Bible Commentaries
Psalms 106

Verse 1

Praise ye THE LORD. Hebrew = Hallelu-jah.

THE LORD. Hebrew Jah. App-4 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.

Verse 3

Blessed = Oh how happy! Figure of speech Beatitude. App-63 .

he that doeth. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "they that do".

Verse 4

me. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "us".

Verse 5

chosen . . . nation . . . inheritance. Note the three names of Jehovah's People.

Verse 6

sinned. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 . Note the three iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 . classes of ill-doing.

we have. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "and have".

wickedly = lawlessly. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

Verse 7

Egypt. It took forty hours to take Israel out of Egypt, but forty years to take Egypt out of Israel.

provoked Him = rebelled. Hebrew. marah . Same word as in verses: Psalms 106:33 , Psalms 106:43 ; not the same as in Psalms 106:29 .

Verse 8

Nevertheless. Compare Structure, Psalms 106:44 . Figure of speech Palinodia. App-6 .

Verse 10

redeemed , as a kinsman. Hebrew. ga'al. See notes on Exodus 6:6 ; Exodus 13:13 .

Verse 11

enemies = adversaries.

Verse 13

soon forgat. Characteristic of human nature.

Verse 14

GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 .

Verse 15

soul. Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .

Verse 16

saint = separated one. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 17

Dathan . . . Abiram. Korah not mentioned; not because of being an "older tradition" (as alleged), butbecause the "sons of Korah" were spared. See Psalms 42:0 , Title, and compare Numbers 16:1-35 and Psalms 26:11 .

covered = overwhelmed.

Verse 19

Horeb. So called here; not because the word of a later writer, but because "Horeb" was the higher name ("the mount of God", Exodus 3:1 . 1 Kings 19:8 ), in order to show the heinousness of the sin.

Verse 20

their glory. The primitive text was "My glory", but this was changed by the Sopherim to "their" out of a mistaken reverence. See App-33 .

glory. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for God Himself. Who was and should have been He Whom they gloried in.

Verse 22

land of Ham. Compare Psalms 78:51 ; Psalms 105:27 .

Verse 23

Moses. Compare Exodus 32:10-14 .

His chosen. Not theirs.

Verse 25

murmured. Occurs only here, Deuteronomy 1:27 , and Isaiah 29:24 .

And. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read this word in the text; others read "they".

Verse 27

overthrow. Septuagint reads "disperse".

Verse 28

Baal-peor. Compare Numbers 25:2 , Numbers 25:3 .

the dead. This pertains to necromancy, Compare Deuteronomy 18:11 .Isaiah 8:19 .

Verse 29

provoked = grieved, or irritated. Hebrew. ka'as. Not the same word as in verses: Psalms 106:7 , Psalms 106:33 , Psalms 106:43 .

Him. This word is read in text in some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate

inventions = doings. See Psalms 106:39 also.

Verse 30

Phinehas. Compare Numbers 25:7 , Numbers 25:8 .

Verse 31

counted. Compare Numbers 25:12 , Numbers 25:13 .

Verse 32

angered = caused indignation. Occurs only here in the Psalms.

strife. Hebrew. Meribah. Numbers 20:2-13 .

went ill = fared ill.

Verse 33

his: i.e. Moses.

spirit. Hebrew. ruach . App-9 .

spake unadvisedly. A very rare Hebrew word. Occurs only here in the Psalms.

Verse 34

did not destroy. Compare Judges 1:21-29 , &c.

nations = peoples: i.e. the Canaanite nations. See App-23 and App-25 .

commanded. Compare Exodus 23:32 , Exodus 23:33 : and often repeated. For the reason, see App-23 and App-25 .

Verse 35

heathen = nations: i.e. the nations of Canaan. Compare Psalms 106:38 . See App-23 and App-25 .

Verse 36

Which were = And they became. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "And it became".

Verse 37

devils = demons. Compare Deuteronomy 32:17 .

Verse 38

polluted . The strongest word that could be used. Compare Numbers 35:33 .Isaiah 24:5 .

Verse 43

Many times. Compare Judges 2:16 . Nehemiah 9:27 , &c.

deliver = rescue.

iniquity. Hebrew. 'av o n . App-44 .

Verse 45

remembered. repented. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

Verse 46

pitied. Compare 2 Kings 25:27-30 . Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, Ezra; showing that the prayer of Solomon was answered (1 Kings 8:50 ).

Of = Before: i.e. By.

Verse 47

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

gather us. Not necessary to suppose a late date for the Psalm. The Spirit of God spake by the prophets. David was a prophet (Acts 2:30 , Acts 2:31 ). Moreover, the Dispersion was well known, being foretold in Deuteronomy 28:64 . We might as well reason away 1 Kings 8:46-60 , for Solomon himself prays this prayer.

holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

Verse 48

Blessed. Figure of speech Benedictio. This Doxology closes this fourth book. Compare the closing Psalms of the other books.

THE LORD. Hebrew Jah. See App-4 .