Psalms 106:39
Psalms 106:39 in Multiple Translations
They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
Thus were they defiled with their works, And played the harlot in their doings.
So they became unclean through their works, going after their evil desires.
They also defiled themselves by what they did: their actions were spiritual adultery.
Thus were they steined with their owne woorkes, and went a whoring with their owne inuentions.
And they are defiled with their works, And commit whoredom in their habitual doings.
Thus they were defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went astray with their own inventions.
Then they were brought to be few: and they were afflicted through the trouble of evils and sorrow.
So by their deeds they caused themselves to become unacceptable to God; because they did not faithfully worship only God, they became like women who sleep with other men instead of sleeping only with their husbands [MET].
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 106:39
BAB
Word Study
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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 106:39 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יִּטְמְא֥וּ
בְ/מַעֲשֵׂי/הֶ֑ם
וַ֝/יִּזְנוּ֗
בְּ/מַֽעַלְלֵי/הֶֽם
וַ/יִּטְמְא֥וּ
ṭâmêʼ
H2930
to defile
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
בְ/מַעֲשֵׂי/הֶ֑ם
maʻăseh
H4639
deed
Prep | N-mp | Suff
וַ֝/יִּזְנוּ֗
zânâh
H2181
to fornicate
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
בְּ/מַֽעַלְלֵי/הֶֽם
maʻălâl
H4611
deed
Prep | N-mp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 106:39
וַ/יִּטְמְא֥וּ
ṭâmêʼ
H2930
"to defile"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to be foul or contaminated, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It is used in the Bible to describe something that is unclean or polluted. In the book of Leviticus, it talks about being unclean and how to become clean again.
Definition: 1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure 1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean 1a1) sexually 1a2) religiously 1a3) ceremonially 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled 1b1a) sexually 1b1b) by idolatry 1b1c) ceremonially 1b2) to be regarded as unclean 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to defile 1c1a) sexually 1c1b) religiously 1c1c) ceremonially 1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially) 1c3) to profane (God's name) 1d) (Pual) to be defiled 1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean 1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled
Usage: Occurs in 142 OT verses. KJV: defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly. See also: Genesis 34:5; Leviticus 22:5; Psalms 79:1.
בְ/מַעֲשֵׂי/הֶ֑ם
maʻăseh
H4639
"deed"
Prep | N-mp | Suff
This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.
Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) deed, work 1a) deed, thing done, act 1b) work, labour 1c) business, pursuit 1d) undertaking, enterprise 1e) achievement 1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment) 1g) work, thing made 1h) work (of God) 1i) product
Usage: Occurs in 221 OT verses. KJV: act, art, [phrase] bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, [idiom] well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought. See also: Genesis 5:29; Job 1:10; Psalms 8:4.
וַ֝/יִּזְנוּ֗
zânâh
H2181
"to fornicate"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
To fornicate means to commit adultery or be unfaithful, often used to describe idolatry in the Bible. It can also refer to a person being a cult prostitute or causing others to be unfaithful.
Definition: 1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication 1a2) to commit adultery 1a3) to be a cult prostitute 1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to play the harlot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to commit adultery 1c2) to force into prostitution 1c3) to commit fornication
Usage: Occurs in 81 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish. See also: Genesis 34:31; Isaiah 57:3; Psalms 73:27.
בְּ/מַֽעַלְלֵי/הֶֽם
maʻălâl
H4611
"deed"
Prep | N-mp | Suff
Maalal means a deed or act, which can be good or bad, such as a practice or invention. It is used in the Bible to describe human actions and their consequences. This term is found in various biblical contexts.
Definition: 1) deed, practice 1a) practice (usually bad) 1b) deeds 1c) acts
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: doing, endeavour, invention, work. See also: Deuteronomy 28:20; Jeremiah 21:12; Psalms 28:4.
Study Notes — Psalms 106:39
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 106:39 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 106:39
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 106:39
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 106:39
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 106:39
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
- Sermons on Psalms 106:39
Context — Give Thanks to the LORD, for He Is Good
37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38They 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.
39They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
40So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance. 41He delivered them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 20:18 | In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. |
| 2 | Numbers 15:39 | These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes. |
| 3 | Leviticus 17:7 | They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons to which they have prostituted themselves. This will be a permanent statute for them for the generations to come.’ |
| 4 | Revelation 17:1–6 | Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 20:43 | There you will remember your ways and all the deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done. |
| 6 | Isaiah 59:3 | For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice. |
| 7 | Ezekiel 20:30–31 | Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you! |
| 8 | Isaiah 24:5–6 | The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive. |
| 9 | Hosea 9:1 | Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor. |
| 10 | Exodus 34:16 | And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same. |
Psalms 106:39 Summary
This verse, Psalms 106:39, is saying that when we engage in sinful and idolatrous practices, we are defiling ourselves and separating ourselves from God's holiness, as seen in Leviticus 20:7. This can lead to serious consequences, including God's anger and discipline, as stated in Psalms 106:40-41 and Ezekiel 18:30. However, through repentance and turning to God, we can be restored to a right relationship with Him, as promised in 1 John 1:9 and Ezekiel 36:25-27. By seeking to honor God in our daily lives and cultivating a deeper sense of His holiness, we can avoid such sin and instead experience His love and forgiveness, as encouraged in Matthew 22:37-38 and Colossians 3:2.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to defile oneself by actions and prostitute oneself by deeds?
According to Psalms 106:39, to defile oneself by actions and prostitute oneself by deeds means to engage in sinful and idolatrous practices, such as those described in Psalms 106:37-38, which separates us from God's holiness and purity, as seen in Leviticus 20:7 and 1 Thessalonians 4:7.
How does God view the actions described in this verse?
God views these actions as abhorrent and a reason for His anger to burn against His people, as stated in Psalms 106:40, and He takes such sin seriously, as seen in Ezekiel 18:30 and Romans 6:23.
What are the consequences of defiling oneself by actions and prostituting oneself by deeds?
The consequences of such actions, as seen in Psalms 106:40-41, include God's anger and abhorrence, leading to His people being delivered into the hands of their enemies, which is also warned against in Deuteronomy 28:25 and 2 Chronicles 12:8.
Can a person recover from defiling themselves by actions and prostituting themselves by deeds?
Yes, through repentance and turning to God, as seen in 1 John 1:9 and Psalms 51:7, a person can recover from such sin and be restored to a right relationship with God, as promised in Ezekiel 36:25-27 and 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I may be defiling myself by my actions or prostituting myself by my deeds, and how can I repent of these sins?
- How can I cultivate a deeper sense of God's holiness and purity in my life, as described in Leviticus 11:44-45 and 1 Peter 1:15-16?
- In what ways am I prioritizing my relationship with God and seeking to honor Him in my daily life, as encouraged in Matthew 22:37-38 and Colossians 3:2?
- What are some potential consequences of ignoring or downplaying the seriousness of sin in my life, and how can I instead seek God's forgiveness and restoration, as seen in Psalms 32:3-5 and Acts 3:19?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 106:39
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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 106:39
They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: -From the fathers in the wilderness the Psalmist turns to the sons in Canaan.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
Committed spiritual whoredom, by worshipping those idols which were but human inventions, and that in such an unnatural and bloody manner, as they had devised.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
Psalms 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.Ver. 39. Thus were they defiled] Great sins do greatly pollute; neither are men by anything more disadvantaged than by doting upon their own devices. And went a whoring] They followed it earnestly, and with delight.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
(34-39) The national sin after the settlement in Canaan.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
Verse 39. And went a whoring.] By fornication, whoredom, and idolatry, the Scripture often expresses idolatry and idolatrous acts. I have given the reason of this in other places. Besides being false to the true God, to whom they are represented as betrothed and married, (and their acts of idolatry were breaches of this solemn engagement,) the worship of idols was frequently accompanied with various acts of impurity. The translation in the Anglo-Saxon is very remarkable: [A.S.] and they fornicated. In Anglo-Saxon, [A.S.] signifies to fire, to ignite; [A.S.] to commit adultery. So [A.S.] is a prostitute, a whore; and [A.S.] is to go a whoring, to fornicate; probably from [A.S.], or [A.S.] to fire, and [A.S.], to lie, or [A.S.], a glutton; - one who lies with fire, who is ignited by it, who is greedily intent upon the act by which he is inflamed. And do not the words themselves show that in former times whoredom was punished, as it is now, by a disease which produces the sensation of burning in the unhappy prostitutes, whether male or female? And to this meaning the following seems particularly to be applicable.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 106:39
39. So they were defiled in their works, And went a whoring in their doings. As the relation of Israel to Jehovah is expressed by the figure of marriage (Hosea 2:2 ff., and often), the abandonment of Jehovah for other gods is described as infidelity to the marriage vow. Cp. Exodus 34:15-16; Deuteronomy 31:16 : &c.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 106:39
Thus were they defiled with their own works - By their very attempts to deliver themselves from sin.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 106:39
39. Thus were they defiled—See Judges 2:11-13
Sermons on Psalms 106:39
| Sermon | Description | |
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Youth by Matt Chandler | In this sermon, the preacher talks about the importance of taking steps and not being afraid to fail. He emphasizes that God's power flows through us and that we should embrace the |
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Notes of a Lecture Numbers 15 by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby discusses the significance of Numbers 15, emphasizing God's unwavering purpose despite Israel's rebellion and unbelief. He highlights how, even after the people's |
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(Through the Bible) Revelation 17-18 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the judgment of the false religious system, referred to as Babylon, which has deceived many people. The speaker mentions Jesus' warning about |
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(Common Market) Its Religion - Part 1 by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the judgment of the "great whore" mentioned in Revelation 17. The speaker believes that this whore represents a system or institution rather t |
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Come Out of the Darkness of Babylon by Steve Gallagher | The video shown during the sermon was described as a production created by the church. The speaker prayed for the congregation and mentioned that some people may choose to stay beh |
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(Revelation) Part 2 the Doom of the Scarlet Woman by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of the seven-headed beast mentioned in the book of Revelation. He explains that five of the heads have already fallen, one is cur |
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Mystery Babylon by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the symbolism of a woman sitting on a scarlet colored beast in the book of Revelation. He explains that this woman represents Satan's counter |