Psalms 106

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 106

1¶ Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

2Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? [who] can shew forth all his praise?

3Blessed [are] they that keep judgment, [and] he that doeth righteousness at all times.

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

5That 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.

6¶ We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

7Our 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.

8Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

9He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

10And he saved them from the hand of him that hated [them], and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

13¶ They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

14But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

15And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16They envied Moses also in the camp, [and] Aaron the saint of the LORD.

17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

18And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

19They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

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

21They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

22Wondrous works in the land of Ham, [and] terrible things by the Red sea.

23Therefore 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].

24Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

25But murmured in their tents, [and] hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

26Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

27To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

28They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29Thus they provoked [him] to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

30Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and [so] the plague was stayed.

31And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

32They angered [him] also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

33Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34¶ They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:

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

36And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

37Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

38And shed innocent blood, [even] the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

39Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

40Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

41And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

42Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

43Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked [him] with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

44Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

45And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

46He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

47Save 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.

48Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

This psalm recounts Israel's history of rebellion and God's enduring mercy. It begins with a call to praise the LORD, then details the nation's repeated provocations, from the Red Sea to the wilderness and Canaan, where they forgot God's wonders and turned to idolatry. Despite their persistent sin, God, in His great mercy, frequently delivered them and remembered His covenant. The psalm concludes with a plea for present salvation and a doxology.

Medium Summary

Psalm 106 opens with an exhortation to praise the LORD for His goodness and everlasting mercy, followed by a prayer for personal and national salvation. The psalmist then confesses the nation's sins, tracing a history of disobedience from their fathers in Egypt, who quickly forgot God's wonders and provoked Him at the Red Sea, yet He saved them for His name's sake. In the wilderness, they lusted, tempted God, envied Moses and Aaron, and worshipped the golden calf, repeatedly incurring divine wrath. Upon entering Canaan, they failed to destroy the nations as commanded, instead mingling with the heathen, learning their ways, and sacrificing their children to idols, thereby defiling the land. Consequently, the LORD's wrath was kindled, and He delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Nevertheless, when they cried out, He regarded their affliction, remembered His covenant, and, according to His abundant mercies, repeatedly delivered them, though they continued to provoke Him. The psalm concludes with a fervent prayer for gathering and a blessing upon the LORD God of Israel.

Long Summary

Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, commencing with a fervent call to praise the LORD for His inherent goodness and eternal mercy, acknowledging the impossibility of fully recounting His mighty acts. The psalmist then offers a personal prayer for remembrance and salvation, desiring to share in the blessings of God's chosen people. Immediately, the psalm shifts to a national confession of sin, admitting that "we have sinned with our fathers," recounting Israel's long history of rebellion against God. It begins with their fathers in Egypt, who failed to understand God's wonders and provoked Him at the Red Sea, yet God, for His name's sake, miraculously saved them and destroyed their enemies. However, they soon forgot His works, lusted in the wilderness, and tempted God, leading to leanness of soul. Their envy against Moses and Aaron resulted in divine judgment, as the earth swallowed Dathan and Abiram. At Horeb, they fashioned and worshipped a golden calf, exchanging their glory for an idol, forgetting their Saviour who had performed great deeds. Moses' intercession alone averted their destruction. Later, they despised the promised land, murmured, and disbelieved God's word, leading to a decree that they would perish in the wilderness. They further provoked God by joining Baalpeor and sacrificing to the dead, bringing a plague that was only stayed by Phinehas's righteous act. They also angered God at the waters of strife, causing Moses to err. Upon entering Canaan, they disobeyed God's command to destroy the nations, instead mingling with them, learning their idolatrous practices, and even sacrificing their own children to devils, thereby polluting the land with innocent blood. This persistent defilement ignited the LORD's wrath, causing Him to abhor His inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. Despite being repeatedly oppressed and delivered, they continued to provoke Him with their counsel. Yet, in His boundless mercy, God heard their cries, remembered His covenant, and relented according to His great compassion, causing their captors to pity them. The psalm culminates in a plea for God to save and gather His people from among the heathen, so they may give thanks and triumph in His praise, concluding with a doxology blessing the LORD God of Israel forever.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Mercy and GoodnessThe psalm repeatedly emphasizes God's enduring mercy ("his mercy endureth for ever") despite Israel's persistent sin. It highlights that God's goodness is the foundation for praise and His continued intervention.
  • Israel's Rebellion and ForgetfulnessA central theme is Israel's consistent pattern of forgetting God's mighty works and mercies, leading to disobedience, murmuring, lusting, and idolatry throughout their history from Egypt to Canaan.
  • Consequences of SinThe psalm details the severe consequences of Israel's sin, including plagues, divine wrath, being overthrown in the wilderness, and being delivered into the hands of their enemies and oppressors.
  • Idolatry and ApostasyThe narrative explicitly condemns Israel's turning away from God to worship molten images, join Baalpeor, and sacrifice their children to devils, which polluted the land and provoked divine anger.
  • God's Covenant FaithfulnessDespite Israel's unfaithfulness, God repeatedly remembered His covenant and delivered them, demonstrating His steadfast commitment to His promises even when His people were undeserving.
  • Intercession and Righteous ActsMoses' standing in the breach to turn away God's wrath and Phinehas's execution of judgment to stay the plague are highlighted as pivotal moments that averted greater destruction and were counted for righteousness.
  • National Confession and Plea for DeliveranceThe psalm serves as a national confession of inherited and ongoing sin, concluding with a fervent prayer for God to save and gather His people from captivity, so they may praise His holy name.