Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
(1) The people's distrust of the Lord's word as to Canaan after hearing the spies' report (Psalms 106:24-27).
(2) The sin of the new generation in joining themselves to Baal-peor, and Phinehas' zeal (Psalms 106:28-31).
(3) The offence at Meribah (Psalms 106:32-33).
Thus there are seven transgressions specified in all. One in Egypt in the first strophe; in the wilderness, three in the second and three in the third strophe. These seven transgressions stand in sad contrast to the seven miracles of God in the people's behalf in Psalms 105:1-45. Compare Deuteronomy 32:6, "Do ye thus requite the Lord?" Compare Numbers 14:22, where their 'tempting God ten times' stands in ungrateful contrast to His ten times interposing for them by judgments on the Egyptians.
Verse 24. Yea, they despised the pleasant land - (Numbers 14:31.) Compare on the "pleasant land," or the 'land of beauty' (Hengstenberg), Exodus 3:8; Deuteronomy 11:11-15: cf. Jeremiah 3:19; Ezekiel 20:6; Daniel 8:9. Their sin was punished by the destruction of that generation (Numbers 14:28).
They believed not his word - in striking contrast to Psalms 106:12, "Then believed they His words." So short in duration was their faith. They believed the evil report of the faithless spies (Psalms 78:22; Psalms 78:32) rather than the word of the faithful God who had promised to give them the land. So according to their unbelief it was done unto them (Hebrews 3:18). They forfeited the good land into which belief would have brought them.
Verse 26. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them - rather, 'to them,' in swearing. Lifting up the hand was the solemn gesture in taking an oath, (Numbers 14:30, margin.)
To overthrow them in the wilderness - literally, 'to make them fall,' etc. Alluding to Numbers 14:29, "Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness ... from twenty years old and upward."
Verse 27. To overthrow their seed also among the nations. God's purpose to "make their seed to fall among the nations" (Hebrew: cf. note, Psalms 106:26) was not expressed at this time (Numbers 14:31-33), but was implied in the sentence then pronounced upon the fathers, as the children were about to follow in their steps. It was expressed on another occasion, Leviticus 26:38; Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy 28:32. "In the wilderness" is parallel to "among the nations" - namely, the Gentile nations (Hebrew, goim). 'The wilderness was not more destructive for the fathers than residence among the pagan shall be for their children' (Hengstenberg). Compare Ezekiel 20:35, "I will bring you into the wilderness of the people."
And to scatter them in the lands - (Leviticus 26:33.)
Verse 28. They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor - literally, 'they yoked х tsaamad (H6775)]