Psalms 106
Big idea: The same events as Psalm 105, told from the other side, and it opens by naming who is speaking: we have sinned with our fathers. Not they. The pattern repeats until it is unmistakable — rescue, forget, crave, rebel, judgment, cry, rescue — and the psalm's most exact line about human nature is verse 13: they soon forgot his works; they didn't wait for his counsel. But the verb that keeps saving the story is God's. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake. Nevertheless he regarded their distress. Book IV ends here, with a plea to be gathered from among the nations — which is to say, from exile.
Psalm 106 ends in exile, asking to be gathered. Book V opens with the answer: he gathered them out of the lands.
106:1–12 — We have sinned with our fathers
The companion to Psalm 105, telling the same history from the other side — and its first move is to refuse the distance. 'We have sinned WITH OUR FATHERS' puts the present generation inside the story rather than judging it. Then the Red Sea, where they rebelled before the rescue, and God saved them anyway — 'FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE', which is the psalm's recurring reason.
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.
106:13–23 — They exchanged their glory
Three failures in quick succession, and the psalm's sharpest line is verse 15: he gave them their request, but sent LEANNESS into their soul. Getting what you asked for is named as a punishment. Then the golden calf, described as a trade — they EXCHANGED their glory for a bull that eats grass — and Moses standing in the breach like a man in a wall.
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.
106:24–33 — They despised the pleasant land
The failures continue into the land, and verse 24 names the strangest of them: they DESPISED the pleasant land. The thing promised since Psalm 105:11 is refused when offered. Then Baal Peor, and Phinehas — 'credited to him for righteousness', the same phrase used of Abraham's faith, applied here to an act. And Moses fails too, on their account.
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.
106:34–48 — Nevertheless he regarded their distress — Book IV closes
The last movement is the worst of the catalogue — child sacrifice, a polluted land — and then the psalm does the thing it has been building toward. 'NEVERTHELESS he regarded their distress.' The word carries the same weight it did in verse 8, and this time it follows everything. Book IV closes with a request that the exile end and a doxology that does not depend on it having ended.
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!
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).