Psalm 106

Psalm 106 is a reflective psalm, recounting Israel's repeated disobedience and God's unwavering mercy throughout their history. It highlights how the people rebelled against God despite His wonders and deliverance, yet each time, God forgave them in His great mercy. This psalm encourages thanksgiving, confession, and reliance on God's faithful love and deliverance.

Psalm 106:1-5 (NKJV)
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.

The psalm begins with praise and gratitude for God's everlasting mercy. The psalmist marvels at God's mighty acts, acknowledging that no one can fully recount His wonders. He emphasizes the blessing on those who act justly and live righteously. The writer expresses a personal plea for God’s favor and salvation, desiring to partake in the joy and blessings reserved for God’s chosen people.

Psalm 106:6-12 (NKJV)
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.

Here, the psalmist acknowledges Israel's sins, tracing their rebellion back to their ancestors who doubted God at the Red Sea. Despite their lack of faith, God rescued them to demonstrate His power. The parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of their enemies were signs of God's mighty hand. In response, the people briefly believed and praised God, but their trust would soon falter again.

Psalm 106:13-23 (NKJV)
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.

The psalmist recounts multiple instances of Israel’s disobedience. They quickly forgot God's works and rebelled by demanding food in the wilderness. Although God granted their desires, it brought spiritual emptiness. They also opposed Moses and Aaron, which led to the earth swallowing Dathan and Abiram. The people further dishonored God by making and worshiping a golden calf. Despite their repeated rebellion, Moses interceded, pleading for mercy to prevent God’s wrath from consuming them.

Psalm 106:24-33 (NKJV)
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 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.

The people’s disobedience continued as they refused to enter the Promised Land and doubted God's promises. They worshiped Baal and provoked God, which led to a plague. Phinehas’ bold action against sin halted the plague, earning him lasting honor. At Meribah, the people’s constant rebellion caused Moses to act out in frustration, which led to consequences for him as well.

Psalm 106:34-48 (NKJV)
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!

The final section recounts Israel’s failure to fully obey God's command to eliminate pagan influences, leading to idolatry and even child sacrifice. God allowed their enemies to oppress them, yet He remained merciful. Time and again, He rescued them when they cried out. The psalm ends with a plea for salvation and a call to praise God, acknowledging His eternal faithfulness and mercy.