Psalms 106
PATobservance of all the rest of his holy laws. — For which, and all other his benefits, excite yourselves to praise the Lord.,, Hallelujah, i. c. Praise the Lord. There is little doubt to be made, but this is the title of the Psalm, as it is of many other, (cxi. &c.) whereby the author excites them to acknowledge God’s bounty to their ungrateful forefathers. For as, in the foregoing Psalm (they are the words of Theodoret), the Divine benefits are commemorated; so in this the Psalmist both commemorates them, and also upbraids the ingratitude of those that received them. Which magnified the mercies of God the more; in being so very kind to those wicked people, that when he punished, them, he did not utterly destroy them. The opinion of that father is, that the Psalm was composed in the person of the more pious sort of people, who bewail the common calamities, and implore the Divine indulgence. And most interpreters that I have met withal, imagine it to have been made in the time of the captivity of Babylon: but the proof of it is very weak. For the last verse but one, upon which they ground that conjecture, may have another construction, and mean no more but this; that God would be pleased, when the nation, or any part of it, should be carried captive, to take pity upon them, and restore them again to their country. Or rather, in my opinion, it refers to those, who, in the days of Saul, or before, were taken prisoners by the Philistines, and other nations: whom David prays God to gather to their own land again, that they might worship him in that place, which he had prepared for the ark of his presence. For it seems plain enough that this was one of the Psalms which he delivered then to Asaph: the first verse and the two last being set down in 1 Chron. xvi. 36, 37. as the beginning and ending of another Psalm (which can be none but this), which he then gave in with the other two there mentioned, (xcvi. and cv.) to praise the Lord withal. the Israelites, returning back with a mighty violence to ovenvhelm their adversaries.
Psalms 106:1
Jl RAISE ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O make your thankful acknowledgments to the great Lord of all the world, who was exceeding gracious to your forefathers, and will continue his kindness, you may hope, unto all succeeding ages.
Psalms 106:2
Wlio can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?. Praise him with all your might; for when you have done your best, you must acknowledge that it is impossible to express your obligations to his omnipotent goodness. For who is able to tell how miraculous that power was, which wrought such wonders for us in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan? where shall we find a man that can set forth, as they deserve, all the praiseworthy acts of the Lord?
Psalms 106:3
Blessed arc they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Which arc so great and many, that they arc most happy men, who, by faithful obedience to all his precepts (not only when they have newly received his benefits, but throughout the whole course of their lives), preserve themselves in the favour of so gracious a Lord and Master (which our forefathers foolishly lost, by revolting presently from their merciful Deliverer).
Psalms 106:4
Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation. Make mc, good Lord, one of this happy number; and let me partake of the favour thou still designest for thy people; and find thee ready at hand, in all dangers, to preserve and deliver me, (I Chron. xviii. G. 13, 14.)
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. That I may live to see thy chosen people Israel settled in a peaceable enjoyment of all thy blessings, (1 Chron. xxii. 18.) and have my share in their joy and felicity, (xxix. 9.) nay, triumph together with them, in the highest praises of thy bounty towards thy own nation, and peculiar inheritance, (ver. 10, &c.)
Psalms 106:6
We have sinned with our fathers, we liave committed iniquity, we liave done wickedly. Our sins, indeed, may hinder these blessings from us; for we are no better than our forefathers, but have offended after their example, by which we ought to have been afnended: we are guilty of many iniquities against one another, and much impiety against thee. Ver. 7. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.] We are the wicked offspring of those who were so stupid, as not to be affected with the prodigious works thou didst in Egypt; or presently to forget that long series of miraculous preservations and deliverances by which they were brought from thence: but in the very next strait into which they fell (at the borders of the sea, that remarkable place the Red Sea) distrusted his power, and wished he had left them in that cruel servitude, of which before they so heavily complained, (Exod. xiv.)
Psalms 106:8
Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake; that he might make his mighty power to be known. And yet (such was his stupendous goodness) he would not let them perish in their ingratitude; but, to preserve the name he had gotten of their mighty Saviour, gave them a new deliverance: that the world might not imagine he wanted power to complete what he had begun to do for them.
Psalms 106:9
He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths,. as through the wilderness. On this consideration, he checked the course of that sea by so strong a wind, that he made a path in the midst of it: and led them through those depths on as hard and dry ground as they trod upon in their march through the parched deserts, (Exod. xiv. 21, 22.)
Psalms 106:10
And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from thehand of the enemy. By which means he saved them from Pharaoh’s army; which pressed hard upon their backs, as the sea was before their face. (Exod. xiv. 9, 10.) He rescued them from the power of those implacable enemies, whose hatred carried them to pursue them eagerly even into the sea, (ver. 23.)
Psalms 106:11
And the waters covered their enemies,\ there was not one of them left. Where they were drowned every man I of them; the sea, which had stood fixed as a wall to save
Psalms 106:12
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. WTiich was so evident a token of his power and goodness, that they were persuaded by it, at that present, to believe God’s promises, (Exod. xiv. 31.) and to sing a song of praise to him for this miraculous deliverance, (Exod. xv. I, &c.)
Psalms 106:13
TItey soonforgat his works; they waited not for Ms counsel) But within three days they grew impatient again, (Exod. xv. 22.24.) and, forgetting the great and many pledges they had received of his Divine power, quarrelled with his servants; and would not expect till he shewed what way he intended to relieve them.
Psalms 106:14
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert J. But not long after this murmured again; (Exod. xvi.) and though, instead of punishing them for it, he satisfied them with bread from heaven, and gave them several other demonstrations of his Divine presence among them in the wilderness: (Exod. xvi. xx. xxiv. &c.) yet, to please their wanton appetite, they mutinied another time, and cried out vehemently for flesh to eat, (Numb. xi. 4, 5, &c.) and desired new proofs of his power to supply them.
Psalms 106:15
And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Which he was pleased to grant in such abundance, that they surfeited of the quails which he sent them: and, instead of being nourished, fell into a grievous disease, whereby great numbers of them were wasted and consumed, (Numb. xi. 31, 32, &c.)
Psalms 106:16
They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron tJie saint of the Lord. And they that escaped were not cured of their rebellious humour, bat seditiously disputed the authority of Moses: and accused both him and Aaron, whom the Lord had consecrated for the service of his altar, as ambitious men that took too much upon them, (Numb. xvi. 3.)
Psalms 106:17
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Which moved the Divine justice to punish their presumption with a most terrible vengeance: for the earth opened and buried alive both Dathan and Abiram, and the faction that adhered to them, (Numb. xvi. 32, 33.)
Psalms 106:18
And a fire was Jcindled in their company; the flame burnt up the wicked. And the other company raised by Korah were smitten with lightning from heaven; which burnt up those impious men, who were so bold as to invade the office of the priests of the Lord, (Numb. xvi. 35.)
Psalms 106:19
Tliey made a calf in Iloreb, and worshipped the molten image. Whose anger they began very early to incense; for even at that very place where the Lord had newly appeared to them, in astonishing thunder, and lightning, and clouds, (Exod. xx. 18.) and had spoken to them with an audible voice, and at the second word he spake had charged them not to make any graven image, (Exod* xx. 4.) and had called Moses up into the mount to receive the rest of his laws (which he had begun in a most dreadful manner to deliver to them), they stupidly made a golden calf, and prostrated themselves before the work of their own hands.
Psalms 106:20
Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. Slighting that glorious presence of the majesty of God, (Exod. xxiv. 16, 17.) which, appearing in the cloud, had done many wonders for them: and choosing rather to commend themselves to the protection of an image, in which they saw no glory; the image of a dull ox, a creature without reason, a servant of man, that is supported itself by so weak a thing as hay, (Exod. xxxii. 14.)
Psalms 106:21
Theyforgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt. The root of which sottish apostacy was, that they did not keep in mind what deliverances God had granted them under the conduct of Moses; whom now they despised: (Exod. xxxii. 1.) but forgathis great works in the land of Egypt, where they never saw any si-, militude of him.
Psalms 106:22
Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea. Miraculous works, which filled the whole country with wonder and astonishment; and concluded at last in the fearful overthrow of Pharaoh and all his host in the Red Sea, through which they passed, safely.,
Psalms 106:23
Tlierefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. Which provoked the Divine displeasure so highly, that he resolved to destroy them; (Exod. xxxii. 9, 10.) and had done it, if Moses, for whom he had a great respect, had not, by his earnest intercession, made up this breach; and reconciled him so far to them, that he did not proceed then to take such vengeance on them, (ver. 11, 12. 14, 15.)
Psalms 106:24
Yea, they despised the pleasant land; they believed not his word. But when after this they despised (Numb. xiii. 32.) that goodly country, to the borders of which he had brought them, (Deut. i. 19, 20.) which the spies themselves confessed was rich and desirable: (Numb, xiii. 27. xiv. 32.) and would not believe that God intended, or was able, to perform his promise to them: (Numb. xiii. 37.)
Psalms 106:25
But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. But murmured against Moses and Aaron in their tents, as if they had deluded them, (Numb. xiv. 1, 2, &c.) refusing to march, when the Lord commanded them to go up, and take possession of it: (Deut. i. 21. 26. 32.)
Psalms 106:26
Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness. Then he solemnly sware, that not one of that wicked generation, who had so often rebelled against him, should ever come there, but all perish in the wilderness, (Numb. xiv. 21, 22. 35. Deut. i. 34.)
Psalms 106:27
To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. And some of them be overthrown by the heathen, whom the Lord would have delivered up into their hand, (Numb. xiv. 45.) and others dispersed in several parts of that country which they despised, (xxi. 1.)
Psalms 106:28
They joined themselves also unto Baal-Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Nor did they grow much better by these dreadful threatenings and executions; but not only most shamefully committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab, but embraced their religion: devoting themselves to the vile service of Baal, whose temple stood upon Mount Peor; and partaking with them in the sacrifices which they offered to dead men, (Numb. xxv. 1—3.)
Psalms 106:29
Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions; and theplagite brake in upon them. Which abominable wickedness incensed the Divine displeasure to such a degree, that he commanded the offenders to be killed and hanged up in Iho face of the sun: and also sent a grievous plague among the people, (Numb. xxv. 4,5. 9.) Vcr. 30. Then stood vp Phinehas, and executed judgment: and-so the plague tuas stayed.] Which raged in the camp, till Phinehas, in a holy zeal, went as boldly to pu-.. nish, as others did to commit their crimes: and thrust through the body ono of the princes of the people, whom tho judges feared to meddle withal; and then the plague ceased, (Numb. xxv. 5 — 8.)
Psalms 106:31
And that ivas counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations fdr evermore. Which seasonable piece of justice the Lord not only approved as a praiseworthy act, but rewarded also with the promise of the priesthood: which he entailed upon his posterity, throughout all generations, (Numb. xxv. 12, 13.)
Psalms 106:32
They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their safces. And, before this, they had been so unbelieving and rebellious, as, having had long experience of God’s power and goodness in providing for them, to murmur for want of water; at that place, which, took its name from their quarrel with Moses, (Numb. xx. 3. 13.) who sadly suffered upon their account, (Numb. xx. 12.)
Psalms 106:33
Because they provoked hisspirit,so that he spake unadvisedly tvith his lips. For, being exasperated by their frequent mutinies, he let fall some passionate words; which expressed such distrust and impatience, as did not become so great a minister of God, (Numb. xx. 12.) who thereupon resolved he should not have the honour to accomplish his promise, of bringing them to their rest, (Numb, xxvii. 24. Dent. i. 37.)
Psalms 106:34
They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded themJ. In which, being settled, they did not destroy those seven nations, (Judg. i. 21. 27. 29, &c.) whose abominations were so foul, that the Lord gave them a strict charge not to suffer them to live there any longer, (Exod. xxiii. 30. 33. Dcut. vii. 2.)
Psalms 106:35
But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. But, quite contrary, they not only let them live, but, against God’s express commandment, (Josh. xxiii. 7. 12.) entered into familiarity, and made a covenant and league with them, (Judg. ii. 1, 2.) and so at last learned to do as they did, and imitated their evil manners.
Psalms 106:36
And they served their idols; which were a snare unto them. For they forsook the Lord, who had brought them thither, and worshipped the gods of those people whom they had conquered, (Judg. ii.11,12. iii. 5, 6.) which proved their utter ruin and destruction, (Dcut. vii. 16. 26. Judg. ii.3.)
Psalms 106:37
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. For they were so besotted with their idolatry, as to imitate their most barbarous rites:, sacrificing to infernal spirits, not only their beasts, but (as the custom of that country was, Dcut. xii.30, 31.) their sons and their daughters.
Psalms 106:38
And shed innocent bloody even the blood of thensons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. [psalu cvi. Whom they did not merely cor^ecratc to the service of devils; but offered (heir blood, the blood of innocent babes, even of their own sons and daughters (as I said), upon the altars of the idols of Canaan: profaning thereby the holy land with the most impious and unnatural murders.
Psalms 106:39
Thus were they defiled icith their own works, and went a whoring tvith their oxen inventions. Besides other abominable works wherewith they defiled themselves; such as whoredom, and all manner of beastly lusts: which were the filthy vices of those nations whom God cast out before them, (Lev. xviii. 24, 25. 27, 28, &e.):. Vcr. 40. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his oivn inheritance.] And so contrary to nature, as well as his law, that the Lord was exceeding angry with them, (Judg. ii. 14. 20.) and the more, because he had made them his people: whom he now abominated as impure and unclean, though once they had been very dear unto him.
Psalms 106:41
And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them tided over them. And thereupon delivered them up to the power of those impious nations, with whom they contracted friendship, when they should, have destroyed them, (Judg. iii. 3. 5. iv. 2. xiii. 1.) who, retaining still their ancient hatred, exercised a rigorous tyranny over them, (iv. 3.)
Psalms 106:42
Tlieir enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. And so did many other of their neighbouring enemies, the Mesopotamians and Moabitcs, (Judg. iii. 8. 12.) the Midianites and Amalekites, (vi. 2,3, &c.)and such-like, (x. 7, 8.) who not only grievously afflicted them, but deservedly made those.their subjects, nay, slaves, who would not serve their gracious, God.
Psalms 106:43
Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Who still continued so kind to them, that upon the first sign of their repentance, he constantly raised up the spirit of some great man or other to rescue them from I every one of these oppressors: though they as constantly provoked him again, by relapsing to their former, idolatry, which in the issue brought them exceeding low, (Judg. x.
Psalms 106:44
Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry. And yet, such was his tender compassion towards them, he did not absolutely refuse to help even these base revolters, (Judg. x. 14 — 16.) when, in their distress, they made a lamentable moan, and promised amendment.-
Psalms 106:45
And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the mxdtitude of his mercies. For he was not unmindful of the covenant he had made with their forefathers, (Lev. xxvi. 42. 44,45.Deut.xxx.l — 3.) but let them reap the benefit of it, in ceasing to punish them; and, when they deserved to be utterly destroyed, bestowing many and exceeding great blessings on them'.
Psalms 106:46
He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. For he inclined the hearts, even of those who had subdued, and implacably hated them, unto some compassion towards them: so that they did not endeavour their total extirpation, (Judg. xiii.l.xiv.2.xv.9, &e.)
Psalms 106:47
Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and