Psalms 106

An exhortation to the praising and celebrating of the LORD, together with a Prayer for forgiveness of sins, which the people of God confesseth to have committed as well as their fathers; whereunto is annexed a short rehearsal of the Israelites stillneckedness in the desert, and the Mercy of God shewed them still, concluding with a Prayer unto and praise of the Lord.

1. Halelu-Jah, [See the Annot. Psalm 104.on v.35. There be nine Psalms, which begins with Halelu-Jah, viz. Psalm 106.111,112,113. 135.146. 148.149. and 150.] Praise the LORD for he is good, for his kindness is in Eternity.

2. Who shall utter the mightinesses of the LORD? [i.e. his mighty works and deeds, such as are rehearsed, v.8.9. and elsewhere; so you have praise here immediately following, for praise worthy acts] declare all his praise? [Heb. Make hear, or cause to be heard. See Psalm 26.on verse 7.]

3. Right happy they are, which entertain the right: [i.e. which do maintain and observe that which is done right and well. See Gen.18.on v.19.] which doth righteousness at all times.

4. Remember me, O LORD, [He prayeth here, that he may be comprehended in the grace and favour which the Lord beareth to his Church] according to the good pleasure (to) thy people, [Heb. In the good pleasure of thy people i.e. that which thou hast or takest in thy people.] visit me [i.e. help and deliver me; as Psalms 8:5. Luke 68,69. See the Annot. Gen 21.v.1.] with thy salvation. [i.e. with thy gracious help and deliverance.]

5. That I may behold the good of thy chosen: [Hebr. See in or into the good as Psalms 27:4. and 34.13. See the Annot. Psalm 22.on ver.18.] that I may rejoice with the rejoicing of thy people: [i.e. with such gladness and rejoicing, as thy people sheweth, when thou shewest them any temporal or spiritual mercy] that I may glory, [viz. With the people which thou hast accepted of for thine inheritance, Psalms 28:9.]

6. We have sinned, together with our Fathers, we have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly.

7. Our fathers in Egypt have not heeded thy wonders, [viz. Which thou didst in Egypt: or, which they had understood by their forefathers that God had wrought from the beginning] they were not mindful of the multitude [or greatness] of thy kindnesses: but they were rebellious at the sea, [viz. Before the LORD divided the red sea, for them to pass through. See Exod.14.12,11.] by the red Sea. [or it rush sea. This Sea is called the red Sea. Heb.11.29.]

8. Yet he delivered them for his Names sake to make known his mightiness.

9. And he rebuked the red sea, so that it dried up: [So that the flowing of the waters thereof ceased. See the like powerfulness of God, Psalms 18:16. Isa.50.2. Nah.1.4. Matth.8.26.] and he made them to walk through the Abysses (deeps,) [By these Abysses, understand the bottom of the Sea, which they entered and passed thorough, between the two heaps of waters which stood up an end over against one another, like walls: Exod.14.22. and 15.5.] as through a Desert: [his meaning is, that the bottom of the Sea, between both the waters standing up an end, was so hard between both the waters standing up an end, was so hard and dry, as if it had been some dry Desert.]

10. And he delivered them out of the hand of the hater; [viz. Pharaohs and his hosts, which pursued the Israelites. Exod.14.23.] and he freed them from the hand of the enemy.

11. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them remained over.

12. Then they believed on his words: they sang his praise.

13. (Yet) they soon forgat [Heb. They hastened, they forgat: See Psalm 45.on v.5.] his works: [which the Lord had done in and at the red Sea] they abode not according to his counsel, [They would not wait with patience according to Gods Council, but murmured against him, Exod.15.24. and 17.2. Psalm.78.41.]

14. But they were a lusting with lust in the Desert, and they tempted God in the wilderness, [To see whether he would be able to give them flesh to eat in the wilderness.]

15. Then he gave them their desire: [i.e. that which they had desired or prayed for, viz. Flesh to eat, Numb.11.31.] but he sent leanness (or consumption) unto their souls. [i.e. to their persons, to themselves: properly to their bodies. So soul is put for person. Psalm 105.v.18. His meaning is; They ate indeed, but it proved no nourishment, they were not fat of it, they thrived not by it, but grew lean, so long till at last they were wasted and consumed.]

16. And they envied Moses in the Leaguer: and Aaron [So that they rose up against them and held, and reproach them as ambitious and insolent men] the holy (one) of the LORD. [whom God had set apart and hallowed for his service, to be high Priest, Exodus 29:44. Levit.8.12. and Numb.16.5,7.]

17. The earth opened herself and swallowed Dathan, and covered the assembly of Abiram: [i.e. the people that adhered to him.]

18. And a fire burnt among their Congregation, [viz. Against the Congregation of Korah and his complices] a flame kindled the wicked.

19. They made a Calf by Horeb [This is the name of amount in the Desert, otherwise called the mountain of God, Exod.3.1. and 1 King.19.8. and likewise Sinai Psalms 68:9. See the Annot Deut.1.on v.2.] and they bowed before a molten image.

20. And they changed their honour [i.e. their God who was their true honour, and their inestimable treasure, as Jerem.2.11. Rom.1.23. who did wonderfully reveal himself unto them, had taken them for to be his people, and made a Covenant with them] into the shape of an Ox [i.e. of a calf] that eateth grass.

21. They forgat God their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt.

22. Marvels in the land of Cham: [i.e. in Egypt, as Psalms 78:51. and 105.23.] fearful things at the red-sea.

23. Therefore he said, that he would destroy them, but that Moseh his chosen stood in the rent [or gap, leak, breach, which their sins had opened for God, being become their enemy by reason of their sins, to get in upon them for their destruction, a kind of speech taken from warlike men, who by gaps and breaches in the earnest and zealous prayer of Moseh stopped or made up the breach, Exod.32.11,12,13,14.] before his face, to turn away his fierceness, that he destroyed them not.

24. They likewise disclaimed the desired land: [Heb. The land of desire: i.e. the land of Canaan, which was a goodly desirable Country, flowing with milk and honey; which their forefathers also had much longed for. See Deut.8.7. and 11.10,11,12. Jer.3.v.19. Ezek.20.6.] they believed not his word, [his promise of bringing them thither, and protecting them there; but through unbelief, would rather turn back again to Egypt.]

25. But they murmured in their Tents: they hearkened not after the voice of the LORD: [He sheweth how loath and unwilling they were to advance for the land of promise, Deut.1.32.]

26. Therefore lifted he his hand up against them (swearing) that he would fell them down in the desert. [See Gen.14.on v.22. but how and what God sware against this people: See more particularly, Deut.2.14. Numb.14.21,25. Psalm.95.11.]

27. And that he would fell down their seed among the heathen, and scatter them thorough the Countries. [This is not expressed in the Oath, which God made, Numb.14.28. but you have it, Levit.26.33. and Deut.28.36.]

28. Also they coupled themselves to Baal Peor, [Thus the idol of the Moabites was called, Numb.25.3,5. See the Annot. Jud.2.v.11.] and they did eat the sacrifices of the dead. [i.e. the sacrifices which were offered to the dead, viz. To the idols, Numb.25.2. which are but dead things, having no sence nor motion, Psalms 115:5. 1 Cor.12.3. on the contrary the true God is said to be the living God, Jer.10.5. and 1 Thess.1.9.]

29. And they Provoked (the LORD) to wrath, with their deeds, [viz. With their worshipping of Baal-Peor, and with the whoredom which they commited with the Moabitish women] so that the plague made a breach among them. [slaying 24000.men, Numb.25.9. whether by an Angel, or otherwise; sure it is, they were destroyed very suddenly.]

30. Then stood up Phineas, and he exercised judgement, [He executed justice, and inflicted punishment upon the misdeed, whereof we read, Numb.25.7,8, etc.] and the plague was ceased.

31. And it is imputed to him for righteousness, [i.e. for a lawful good and praise worthy act performed by inspiration of the holy Spirit, though besides his ordinary calling, God graciously rewarding him for it. Numb.25.11. etc. Whereby he received testimony likewise that he was a child of God] from generation to generation into Eternity.

32. They made (him) [God namely] likewise very angry at the strife-water, and it went ill with Moseh for their sake. [it being told him by God, that he should not enter into the Land of Canaan. Number 20.21. See Deut.1.37.]

33. For they exasperated his spirit: so that he uttered (somewhat) unadvisedly with his lips. [viz. Some words which he ought not to have spoken; for he shewed some impatience mingled with diffidence, and he did not sanctify the LORD before the Israelites, so as he was bound to do. See Numb 20.10,12.]

34. They did not destroy those people, which the LORD had told [i.e. commanded] them. [those heathen people, namely, which inhabited the Land of Canaan, as we read, Judg.1.21,27,29,30,31,33. For all that God had given them strict charge concerning it, Exod.23.32,33. Numb.33.52. Deut.7.2.]

35. But they mingled themselves with the heathen, [i.e. they married the daughters of the heathen] and learned their works.

36. And they served their idols, [See 1 Sam.31.on v.9. and 2 Sam.5.on v.21.] and they became a snare unto them. [i.e. they proved their ruine and destruction, as God had foretold them. Exod.23.33. Deut.7.16. Jud.2.3. A manner of speaking borrowed from the fowlers, who having taken the birds in their nets or gins, kill them afterwards.]

37. Over and above this, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the Devils. [See the Annot. Deut.32.on verse 17.]

38. And they shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons an their daughters, whom they sacrifieced unto the Idols of Canaan; so that the land (of Canaan namely) was profaned through these bloodguiltinesses. [Heb. Bloods in the plural; as Psalms 51:16. See the Annot. Gen.4.on verse 10.]

39. And they polluted themselves by their works, and they whored by their actions. [Understand here their commiting of spiritual whoredom, that is, idolatry See the Annot.. Levit.17.on v.7.]

40. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people; and he abhorred his inheritance. [See the Annot.above v.5.]

41. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and their haters domineered over them, [As is to be seen in the book of Judges, all along.]

42. And their enemies oppression them: [These namely, which dwelt round about them, according as it was foretold them, Lev.26.17. See the fulfilling Jud.3.8.14. and 4.2. and 6.1. and ch.10.v.7,8,9. And 13.1.] and they were brought low under their hand.

43. He rescued them many times, [viz. Out of the hands of their enemies, by Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephtah, Sampson, etc. Jud.3. and 4. And 7.11. and 15. Nehem.9.28.30.] but they provoked (him) by their counsel, and were consumed through their iniquity. [the meaning is, ever and a none they relapsed into their course of sinning, and wilfully prevaricating against the LORD, Numbers 15:39.]

44. Nevertheless, he regarded their distress, when he beard their cry.

45. And he was mindful of his Covenant for their good, [Heb. He remembered them his Covenant: See Gen.8.on v.1. Deut.30.1. etc.] and it repented him, according to the multitude of his kindnesses. [viz. That he had brought such judgements upon them; that is to say: He took another course, instead of the former, and took away the punishment from them. See Gen.6.on v.6.]

46. Therefore he gave them compassion, [Heb. He gave them to compassions, See 1 King.8.on v.50.] before the face of all that held them captives.

47. Save us LORD our God and gather us out of the heathen, [Among whom the Israelites were scattered, inhabiting, or being captives.] that we my praise the Name of thy holiness [i.e. thine holy Name] glorying in thy praise, [i.e. rejoicing in thy mercy, for which thou art praised and glorified.]

48. Praised be the LORD the God of Israel from eternity, and into eternity, and all the people say, Amen, Halelu-Jah.