Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 106

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 106 Praise the Lord for his mercy and mighty works—Israel rebelled and did wickedly—Moses mediated between Israel and the Lord—Israel scattered and slain for worshipping false gods.
1 ^aPRAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is ^agood: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Who can utter the mighty ^aacts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? 3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; 5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. 6 We have ^asinned 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 mercies; but ^aprovoked him at the sea, even at the ^bRed sea. 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his ^aname's sake, that he might make his mighty ^bpower to be known. 9 He ^arebuked the Red ^bsea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the 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 enemies: there was not ^aone 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 ^alusted 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 ^aenvied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD. 17 The earth ^aopened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a ^afire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the ^amolten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their saviour, which 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 ^adestroy 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 ^abelieved not his word: 25 But ^amurmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: 27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also unto ^aBaal-peor, and ^bate the sacrifices ^cof the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their ^ainventions: and the plague brake in upon them. 30 Then stood up ^aPhinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
32 They angered him also at the waters of ^astrife, so that it went ill with Moses for their ^bsakes: 33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he ^aspake unadvisedly with his lips. 34 They did not ^adestroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: 35 But were ^amingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
36 And they served their ^aidols: which were a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils^a, 38 And shed innocent ^ablood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the ^bidols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.	37^a they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils This psalm is a reiteration of all that Israel had been through from the Exodus to their destruction and scattering into the heathen nations. Thus with these final sins of worshipping pagan gods and even sacrificing their own children to them, like Terah had attempted to do to Abraham, marks those sins which they would deny in public but were guilty of in their private doings. Lehi spoke against them, their wickedness and they would have pursecuted him to his death for slander though it be true. Thence Jeremiah could only convict them of the sin of braking the covenant of the Law of Moses when they would not release their Hebrew servants according to the law though they were guilty of much greater wickedness than that.
39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. 40 Therefore was the ^awrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
42 Their ^aenemies also ^boppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
45 And he remembered for them his ^acovenant, and ^brepented according to the multitude of his mercies. 46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.
47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. 48 ^aBlessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.