Bible Commentaries
Psalms 106

Verses 1-48

Psalms 106:0

Outline - Outline of Psalms 106:0:

A. God’s praise (Psalms 106:1-3)

for His goodness and mercy

for His mighty acts and praise beyond utterance

The righteous are bless.

B. Our plea (Psalms 106:4-5)

C. Our confession (Psalms 106:6)

D. God’s show of mercy and kindness to Israel (Psalms 106:7-46)

1. The Red Sea Deliverance (Psalms 106:7-12)

a. People’s sin (Psalms 106:7)

b. God’s mercy (Psalms 106:8)

c. God’s mighty acts (Psalms 106:9-11)

d. Praise the Lord (Psalms 106:12)

2. The Wilderness experience (Psalms 106:13-33)

a. Lusting (Psalms 106:13-15)

b. Envy, Jealousy (Psalms 106:16-18)

c. Idolatry (Psalms 106:19-23)

d. Unbelief (Psalms 106:24-27)

e. Disobedience (Psalms 106:24-27)

f. Idolatry (Psalms 106:28-31)

g. Provoking God (Psalms 106:32-33)

3. Idolatrous Nation (Psalms 106:34-39)

4. Judgment, pity, mercy (Psalms 106:40-46)

E. Conclusion (Psalms 106:47-48)

1. Cry for deliverance (Psalms 106:47)

2. Doxology to praise the Lord (Psalms 106:48)

Psalms 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

Psalms 106:4 Comments - The writer of Psalms 106:0 asks for same favour that God showed Israel many times in the past.

Psalms 106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

Psalms 106:5 Comments - Three parallel statements can be seen in Psalms 106:5:

1. See the good of thy chosen

2. Rejoice in the gladness of thy nation

3. Glory with thine inheritance

Psalms 106:6-46 Israel’s Rebellion - These stories of Israel's rebellion in Psalms 106:6-46 are discussed again in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. This passage in 1 Corinthians give us the purpose for recounting these stories of rebellion, so that they serve as examples for the New Testament Church.

1 Corinthians 10:6, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

Psalms 106:12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

Psalms 106:13-16 Comments - Sin, and therefore, a great fall, are preceded by a turning from God’s counsel.

Psalms 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

Psalms 106:20 Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament - Paul quotes Psalms 106:20 in Romans 1:23.

Romans 1:23, “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”

Psalms 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

Psalms 106:34-35 Comments - Psalms 106:34-35 reveals the reason God wanted Israel to destroy the idolatrous nations. God did not want Israel to learn their wicked ways.

Psalms 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

Psalms 106:37 Scripture Reference - Note:

1 Corinthians 10:20, “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils , and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”

Psalms 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

Psalms 106:47 Comments - Psalms 106:47 seems to indicate that it was Israel that had been scattered abroad in the Babylonian captivity. So, this psalm was written perhaps after the exile and before the return, a 70-year span.

This prayer sums up the wicked acts of Israel as confession of sin, and remembers God’s forgiveness each time:

Psalms 106:7-46 - Israel's past evil.

Psalms 106:1-6; Psalms 106:47-48 - Israel's plea for help