Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 106

Mercy. Heb. chesed, “divine love” (see Additional Note on Ps. 36). God’s steadfast love had prevented Israel from being utterly rejected. The complete clause “his mercy endureth for ever” is the recurrent refrain of Ps. 136. The words of Ps. 106:1 appear in David’s psalm for the ceremony of enshrining the ark in Jerusalem (1 Chron. 16:34). In

the time of Christ this verse was sung as a part of the Temple festivities at the Feast of Tabernacles (see DA 448).

Praise. Heb. tehillah. Tehillim is the Hebrew title of the Psalter (see p. 615).

Blessed. See on Ps. 1:1.

Remember me. The general prayer of vs. 1–3 now turns to personal petition.

Nation. The words “chosen,” “nation,” and “inheritance” are synonymous.

We have sinned. Verses 6–39 review Israel’s disloyalties from Egypt to Canaan, citing eight transgressions for which the nation makes confession.

Understood not. Their lack of careful consideration of God’s judgments upon Egypt caused the fathers to forget His mercies (see Deut. 32:28, 29). Like the Israelites, we are prone to accept God’s blessings as mere matter of fact, not allowing these tokens of beneficence to make any lasting impression on us. Provoked him. The first of the eight acts of transgression (see on v. 6; see Ex. 14:11, 12).

For his name’s sake. See on Ps. 31:3.

Rebuked. See Ex. 14:21, 22; cf. Ps. 104:7.

Covered their enemies. See Ex. 14:27–30; 15:5.

Believed they. See Ex. 14:31. The song of Moses (Ex. 15:1–21) is a magnificent poetic expansion of the deliverance at the Red Sea. But the Israelites soon forgot God’s goodness.

Soon forgat. Verses 13–33 are the confession of Israel’s sins in the wilderness: their lust for flesh, their revolt against Moses and Aaron, the sin of the golden calf, the incident of the spies, the sin at Baal-peor, and the murmuring at Meribah. The successive sins recalled in the psalm follow without formal transition. This tendency to pass immediately from episode to episode without expressed connection is an example of the rhetorical figure called asyndeton. It is a characteristic of Ps. 106 (see vs. 6, 7, 13, 24, etc.). The effect of the asyndeton is to leave the impression of an almost breathless recollection upon recollection of the historic mistakes of the nation of Israel, as if the people were hastening to make a full confession. Waited not. They ran ahead of God’s plan for them. Whenever we fail to wait for God to reveal His plan for us, we fall into trouble.

Lusted exceedingly. See Num 11:4–6. Tempted. Heb. nasah, “tested,” “tried.”

Their request. See Num. 11:31. Leanness. Heb. razon, “emaciation” (see Num. 11:33, 34).

Envied Moses. The second sin in the wilderness: the revolt against Moses and Aaron (see Num. 16; 17). Saint. Literally, “the holy one.” The disaffected party protested that all the congregation were holy (see Num. 16:3).

Dathan. See Deut. 11:6. It is recorded that “the children of Korah died not” (see Num. 26:11).

The wicked. See Num. 16:2, 26, 35.

Horeb. Verses 19–23 describe the third sin in the wilderness: the sin of the golden calf (see Ex. 32; cf. Deut. 9:8–12).

Their glory. That is, the glory of God (Jer. 2:11; Rom. 1:23). The contrast between God’s glory and a brute eating grass is a startling one. To what depths does carnal man descend!

They forgat. See on v. 13; see Deut. 6:12. Verses 21, 22 summarize the events in Egypt at the time of the Exodus. Saviour. See Isa. 43:3.

Ham. See on Ps. 105:23.

In the breach. See Ex. 32:10–14, 32–34, cf. Eze. 22:30.

The pleasant land. See Deut. 8:7; Jer. 3:19; Eze. 20:6. Ps. 106:24–27 describes the fourth sin in the wilderness: the rebellion that occurred upon the return of the spies (see Num. 13; 14). Believed not. See Deut. 1:22; cf. Heb. 3:18.

Lifted up his hand. God is pictured, in the language of men, as a man lifting his hand in taking an oath (see Ex. 6:8, where “did swear” is literally “lifted up my hand”).

Scatter them. Compare Eze. 20:23.

Joined themselves. Verses 28–31 describe the fifth sin in the wilderness: the licentious carousing in connection with the worship of Baal-peor (see Num. 25). Baal-peor. See Num. 23:28; 25:18; Num 31:16; Joshua 22:17. On Baal worship see on Judges 2:11; see also Vol. II, p. 40. Sacrifices of the dead. See PP 684; 1 Cor. 10:20; cf. 1 Cor. 8:4–6.

Plauge. See Num. 25:8, 9, 18; PP 455.

Phinehas. See Num. 25:7, 8.

For righteousness. Compare Gen. 15:6. As a result of this act of faith, the Lord promised the continuance of the priesthood (see Num. 25:10–13).

Waters of strife. The sixth sin in the wilderness: the rebellion against Moses and Aaron at the waters of Meribah (see Num. 20:2–13). Ill with Moses. See Num. 20:10–12; cf. Deut. 1:37; 3:26.

Spake unadvisedly. Heb. bata’, “to speak rashly,” “to speak thoughtlessly” (see Vol. I, pp. 953, 954). The confession of the six sins in the wilderness is completed.

Did not destroy. The Israelites did not destroy the idolatrous nations, as God had commanded (see Ex. 23:32, 33; Deut. 7:2; Joshua 23:12, 13; Judges 1:21, 27; etc.). Obedience to this command was of the utmost importance, for it was contact with the heathen that dragged Israel to her ruin. Verses 34–39 discuss the continued sinning after entering Canaan.

Learned their works. The details are given in vs. 36–39. To what levels did disobedience lower the Israelites! Here is a lesson for spiritual Israel.

Snare. See Ex. 23:33; 34:12; Deut. 7:16.

Sacrificed. The worship of Molech involved human sacrifice (see on Lev. 18:21; 1 Kings 11:7). This was one of the most abominable of the rites of the heathen. Devils. See 1 Cor. 10:20; PP 685, 686.

Went a whoring. They committed spiritual adultery, breaking their covenant relationship with God. The relation between Israel and God is represented by the figure of marriage (see Jer. 3:14; Eze. 16).

Wrath. See Ps. 78:59. The idea runs like a dark thread throughout the story of the judges. Verses 40–43 describe the punishment as a result of disobedience.

Many times. See Judges 2:16.

Remembered. This does not imply that God had forgotten His covenant. The Hebrew word for “remember” frequently signifies more than a retention in the conscious memory, or the sudden recalling of a fact that may have slipped from the mind. The word often denotes the action that results because a circumstance is “remembered.” God will now act with reference to the covenant stipulations. Mercies. Heb. chasadim (see Additional Note on Ps. 36).

To be pitied. See 1 Kings 8:50 (cf. Neh. 1:11; Dan. 1:9).

Amen. The doxology marks the close of Book Four (see Ps. 41:13; 72:18, 19; 89:52; see also p. 626 and Introduction to Ps. 105). Praise ye the Lord. See on Ps. 104:35. Despite the long recital of Israel’s stubbornness, rebellion, and sin, the psalmist closes on a high note of thanksgiving for God’s mercy.