INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 106 This psalm is without the name of its author, as the Syriac interpreter observes. Aben Ezra, on Psalms 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 a... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAISE YE THE LORD,.... Or "hallelujah"; which, according to the Arabic version, is the title of the psalm; and so it stands in the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions. Several psalms following begin in like manner; it begins as the former ended, and ends as it begins; praise being due... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO CAN UTTER THE MIGHTY ACTS OF THE LORD?.... Or powers i; to which answers the Greek word for the miracles of Christ, Matthew 11:20, and Kimchi here restrains them to the wonders wrought in Egypt, and at the Red sea: but they may as well be extended to the mighty acts of God, and the effects of h... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT KEEP JUDGMENT,.... Or "observe" k it; the righteous judgment of God on wicked men; by which he is known in his justice, holiness, truth, and faithfulness; and by which the inhabitants of the earth observing it, learn to do righteousness, as follows: or else it may intend the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER ME, O LORD, WITH THE FAVOUR THAT THOU BEAREST UNTO THY PEOPLE,.... The Lord has a special and peculiar people, whom he has chosen, taken into covenant, given to his Son, redeemed by him, who are called by grace, and brought to glory: to these he bears a peculiar favour, loves with an everla... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I MAY SEE THE GOOD OF THY CHOSEN,.... The elect, according to the foreknowledge of God; who are chosen in Christ to holiness and happiness, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth unto salvation by him; the vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory, both of Jews and Genti... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE SINNED WITH OUR FATHERS,.... Sinned in their first father Adam; derived a corrupt nature from their immediate ancestors; sinned after the similitude of their transgressions; sinned after their example, in like manner as they did; guilty of the same gross enormities as they were: though suffi... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR FATHERS UNDERSTOOD NOT THY WONDERS IN EGYPT,.... Or, "our fathers in Egypt" l; while they were there, they did not understand, or wisely consider and attend unto, the miracles there wrought, the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. These were done in their sight, they saw them with their eyes; ye... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, HE SAVED THEM FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE,.... Not for any worth or worthiness in them; not for their righteousness sake, for they were a rebellious and disobedient people; but for his name's sake, because his name was called upon them, and he was called the God of the Hebrews, as Aben Ezra ob... [ Continue Reading ]
HE REBUKED THE RED SEA ALSO, AND IT WAS DRIED UP,.... By sending a strong east wind, which drove the waters back, and made the sea a dry land, Exodus 14:21. SO HE LED THEM THROUGH THE DEPTHS; that is, the deep waters of the sea, which were cast up as an heap, and stood as a wall on each side, throu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAVED THEM FROM THE HAND OF HIM THAT HATED THEM,.... As Pharaoh and his people did, because of their numerous increase, which they endeavoured to prevent; and still more because of the plagues inflicted on them; and now because they were got away from them, and therefore pursued them in great... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WATERS COVERED THEIR ENEMIES,.... They pursuing the Israelites into the sea, the waters returned, and covered Pharaoh and all his host, and drowned them, so that they sunk as a stone, and as lead into the bottom of the sea, Exodus 14:28. THERE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM LEFT; to return back to Egy... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN BELIEVED THEY HIS WORDS,.... And not till then; for this is observed, not to their commendation, but to show the slowness of their hearts to believe; they believed on sight, but not before, as Thomas did; whereas, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed", John 20:29. When th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SOON FORGAT HIS WORKS,.... The miracles he wrought in Egypt, the deliverance of them from thence with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, and the leading them through the Red sea as on dry land, and destroying all their enemies; all these they soon forgot, for they had gone but three days' jour... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LUSTED EXCEEDINGLY IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Or, "lusted a lust" p as in Numbers 11:4 to which story there related this refers; they were not content with the manna they had every day, though very nourishing and of a sweet taste; they lusted after the fish and flesh of Egypt, and other things they... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GAVE THEM THEIR REQUEST,.... Flesh and feathered fowl in great abundance; see Psalms 78:27. So God sometimes gives to wicked men what they ask for, as much as they can desire, yea, more than heart could wish. BUT SENT LEANNESS INTO THEIR SOUL: or "body"; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and al... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ENVIED MOSES ALSO IN THE CAMP,.... That he should be generalissimo there, have the sole command of the people, and be their leader and chief magistrate. Gifts qualifying men for civil government are from the Lord, and these commonly draw the envy of others upon them; who, though they pretend pa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH OPENED AND SWALLOWED UP DATHAN,.... One of the heads of the conspirators against Moses and Aaron; the earth clave asunder under him and his company; opened itself, or its mouth, and devoured them at once. This was a new, marvellous, and unheard of thing, and which manifestly showed the div... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A FIRE WAS KINDLED IN THEIR COMPANY,.... This seems to be the company of Korah, or however a part of it, the two hundred and fifty men that had censers, and so were of the Levitical race, as Korah was; this fire came from the Lord out of heaven. THE FLAME BURNED UP THE WICKED; the two hundred a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY MADE A CALF IN HOREB,.... A golden one, of the earrings of gold which were in the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters; these they took and melted down, and cast into the figure of a calf, or an ox, as it is afterwards said, in imitation of the Egyptians, who worshipped the ox; a people tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS THEY CHANGED THEIR GLORY,.... God, who is glorious in all the perfections of his nature, and is glory itself, and was the glory of these people; it was their greatest honour that they had knowledge of him, nearness to him, the true worship of him among them, and that they were worshippers of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY FORGAT GOD THEIR SAVIOUR,.... Not only forgat the works of God, Psalms 106:13, but forgat God that did those mighty works; forgat that there was a God; or however forgat him that is the only true and living God, when they said of the molten image, "these are thy gods, O Israel"; and what aggrav... [ Continue Reading ]
WONDROUS WORKS IN THE LAND OF HAM,.... The same with Egypt; Mizraim, from whence Egypt had its name, being the son of Ham; Psalms 78:51. Psalms 105:23, and these wondrous things are the same plagues as before, so called because they exceeded the power of nature; the magicians themselves confessed... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HE SAID THAT HE WOULD DESTROY THEM,.... He said in his word, the Targum adds; he thought within himself he would; he seemed determined in his own mind to destroy them, being provoked at their wretched forgetfulness of him, and their idolatry; he said to Moses, LET ME ALONE, THAT MY WRATH... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THEY DESPISED THE PLEASANT LAND,.... Or "land of desire" r; the land of Canaan; a very delightful and desirable country, the glory of all lands, a land that abounded with everything for necessity and pleasure. The spies themselves, that brought an ill report of it, owned it was a land flowing w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MURMURED IN THEIR TENTS,.... Throughout their tents; the murmuring was general; they murmured often; but what is here referred to seems to be their murmuring upon the report of the spies, Numbers 14:2. To murmur against God and his providence is a very great evil; and which generally proceeds o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THEM,.... A gesture used in swearing, Genesis 14:22. So the Targum understands it here, "and he lifted up his hand with an oath, because of them:'' and so it is interpreted by Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; and agrees with Numbers 14:28. The same... [ Continue Reading ]
TO OVERTHROW THEIR SEED ALSO AMONG THE NATIONS,.... Their posterity was not overthrown in the wilderness; they were spared to possess the land their fathers despised. This respects later times, as does what follows: AND TO SCATTER THEM IN THE LANDS; which Kimchi explains by the discomfiture of them... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY JOINED THEMSELVES ALSO UNTO BAALPEOR,.... Or to the idol Peor, as the Targum. Baal, which signifies Lord or master, was a common name for an idol in many countries; wherefore, to distinguish one from another, an additional name was used. Baalzephon was the god of the Egyptians; Baalzebub the go... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS THEY PROVOKED HIM TO ANGER WITH THEIR INVENTIONS,.... Sin is an invention of man's: when our first parents sinned, they found out many inventions; and their posterity ever since have been inventors of evil things; and man's invention is very quick at that work. All false doctrine and false wors... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN STOOD UP PHINEHAS, AND EXECUTED JUDGMENT,.... When none else would, he rose up in great zeal for the Lord of hosts; and took on him the work of a civil magistrate, and slew two persons of noble birth in the very act of fornication. The Targum is, "he prayed'' and so the Syriac version "he in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Not for his justifying righteousness before God; for all the works of righteousness done by the best of men cannot justify them before him, much less a single action: but his executing judgment in the manner he did, or slaying the above two person... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ANGERED HIM ALSO AT THE WATERS OF STRIFE,.... Or, "at the waters of Meribah" z; that is, Meribahkadesh, as it is called in Deuteronomy 32:51 to distinguish it from Meribahrephidim, where also were waters of strife or contradiction; at which the people murmured and strove with the Lord, and gre... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY PROVOKED HIS SPIRIT;.... Though he was a very meek man, meeker than any upon the face of the earth, Numbers 12:2, yet, being greatly provoked, let fall some passionate and undue expressions: and this was not only his sin, but the fault of those also that provoked him, and with this view... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DID NOT DESTROY THE NATIONS,.... Here begins an account of their sins and provocations, after they were settled in the land of Canaan. They did not destroy the inhabitants of the land, of the seven nations; whose land was given to them as an inheritance, and of which the Canaanites were disposs... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WERE MINGLED AMONG THE HEATHEN,.... Not only dwelt among them, but made covenants and contracts, carried on trade and commerce, and intermarried with them, contrary to the express law of God, Deuteronomy 7:2. Nor should saints have communion with wicked men, especially in things sinful and super... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SERVED THEIR IDOLS,.... Of gold and silver, wood and stone; the works of men's hands, senseless creatures; which are nothing in the world, and bring grief and sorrow to the worshippers of them, from whence they have their name here given them; see Psalms 16:4. They served "their" idols, the... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THEY SACRIFICED THEIR SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS UNTO DEVILS. Who have their name here given them from a word that signifies to waste and destroy, they being the destroyers of mankind. So the Targum renders it by מזיקיא, which signifies spirits noxious and hurtful; but R. Elias Levita, in his Tis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHED INNOCENT BLOOD,.... The blood of innocent persons; not that any of Adam's posterity, descending from him by ordinary generation, are strictly and properly innocent, or free from sin; self-righteous persons have thought themselves, touching the righteousness of the law, blameless; and some p... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WERE THEY DEFILED WITH THEIR OWN WORKS,.... Not the land only, but they themselves also; or "with their works" a, with the works of the Heathen they learned, Psalms 106:35, or rather with their own works, the works of the flesh, especially their shocking idolatries: sin is of a defiling nature;... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WAS THE WRATH OF THE LORD KINDLED AGAINST HIS PEOPLE,.... Sin is the cause of wrath, which is compared to fire kindled by the breath of the Almighty, and is intolerable; this shows that the offence must be very great, as to incense the Lord against a people he had chosen above all others t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF THE HEATHEN,.... In the times of the judges; as into the hands of the Mesopotamians, Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, and Philistines, to whom they became tributaries; see the book of Judges. AND THEY THAT HATED THEM RULED OVER THEM; as it was threatened and foret... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR ENEMIES ALSO OPPRESSED THEM,.... By taxes, and taking the increase of their fields and sustenance, which often obliged them to cry for a deliverer, who upon this was sent to them; see Judges 2:9. AND THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO SUBJECTION UNDER THEIR HAND; OR WERE HUMBLED UNDER THEIR HAND, AS THE... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY TIMES DID HE DELIVER THEM,.... By means of the judges, Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and others. BUT THEY PROVOKED HIM WITH THEIR COUNSEL; in asking a king, whom he gave in his anger, and took away in his wrath, Hosea 13:11, and with their idolatries which they devised, setti... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS HE REGARDED THEIR AFFLICTION,.... Or "looked on them in distress" d; he saw their affliction, and had compassion on them; he was so far from abhorring and despising the affliction of the afflicted, that he pitied them and sympathized with them; in all their afflictions he was afflicted;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE REMEMBERED FOR THEM HIS COVENANT,.... At Sinai, according to Aben Ezra; rather that made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; see Psalms 105:8, not their covenant who promised to hear and do all that the Lord commanded, and did it not; but his covenant, his promise of giving them the good land, an... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE THEM ALSO TO BE PITIED OF ALL THOSE THAT CARRIED THEM CAPTIVES. He not only pitied them himself, but caused them to be pitied by others, even by their enemies; he has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them as he pleases; as he sometimes turned their hearts to hate his people,... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE US, O LORD OUR GOD,.... Here the psalmist represents the people in captivity, and represents them as praying for deliverance; as well knowing that none but God could save them: and a prayer of this nature, with respect to spiritual salvation, supposes danger, and a sense of it; that they are no... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,.... God is to be blessed as the Father of mercies; as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and as the covenant God and Father of his people in him, of the true Israel of God: which is done by celebrating his blessedness in himself; by ascribing to him all b... [ Continue Reading ]