September 27, 2024
Israel's Demise
Psalm 106
Walker Harris
Big Book Idea
Thinking and feeling God's way.
Key Verse | Psalm 106:13
But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
Psalm 106
Give Thanks to the LORD, for He Is Good
1
Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
3
Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
4
Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
1
106:4
Or Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation
5
that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
6
Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
7
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
8
Yet he saved them for his name's sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
9
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
10
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
12
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
13
But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
14
But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
15
he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
16
When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
17
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the company of Abiram.
18
Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.
19
They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
20
They exchanged the glory of God
2
106:20
Hebrew exchanged their glory
for 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,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23
Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
24
Then they despised the pleasant land,
having no faith in his promise.
25
They murmured in their tents,
and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
26
Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
27
and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
scattering them among the lands.
28
Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29
they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
30
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
31
And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever.
32
They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33
for they made his spirit bitter,
3
106:33
Or they rebelled against God's Spirit
and he spoke rashly with his lips.
34
They did not destroy the peoples,
as the LORD commanded them,
35
but they mixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
36
They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
38
they poured out 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 became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.
40
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;
41
he gave them into the hand of the nations,
so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42
Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43
Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.
44
Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
45
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
46
He caused them to be pitied
by all those who held them captive.
47
Save us, O LORD our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
48
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD!
Table of Contents
Introduction to The Psalms
Timeline
Author and Date
Individual psalms come from diverse periods of Israel’s history, but at every stage they served as the songbook of God’s people. David wrote about half of the Psalms. His role as king was more than that of a ruler. He was to represent and even embody the people, and their well-being was tied to his faithfulness. David, then, writes as a representative, and the readers must discern whether the emphasis of a psalm is more on his role as ruler or more on his role as ideal Israelite, in which he is an example for all. The historical occasions mentioned in the psalm titles help the reader see how faith applies to real-life situations.
Key Themes
The Psalter is fundamentally the hymnbook of God’s people. It takes the basic themes of OT theology and turns them into song:
- Monotheism. The one God, Maker and Ruler of all, will vindicate his goodness and justice in his own time. Everyone must know and love this God, whose purity, power, wisdom, faithfulness, and unceasing love are breathtakingly beautiful.
- Creation and fall. Though God made man with dignity and purpose, all people since the fall are beset with sins and weaknesses that only God’s grace can heal.
- Election and covenant. The one true God chose a people for himself and bound himself to them by his covenant. This covenant expressed God’s intention to save his people, and through them to bring light to the world.
- Covenant membership. In his covenant, God offers grace to his people: forgiveness of their sins, the shaping of their lives to reflect his own glory, and a part to play as light to the Gentiles. Each member of God’s people is responsible to believe God’s promises and to grow in obeying his commands. Those who do this enjoy the full benefits of God’s love and find delight in knowing him. The well-being of God’s people as a whole affects the well-being of each member. Each one shares the joys and sorrows of the others. When believers suffer, they should not seek revenge but should pray. They can be confident that God will make all things right in his own time.
- Eschatology. The story of God’s people is headed toward a glorious future, in which all kinds of people will come to know the Lord. The personal faithfulness of God’s people contributes to his ultimate purpose. The Messiah, the ultimate heir of David, will lead his people in the great task of bringing light to the Gentiles.
Types of Psalms
The Psalms can be identified according to some basic categories:
Laments, which lay a troubled situation before the Lord, asking him for help. There are community (Psalm 12) and individual (Psalm 13) laments. This category is the largest by far, including up to a third of all Psalms.
Hymns of praise, which call God’s people to admire his great attributes and deeds. Examples include Psalms 8; 93; and 145.
Hymns of thanksgiving. As with laments, there are community (Psalm 9) and individual (Psalm 30) thanksgiving psalms.
Hymns celebrating God’s law (Psalm 119).
Wisdom psalms (Psalms 1; 37), which reflect themes from the Wisdom Books (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon).
Songs of confidence, which enable worshipers to deepen their trust in God amid difficult circumstances (Psalm 23).
Royal psalms, which present the Davidic monarchy as the vehicle of blessing for God’s people. Some of these are prayers (Psalm 20), some are thanksgivings (Psalm 21). All relate to the Messiah, the ultimate heir of David, either by setting a pattern (Psalms 20–21) or by portraying the king’s reign in such a way that only the Messiah can completely fulfill it (Psalms 2; 72), or by focusing on the future (Psalm 110).
Historical psalms, which take lessons from the history of God’s dealings with his people (Psalm 78).
Prophetic hymns, which echo the Prophets, calling people to covenant faithfulness (Psalm 81).
Structure
The standard Hebrew text divides the Psalms into five “books,” perhaps in imitation of the five books of the Pentateuch.
| Book 1 | Psalms 1–41 | Psalms 1–2 provide an introduction to the Psalms as a whole. Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save (e.g., 9; 11; 16; 18), striking the note that concludes the book (40–41). Reflections on ethics and worship are found in Psalms 1; 14–15; 19; 24; and 26. |
| Book 2 | Psalms 42–72 | Book 2 introduces the first group of psalms by the “sons of Korah” (42; 44–49; 50). There are also more psalms of David (51–65; 68–69), including most of the “historical” psalms (51–52; 54; 56–57; 59–60; 63). Once again, lament and distress dominate these prayers, which now also include a communal voice (e.g., 44; compare 67; 68). The lone psalm attributed to Solomon concludes Book 2 with a look at God’s ideal for Israel’s kings—ultimately pointing to Christ as the final great King of God’s people. |
| Book 3 | Psalms 73–89 | The tone darkens further in Book 3. The opening Psalm 73 starkly questions the justice of God before seeing light in God’s presence. That light has almost escaped the psalmist in Psalm 88, the bleakest of all psalms. Book 2 ended with the high point of royal aspirations; Book 3 concludes in Psalm 89 with these expectations badly threatened. Sharp rays of hope occasionally pierce the darkness (e.g., 75; 85; 87). The brief third book contains most of the psalms of Asaph (73–83), as well as another set of Korah psalms (84–85; 87–88). |
| Book 4 | Psalms 90–106 | Psalm 90 opens the fourth book of the psalms. It may be seen as the first response to the problems raised by Book 3. Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, reminds the worshiper that God was active on Israel’s behalf long before David. This theme is taken up in Psalms 103–106, which summarize God’s dealings with his people before any kings reigned. In between there is a group of psalms (93–100) characterized by the refrain “The LORD reigns.” This truth refutes the doubts of Psalm 89. |
| Book 5 | Psalms 107–150 | The structure of Book 5 reflects the closing petition of Book 4 in 106:47. It declares that God does answer prayer (107) and concludes with five Hallelujah psalms (146–150). In between there are several psalms affirming the validity of the promises to David (110; 132; 144), two collections of Davidic psalms (108–110; 138–145); the longest psalm, celebrating the value of God’s law (119); and 15 psalms of ascent for use by pilgrims to Jerusalem (120–134). |
Fact: What was the main purpose of the Psalms for the people of God?
What was the main purpose of the Psalms for the people of God? The Psalms were the songbook of the people of God when they gathered for worship.
Fact: What is a psalm of lament?
What is a psalm of lament? The main purpose of a psalm of lament is to tell the Lord about a difficult situation, to ask him for his help, and to praise him for helping. Some laments are community, congregational psalms. Others are individual, personal laments. One third of all the Psalms are psalms of lament.
Fact: What defined someone as an “enemy” of the people of Israel?
What defined someone as an “enemy” of the people of Israel? The “enemies” mentioned in the Psalms (e.g., 18:17) were people hostile to the faith of God’s people. Sometimes they expressed their hatred by physically attacking the people of Israel, while other times they merely rejoiced when Israel faced misfortunes.
Fact: Selah
What does Selah mean? Although the word Selah is found 39 times in the book of Psalms, its exact meaning is uncertain. Most scholars believe it is a musical term or a term to be used by a worship leader, possibly to mark a pause.
Fact: Snares
Snares (38:12) were traps used to catch birds and animals. Some snares used ropes or nets that would be triggered as soon as the bait was touched. Pits disguised with sticks and leaves were also used as snares. In the Psalms, snares serve as symbols of danger or death at the hands of the wicked.
Fact: A helpful guide
A helpful guide. The writers of the Psalms understood the importance of constant communication with God. They knew that God would hear their prayers, and they trusted him to act on their behalf. Believers today can benefit greatly by patterning their prayers after specific psalms.
Fact: Celebrate
Psalms 105 and 106 celebrate God’s faithfulness to his people. They recall his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those who sing the psalms should see themselves as the beneficiaries of all the amazing things God has done in the past.
Structure of Psalms
The standard Hebrew text divides the Psalms into five “books,” perhaps in imitation of the five books of the Pentateuch.
| Book 1 | Psalms 1–41 | Psalms 1–2 provide an introduction to the Psalms as a whole. Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save (e.g., 9; 11; 16; 18), striking the note that concludes the book (40–41). Reflections on ethics and worship are found in Psalms 1; 14–15; 19; 24; and 26. |
| Book 2 | Psalms 42–72 | Book 2 introduces the first group of psalms by the “sons of Korah” (42; 44–49; 50). There are also more psalms of David (51–65; 68–69), including most of the “historical” psalms (51–52; 54; 56–57; 59–60; 63). Once again, lament and distress dominate these prayers, which now also include a communal voice (e.g., 44; compare 67; 68). The lone psalm attributed to Solomon concludes Book 2 with a look at God’s ideal for Israel’s kings—ultimately pointing to Christ as the final great King of God’s people. |
| Book 3 | Psalms 73–89 | The tone darkens further in Book 3. The opening Psalm 73 starkly questions the justice of God before seeing light in God’s presence. That light has almost escaped the psalmist in Psalm 88, the bleakest of all psalms. Book 2 ended with the high point of royal aspirations; Book 3 concludes in Psalm 89 with these expectations badly threatened. Sharp rays of hope occasionally pierce the darkness (e.g., 75; 85; 87). The brief third book contains most of the psalms of Asaph (73–83), as well as another set of Korah psalms (84–85; 87–88). |
| Book 4 | Psalms 90–106 | Psalm 90 opens the fourth book of the psalms. It may be seen as the first response to the problems raised by Book 3. Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, reminds the worshiper that God was active on Israel’s behalf long before David. This theme is taken up in Psalms 103–106, which summarize God’s dealings with his people before any kings reigned. In between there is a group of psalms (93–100) characterized by the refrain “The LORD reigns.” This truth refutes the doubts of Psalm 89. |
| Book 5 | Psalms 107–150 | The structure of Book 5 reflects the closing petition of Book 4 in 106:47. It declares that God does answer prayer (107) and concludes with five Hallelujah psalms (146–150). In between there are several psalms affirming the validity of the promises to David (110; 132; 144), two collections of Davidic psalms (108–110; 138–145); the longest psalm, celebrating the value of God’s law (119); and 15 psalms of ascent for use by pilgrims to Jerusalem (120–134). |
OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)
| Romans 3 | OT Reference |
|---|---|
| Sinful Condition | |
| v. 10, none is righteous | Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20 |
| v. 11a, no one understands | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 11b, no one seeks for God | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one | Ps. 14:3/53:3 |
| Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips) | |
| v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive | Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9) |
| v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips | Ps. 140:3 |
| v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness | Ps. 10:7 |
| Sinful Action | |
| v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood | Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery | Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known | Isa. 59:8 |
| Summary Statement | |
| v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes | Ps. 36:1 |
Ps. 106:1–3 The psalm begins by calling God’s people to give thanks and to reflect on his mighty deeds. Observe justice and do righteousness at all times remind the singing congregation that their actions should reflect their faith in God.
Ps. 106:4–5 This section looks to the future, when God so blesses his faithful people (v. 3) that the Gentiles are drawn into the light (when you show favor to your people).
Ps. 106:6 Both we and our fathers have sinned. This verse is the theme of the incidents. The psalm presents the current generation as having been part of their ancestors’ sin (see note on Deut. 1:20–21; see Ezra 9:6–15; Neh. 1:5–11; Dan. 9:4–19).
Ps. 106:7–12 The first incident is from the shore of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:10–31), when the people of Israel who had followed Moses saw the pursuing army of Egypt. Their reaction was evidence of unbelieving hearts, because they did not consider God’s wondrous works and they rebelled. Nevertheless the Lord saved them for his name’s sake, so that he might make known his mighty power.
Ps. 106:13–15 Sadly, the people of Israel soon forgot God’s works and slipped back into unfaithfulness (see v. 7). They put God to the test in the desert (see Num. 14:22). The specific incident in view is Israel’s wanton craving at Kibroth-hattaavah (Num. 11:4, 31–35).
Ps. 106:16–18 The next event is the rebellion led by Dathan and Abiram (Num. 16:1–40). They apparently enlisted the Levite Korah to speak out against Moses and Aaron.
Ps. 106:19–23 The psalm moves on to the calf in Horeb, the “golden calf” (Ex. 32:1–14). They worshiped this idol because they were unfaithful (Ps. 106:21; see vv. 7, 13). Moses stood in the breach before God (an image taken from risking one’s own life to close up a gap broken in a wall; see Neh. 6:1; Ezek. 13:5), to turn away God’s wrath from destroying the Israelites (Ex. 32:11–14).
Ps. 106:24–27 The sad list now moves to what happened when the 12 spies returned from their mission to scout out the land that God had promised (Num. 13:32–14:38). Ten of them gave a bad report, which led Israel to give in to fear. As a result, they refused God’s command to enter the land to conquer it (Ps. 106:24). This section closes with a worrying indication about the singers’ current situation: just as God made the Israelites fall in the wilderness, so he would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands (see v. 47).
Ps. 106:28–31 Next is the time when the Israelites yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor (Num. 25:1–15). It took the prompt and drastic action of Phinehas to stop the plague that broke out among the Israelites as a result of God’s anger (see note on Num. 25:7–8). counted to him as righteousness. God considered Phinehas’s deed as an act of covenant faithfulness.
Ps. 106:32–33 At the waters of Meribah the people complained about lack of water and accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to die. Their unbelief led Moses to speak rashly (that is, to become careless about acting by faith). He lost his right to enter the Promised Land because of it.
Ps. 106:6–46 This is a list of incidents that begins at the shore of the Red Sea (vv. 7–12) and ends during the time of the judges (vv. 34–46).
Ps. 106:34–46 The psalmist refers to the recurring pattern in Judg. 2:11–3:6, in which the people of Israel did not destroy the peoples in Canaan (disobeying what the LORD commanded them). Instead they mixed with the nations (especially by intermarriage, Judg. 3:6; see Ezra 9:2) and learned to do as they did (Ps. 106:34–35). Hence the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he gave them into the hand of the nations (vv. 40–41; see Judg. 2:14). The stunning thing about the period of the judges is the opposing themes: many times he delivered them while yet they were rebellious in their purposes (Ps. 106:43). Nevertheless God looked upon their distress (v. 44) and kept coming to their aid. The expressions remembered his covenant and the abundance of his steadfast love (v. 45, a reference to Ex. 34:6) look back to Ps. 106:7. This puts the faithful Lord in stark contrast with the unfaithful people. In keeping with Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8:50), God caused his repentant people to be pitied by all those who held them captive (Ps. 106:46), and he restored them.
Psalm Ps. 106. This historical psalm (see notes on Psalms 78 and 105) retells a series of events from Israel’s history to illustrate God’s steadfast love in the face of Israel’s rebellion and unfaithfulness. The events occurred during Israel’s time in the wilderness (Exodus and Numbers) and when Israel repeatedly rebelled against the Lord after Joshua’s death (Judges). All of the episodes are instances of the whole people being unfaithful. In each instance God continues to maintain this people and to create conditions in which holiness can flourish. The focus is therefore on corporate unfaithfulness and forgiveness. The psalm begins by calling on the people to give thanks and praise to God (Ps. 106:1–3). It ends in a prayer that the God who has shown such patience will once again deliver his people, apparently this time from exile (v. 47). In view of the ending, it is best to call this psalm a community lament.
Ps. 106:48 This doxology closes Book 4 of the Psalms. Praise the LORD! echoes the opening phrase of 106:1. In view of what this list of events establishes about God’s faithfulness, blessed be the LORD indeed. All the people should say, “Amen!”
Fact: Celebrate
Psalms 105 and 106 celebrate God’s faithfulness to his people. They recall his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those who sing the psalms should see themselves as the beneficiaries of all the amazing things God has done in the past.
S3:191 Psalm 106
Listen NowDive Deeper | Psalm 106
When I was a student, I was an avid user of SparkNotes.com because I was too lazy to read the assigned novels. Here, the psalmist kindly provides a SparkNotes of God's faithfulness and the Israelites' sins, beginning with their escape from Egypt. After seeing God's power and faithfulness demonstrated at the Red Sea, the Israelites believed in God and praised Him. However, in the face of a long journey through the vast desert to the promised land, "they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel." (Psalm 106:13)
It seems like the Israelites are more concerned with what they can get from God than how they can glorify their all-powerful, loving creator. The Israelites failed to praise God and seek His guidance at all times. They are constantly riding the merry-go-round of allowing their circumstances to determine their need for God and desire to praise Him. The merry-go-round I have been riding recently is one where I look to God when life is troublesome; but when I have no complaints about life, I go about my day solely relying on my own strength. Instead of recognizing my depravity (Romans 3:10-12), I put my relationship with God up on a shelf where it looks nice and collects a little dust, until trouble comes around and I feel like I need it again.
The ride can also go in the opposite direction. When life is difficult, it can be easy to rebel or even curse God. On this ride, praising God is a simple convenience when life's circumstances are satisfactory. This is not the pattern of thought that God desires for His children. He instead wants us to trust Him and His plan at all times (Matthew 6:25-34) because He loves us, and one day, we will be made whole and reunited with Him. The truth is, God is always good and deserving of our praise, no matter the circumstances; and we are always in need of His love, grace, mercy, and wisdom, no matter the circumstances.
This month's memory verse
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
– Galatians 5:25
Discussion Questions
1. In what life circumstances does your relationship with God tend to suffer?
2. Do you find it difficult to praise God at all times? Why?
3. Where in your life are you relying on your own strength and not trusting God? In forgiveness, in faithful action, in your finances, in the unknown, etc.?
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