Psalm 106 NKJV
Introduction:
From all accounts this is another of the historical psalms and in this one we find how Israel sinned time and time again and that God through His faithfulness would come in and forgive and deliver them. I like the way Matthew Henry outlines the Psalm and will try and follow his outline in the coming days as we dig deeper. Praise the Lord!…..Bill
Charles Spurgeon
Israel’s history is here written with the view of showing human sin, even as the preceding psalm was composed to magnify divine goodness. It is, in fact, A NATIONAL CONFESSION, and includes an acknowledgment of the transgressions of Israel in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in Canaan, with devout petitions for forgiveness such as rendered the Psalm suitable for use in all succeeding generations, and especially in times of national captivity. It was probably written by David,—at any rate, its first and last two verses are to be found in that sacred song which David delivered to Asaph when he brought up the ark of the Lord (1Ch 16:34-36).
While we are studying this holy Psalm, let us all along see ourselves in the Lord’s ancient people, and bemoan our own provocations of the Most High, at the same time admiring his infinite patience, and adoring him because of it. May the Holy Spirit sanctify it to the promotion of humility and gratitude.
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Enduring Word
“This psalm is the dark counterpart of its predecessor, a shadow cast by human self-will in its long struggle against the light.” (Derek Kidner)
Alexander Maclaren observed, “The keynote of Psalm 105 is, ‘Remember His mighty deeds,’ that of Psalm 106 is, ‘They forgot His mighty deeds.’”
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Barnes
The author of this psalm is unknown, and the occasion on which it was composed cannot now be ascertained. It belongs to the same “class” as Psalms 78:0; Psalms 105:0; as referring to the ancient history of the Hebrew people, and as deriving lessons of instruction, admonition, gratitude and praise from that history. The cvth Psalm referred to that history particularly as showing the mercy and favor of God to that people, and hence, their obligation to love and serve him; this psalm is occupied mainly with a confession, drawn from a review of that history, that the nation had not been mindful of those mercies, but that they had rebelled against God, and incurred his displeasure. The psalm has a striking resemblance in many respects to the prayer in Daniel 9:0; and, like that, is a prayer that God would now interpose and deliver the people as in times that were past. It is possible that the psalm may have been composed in the time of the Babylonian captivity (compare Psalms 106:47), and this is the opinion of Hengstenberg, but it is impossible to demonstrate this with any certainty. It was evidently composed in some period of public calamity, and there is no impropriety in supposing that it may have been then.
The psalm consists essentially of three parts:
I. A brief introduction, setting forth the duty of praising God, and referring to his mercy, and expressing the desire of the author of the psalm that he himself might participate in his mercy, and share the happy lot of the “chosen” of God, Psalms 106:1-5.
II. A reference to the history of the nation, and a confession of their sins in all the periods of their history, and their proneness as a people to disobey God, referring particularly to their history in Egypt, Psalms 106:6-12; in the desert, Psalms 106:13-33; and in the land of Canaan, Psalms 106:34-43.
III. A prayer – founded on the fact that God had often interposed in their behalf – that he would now again interpose, and gather them from among the pagan, that they might again sing his praises, Psalms 106:44-48.
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John Gill
This psalm is without the name of its author, as the Syriac interpreter observes. Aben Ezra, on Psalm 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 written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or by a prophetic spirit, concerning their present captivity; and so Kimchi. The petition in Psalm 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 1 Chronicles 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, Psalm 106:34, who therein might have respect to the Israelites that had been taken captive by some of their neighbors, 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 favors 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.
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Matthew Henry
We must give glory to God by making confession, not only of his goodness but our own badness, which serve as foils to each other. Our badness makes his goodness appear the more illustrious, as his goodness makes our badness the more heinous and scandalous. The foregoing psalm was a history of God’s goodness to Israel; this is a history of their rebellions and provocations, and yet it begins and ends with Hallelujah; for even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune for praising God. Some think it was penned at the time of the captivity in Babylon and the dispersion of the Jewish nation thereupon, because of that prayer in the close (v. 47). I rather think it was penned by David at the same time with the foregoing psalm, because we find the first verse and the last two verses in that psalm which David delivered to Asaph, at the bringing up of the ark to the place he had prepared for it (1 Chr. 16:34-36), “Gather us from among the heathen;” for we may suppose that in Saul’s time there was a great dispersion of pious Israelites, when David was forced to wander. In this psalm we have,
- I. The preface to the narrative, speaking honor to God (v. 1, 2), comfort to the saints (v. 3), and the desire of the faithful towards God’s favor (v. 4, 5).
- II. The narrative itself of the sins of Israel, aggravated by the great things God did for them, an account of which is intermixed. Their provocations at the Red Sea (v. 6-12), lusting (v. 13-15), mutinying (v. 16-18), worshipping the golden calf (v. 19-23), murmuring (v. 24-27), joining themselves to Baal-peor (v. 28-31), quarreling with Moses (v. 32, 33), incorporating themselves with the nations of Canaan (v. 34-39). To this is added an account how God had rebuked them for their sins, and yet saved them from ruin (v. 40-46).
- III. The conclusion of the psalm with prayer and praise (v. 47, 48).
It may be of use to us to sing this psalm, that, being put in mind by it of our sins, the sins of our land, and the sins of our fathers, we may be humbled before God and yet not despair of mercy, which even rebellious Israel often found with God.
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John Darby
“Hallelujah. Give thanks to Jehovah, for it is good (or He is good). His mercy endureth forever.” This last we have often seen—the expression of this unfailing faithful mercy of Jehovah, which secures Israel. It then recites the character of those that are blessed; and personally looks, as in the mouth of a godly Israelite at the close, to be remembered with the favor Jehovah shews His people—desiring withal to see the good of Jehovah’s chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of His nation and glory with His inheritance. It is the expression of genuine piety, which then turns to confess the sinfulness of the people—not they have sinned, though that is owned, as showing how Jehovah’s mercy has endured; but “we have sinned with our fathers.” It is the practical piety which proves, in its own confession, enduring mercy. It then goes through all the history of Israel with this view; and at the close shows that, in spite of all, Jehovah, remembering His covenant, thought on their affliction, and caused them to be pitied of the heathen, among whom they were. For this mercy he now looks, that they may triumph in the praise of Jehovah.
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Psalm 106 NKJV
Joy in Forgiveness of Israel’s Sins
1
Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2
Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?
Who can declare all His praise?
3
Blessed are those who keep justice,
And he who does righteousness at all times!
4
Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
5
That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
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 in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
But rebelled by the sea—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 dried up;
So He led them through the depths,
As through the wilderness.
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 enemies;
There was not one of them left.
12
Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
13
They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
14
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
15
And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.
16
When they envied Moses in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the Lord,
17
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan,
And covered the faction 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 the molded image.
20
Thus they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.
21
They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
22
Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
Awesome things by the Red Sea.
23
Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach,
To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.
24
Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe His word,
25
But complained in their tents,
And did not heed the voice of the Lord.
26
Therefore He raised His hand in an oath against them,
To overthrow them in the wilderness,
27
To overthrow their descendants among the nations,
And to scatter them in the lands.
28
They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor,
And ate sacrifices made to the dead.
29
Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.
30
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped.
31
And that was accounted to him for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.
32
They angered Him also at the waters of [i]strife,
So that it went ill with Moses on account of them;
33
Because they rebelled against His Spirit,
So that he spoke rashly with his lips.
34
They did not destroy the peoples,
Concerning whom the Lord had commanded them,
35
But they mingled with the Gentiles
And learned their works;
36
They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
37
They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
38
And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
39
Thus they were defiled by their own works,
And played the harlot by their own deeds.
40
Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,
So that He abhorred His own inheritance.
41
And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
42
Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
43
Many times He delivered them;
But they rebelled in their counsel,
And were brought low for their iniquity.
44
Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,
When He heard their cry;
45
And for their sake He remembered His covenant,
And relented according to the multitude of His mercies.
46
He also made them to be pitied
By all those who carried them away captive.
47
Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.
48
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord!
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“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
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