and source of the psalm's closing prayer for gathering and deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses pleads for God's name's sake to avoid destruction of Israel in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel showing they believed His words and sang praise at the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The source text where Israel 'lusted exceedingly' (lusted a lust) in the desert.
Supported by JFB
The historical event of making and worshipping the molten golden calf at Horeb.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical account of Israel joining themselves to Baal-peor and eating pagan sacrifices.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic description of God leading them through the deep Red Sea as a horse.
Supported by JFB
New Testament warning citing Israel's lusting in the wilderness as an example for us.
Supported by JFB
The earth opening to swallow Dathan and the company of Abiram.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Apostolic echo of changing the glory of the incorruptible God into images.
Supported by JFB
Moses standing in the breach to turn away God's wrath from destroying them.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
God's covenant of peace given because Phinehas executed judgment and turned away wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The provocation at the waters of Meribah where Moses spoke unadvisedly.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Solomon's prayer matching the three-fold confession of sin used by the captives.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The sister psalm's detailed catalog of the wonders and plagues in Egypt (land of Ham).
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole