This Psalm relates the story of God's mercy to Israel, of the people's provocation of Jehovah, and of his great patience with them. It commences with an exhortation to praise the Lord.
Psalms 106:1. Praise ye the LORD.
Or, «Hallelujah.» I cannot help remarking here that this is one of the most sacred words in the whole Bible, and it ought always to be pronounced with the utmost reverence. I sometimes feel my blood chill when I hear of «hallelujah lasses» and «hallelujah bonnets.» If those who use such expressions rightly understood the meaning of the word, they would not thus take the name of the Lord in vain?
Psalms 106:1. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
As long as you and I are sinners, this will be one of the sweetest notes in our song of thanksgiving unto Jehovah: «His mercy endureth for ever.»
Psalms 106:2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?
Neither the angels nor the perfect spirits who day without night circle his throne rejoicing can show forth all Jehovah's praise.
Psalms 106:3. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
There is great comfort in walking near to God; the way of peace, the way of blessing, is the way of righteousness; but, alas I my brethren, we do not always keep in that way as we should. The psalmist himself felt that he did not, therefore he prayed,
Psalms 106:4. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
He felt that he needed God's grace in all its saving power.
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.
He longs to get in among the people of God. He wants to share the favor which God bestows upon them, the free grace which he manifests to them. He wants to be included in their election, to rejoice in their gladness, and to glory in their inheritance.
Psalms 106:6-19. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt;
Very great wonders were wrought there when God's time came to set his people free from their cruel bondage. There was a marvellous display of power on God's part; yet the psalmist had to say, «Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt;»-
Psalms 106:7. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
They had hardly started out of Egypt before they provoked Jehovah. They had only just caught sight of the rolling waters of the Red sea, when they began to murmur against God and against his servant, Moses.
Psalms 106:8. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake,
Oh, is not that a grand word? Well might Jehovah say, «Not for your sakes do I this, O house of Israel.» He saved them for his own sake,
Psalms 106:8. That he might make his mighty power to be known.
Free grace finds in itself, not in us, its own motive, and discovers its own reason for acting on our behalf. God's reason for mercy is found in his mercy.
Psalms 106:9-13. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel:
Ah, me! Even the divided sea is soon forgotten; enemies walled up by water speedily pass from remembrance: «They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel:»
Psalms 106:14-15. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
I do not know of anything more dreadful than that, to be fattened without, and to be starved within; to have everything that heart could wish for, and yet not to have the best thing that the heart ought to wish for. May God save us from that appearance of prosperity which is only a veiled desolation!
Psalms 106:16. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.
These two men had done everything for the children of Israel; they had been the instruments in the hand of God of innumerable blessings to them; yet they envied Moses and Aaron.
Psalms 106:17-18. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
Jehovah's mercy did not melt the people's hard hearts, so perhaps the fear of his judgment would. God tried both methods with them, as he has done with us, for sometimes he has been very gracious to us, and at other times he has chastened us very sorely. He has tried the kiss and he has tried the blow. Yet what happened in the case of Israel?
Psalms 106:19-22. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.
What was to become of such a people, provoking him again and again?
Psalms 106:23. Therefore 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.
How often has our blessed Mediator, who is far greater than Moses, stood before the Lord in the breach! How often has the great Husbandman said, concerning the fruitless tree, «Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?» And then that Divine Dresser of the vineyard has pleaded, «Let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it.» And here we are, still spared, and still blessed, through the intercession of God's chosen Mediator.
Psalms 106:24. Yea, they despised the pleasant land,
They said that the Canaan towards which they were traveling was not worth the trouble of getting to it: «They despised the pleasant land,»
Psalms 106:24-28. They believed not his word: but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: to overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
They began to study necromancy and spiritualism, and to join in the abominations of the worship of Baal.
Psalms 106:29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
Now notice how something always happened to spare them from the destruction which they deserved.
Psalms 106:30-31. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
Yet still they went on sinning against the Most High.
Psalms 106:32-33. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: because they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.
Does it not seem remarkable that Moses, the true servant of God, was not spared from punishment when it was but a word that he spoke unadvisedly, yet still the mercy of God was continued to that provoking generation? Ah! that is always the way with our jealous God; those whom he loves best will be sure to feel his chastising rod, whatever happens to others. At last, the Israelites reached Canaan, they entered into the land that flowed with milk and honey; did that change their character? No; not in the least.
Psalms 106:34-38. They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and 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.
Just think how low they had sunk; God's own people had come down to this, that they actually offered their own children in sacrifice to Moloch.
Psalms 106:39-43. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did he deliver them;
You would not have expected to find such a sentence as that here; yet there it stands. Notwithstanding all that these people did, «many times did he deliver them;»
Psalms 106:43-45. But they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: and he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
Was there ever so strange a story as this, a story of provocation continued almost beyond belief, and yet of mercy which would not be overcome, of persevering love that would not turn aside?
Psalms 106:46-48. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. 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. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.
So the Psalm ends upon its key-note, «Hallehjah,» «Praise ye Jehovah.»