The Psalms - Psalm 106

God’s Grace & Israel’s Sin

by Rev. Jim Jester

April 20, 2025

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 106:45

“He remembered for their sake his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” (RSV)

INTRODUCTION

Psalm 106 depicts the mercy of God toward his covenant people, even as they forsook Him. This psalm is the dark counterpart of the previous psalm (Ps. 105), a shadow cast by self-will in its long struggle against light. Alexander Maclaren observed, “The keynote of Psalm 105 is, ‘Remember His mighty deeds;’ that of Psalm 106 is, ‘They forgot His mighty deeds.’” In this psalm, Israel’s history is written to show man’s sin, while the preceding psalm was to show God’s goodness. It truly is a national confession.

So why does true Israel, the white race of America, tend to forget their biblical history? It is because they are told by false churches that Israel means “Jews;” one of the biggest lies in the world. Therefore, in the minds of the churched people of America, who are not jews, Old Testament history does not belong to them, so they tend to write it off as “Jewish.”

PRAISE FOR HIS MERCY (v. 1):

“Praise the LORD!
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.”

Praise the LORD: This psalm begins in the same way the previous psalm ended, saying hallelujah! Psalm 105 gave praise because of God’s many blessings to Israel. This psalm gives praise because of God’s great mercy to an often rebellious and ungrateful Israel.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD: There is a sense of pleading in this phrase, as if the psalmist was trying to draw more gratitude from the hearts of God’s people. “For He is good". Surely the thought of God’s immense goodness precedes the psalmist’s confession, for nothing so melts a heart as the remembrance of God’s love.

His mercy endures forever: The rest of this long psalm will describe God’s great mercy because of his loyal covenant love to a disobedient Israel.

PRAISE FOR HIS ACTS (v. 2-3):

“Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD?
Who can declare all His praise?
Blessed are those who keep justice,
And he who does righteousness at all times!”

Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? In the midst of his praise, the psalmist recognized that his praise wasn’t enough. God’s “mighty acts” are many and often beyond description. We cannot fully “declare all His praise. Those in obedience, who "keep justice” and “does righteousness always,” do their part in declaring this praise.

PRAYER FOR HIS VISITATION (v. 4-5):

“Remember me, O LORD, with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with Your inheritance.”

Remember me, O LORD: With a foundation of praise, the psalmist felt the door was open to ask God for help. He knew that for God to “remember” was to stir His compassionate action. For God to “visit” meant He would come with His “salvation,” bringing deliverance from the present trouble.

Oh, visit me with Your salvation: The plea is made as if the psalmist were too sick to go to the doctor for care, and must have the doctor “visit” him. Three reasons for the request are given, each one concerned with the honor and fame of God.

That I may see the benefit: “Lord, I want to see Your people blessed by Your mighty works.”

That I may rejoice: “Lord, I want to share in the joy with your blessed and redeemed race.”

That I may glory: “Lord, I want to be part of Your victory and the victory of Your inheritance (your people).”

ISRAEL’S GUILT (v. 6-7):

“We have sinned with our fathers,
We have committed iniquity,
We have done wickedly.
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.”

We have sinned with our fathers: This psalm focuses on the repeated failure of Israel throughout her history. Yet the singer did not see failure as something only of the past. He identified his generation with Israel of old, connected in their wicked deeds. This is a remarkable and humble confession of sin. Such a prayer stands in the closest relation to the theme of the psalm, which draws out the dark record of national sin in order to lead to national repentance.

Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders: Based on the lines from verse six, we understand this to suggest, “Our fathers sinned and rebelled, and so have we.” He recounted Israel’s sin at Marah, shortly after coming from the Red Sea (Ex. 15:22-27).

They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies: Israel’s lack of responsiveness dramatizes the greatness of God’s love. He even delivered a people who did not respond to his graciousness!

GOD’S MERCY (v. 8-12):

“Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake,
That He might make His mighty power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up;
So He led them through the depths,
As through the wilderness.
He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
The waters covered their enemies;
There was not one of them left.
Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.”

Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake: The Israelites responded to God’s great deliverance with ingratitude and rebellion. Despite all that, God answered positively, but not only for Israel’s sake. “He saved them” so that “He might make His mighty power known.”

His name’s sake: The Lord very jealously guards his own name and honor. It shall never be said that he cannot or will not save his people. This respect toward his honor always leads him to deeds of mercy. We ought to rejoice that he is a jealous God.

They believed His words; they sang His praise: Israel’s reaction to God’s saving works was not all rebellion and disobedience. There were times they trusted God’s words and praised Him in song (Ex. 15). So, they believed the promise when they saw it fulfilled, but not until then.

LEANNESS OF SOUL (v. 13-15):

“They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.”

They soon forgot His works: Israel moved quickly from faith and celebration of God’s works to ingratitude. Isn’t this true for most people? You see God’s miracles, but at the first sign of any new opposition you forget what God has done, and are soon rebelling against what you suppose to be your difficult life. Then, when God saves you again, you sing his praises but soon forget even that deliverance.

Tested God in the desert: The psalmist repeated the idea from Psalm 78:18, which spoke of the Israelites testing God with unbelief regarding His ability to provide for their needs in the wilderness.

He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul: God gave the Israelites the meat they craved (Num. 11). Yet the meat was also sent with an associated curse, and what they wanted became something bad. The prodigal son and Lot are two other examples of those who received what they wanted, but came to ruin because of it. The judgment mentioned here was strict, but it was a help to the Israelites because it taught them not to be ruled by their cravings. They came to call this place Kibroth Hattaavah– meaning, “Graves of Craving” (Num. 11:34). Many since then have allowed their cravings to become their graves.

FIRE IN JUDGMENT (v. 16-18):

“When they envied Moses in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the LORD,
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan,
And covered the faction of Abiram.
A fire was kindled in their company;
The flame burned up the wicked.”

When they envied Moses in the camp: This refers to the rebellion led by Korah, recorded in Numbers 16. Korah believed that Moses and Aaron were arrogant and proud, accusing them: “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” (Num. 16:3) This envy was unreasonable, for Moses was the one man in all the camp who labored hardest and had the most to bear. They should have sympathized with him instead.

Aaron the saint of the LORD: This was the psalmist’s generosity toward an often-erring servant, as in Exodus 32 with the golden calf incident. Whatever faults Aaron had, he was God’s appointed priest, and Korah directed his rebellion against both Moses and Aaron.

The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan: Korah had two leading conspirators, Dathan and Abiram. Dramatically, God opened up the earth and they were swallowed in a giant crevice (Num. 16:31-33).

The flame burned up the wicked: Numbers 16:35 describes the fire that consumed 250 men who also conspired with Korah.

GOD AGAINST ISRAEL (v. 19-23):

“They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshiped the molded image.
Thus they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
Awesome things by the Red Sea.
Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach,
To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.”

They made a calf in Horeb: The writer of this psalm didn’t present the Exodus account in chronological order. Here he remembered Israel’s sin with the golden calf, which happened before the rebellion of Korah. This sin of ingratitude, unbelief, and idolatry is recorded in Exodus 32. The graciousness of the psalmist toward Aaron continues, in that he does not mention Aaron’s role in the transgression.Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf did not debase God; it debased them. They lowered themselves to be the servants of a man-made beast. And we today are idolaters when we put anything in God’s place.

They forgot God their Savior: The God who did great things in bringing them out of Egypt was ignored in their praise of the golden calf.

Therefore He said that He would destroy them: Exodus 32:9-10 records the remarkable words of God to Moses, explaining that He would destroy the rebellious people of Israel and build the nation again through Moses. God told Moses, “Let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them.” (Ex. 32:10) God did not ask for the opinion of Moses. He simply told him.

Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach: Moses did something! He didn’t just say, “Well, whatever God will do, God will do.” Moses pleaded with the LORD, asking Him to “turn away His wrath,” because in a larger sense he believed this to be God’s heart (Ex. 32:11-13). God answered the prayer of Moses, and Israel was spared.

To turn away His wrath: Mighty was the sin of Israel to provoke God’s wrath, but mightier was prayer which turned it away. So ought we to plead with the Lord for his own backsliding people.

OVERTHROWN (v. 24-27):

“Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe His word,
But complained in their tents,
And did not heed the voice of the LORD.
Therefore He raised up His hand in an oath against them,
To overthrow them in the wilderness,
To overthrow their descendants among the nations,
And to scatter them in the lands.”

They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word: This refers to the Israelites’ sinful unbelief at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14:1-4). They did not believe the promise of God or the report of Joshua and Caleb, the two faithful spies (Num. 13:30).

Complained in their tents: Spurgeon said, “Murmuring is a great sin and not a mere weakness; it contains within itself unbelief, pride, rebellion, and a whole host of sins.”

Did not heed the voice of the LORD: God promised them the land of Canaan, no matter what the opposition. It was plain unbelief, masked by a supposed concern for their wives and children (Num. 14:3).

He raised up His hand in an oath against them: God promised that the generation in the wilderness would not inherit the land of Canaan (Num. 14:22-25). That generation would die in the wilderness and the new generation would have their opportunity to take the land in faith.

THE PLAGUE (v. 28-31):

“They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor,
And ate sacrifices made to the dead.
Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped.
And that was accounted to him for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.”

They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor: Numbers 25 tells the story of how the young women of Moab enticed the men of Israel into idolatry and immorality at Baal of Peor. In their idolatry they “ate sacrifices made to the dead.”

Plague broke out among them: God sent a plague as judgment against the Israelites, and the plague was only stopped when Phinehas brought God’s judgment against an Israelite man and Moabite woman, apparently in the midst of the act,close to the tabernacle itself (Num. 25:6-9). This righteous action stopped the plague. God hates race mixing.

That was accounted to him for righteousness: In recognition of his righteous act, God made a covenant regarding the priesthood with Phinehas and his descendants (Num. 25:10-13).

MOSES DISCIPLINED (v. 32-33):

“They angered Him also at the waters of strife,
So that it went ill with Moses on account of them;
Because they rebelled against His Spirit,
So that he spoke rashly with his lips.”

They angered Him also at the waters of strife: Numbers 20:9-11 explains how the Israelites angered Moses at Meribah by their complaining. Nevertheless, God commanded Moses to speak to the rock (Num. 20:7-8), and God promised to provide water from it.

It went ill with Moses on account of them: Moses did not speak to the rock as God commanded. In anger he struck the rock (Num. 20:9-11). God provided the water, but Moses misrepresented God and was therefore denied entrance into the Promised Land (Num. 20:12-13).

Because they rebelled against His Spirit: The author of this psalm put the emphasis on how the Israelites provoked Moses by their rebellion, which made him angry. Moses was truly provoked, but God still held him accountable for his reaction.

LAND POLLUTED (v. 34-39):

“They did not destroy the peoples,
Concerning whom the LORD had commanded them,
But they mingled with the Gentiles
And learned their works;
They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
Thus they were defiled by their own works,
And played the harlot by their own deeds.”

They did not destroy the peoples… whom the LORD had commanded them: When the Israelites came into the Promised Land, God commanded them to destroy the Canaanite nations living there. This was a unique war that God directed against depraved cultures and races ripe for judgment.

They mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works: God wanted the Israelites to make war against the Canaanites to serve His purpose of judgment. But God also wanted the Canaanites removed so they would not be there to intermarry (See Gen. 28:1; Ex. 20:14; Jdg. 3:6) with Israel. Israel’s failure to do as God commanded meant this evil influence would corrupt God’s people in every way possible, especially genetic. The Almighty expects us to keep our racial integrity: “Kind after his kind” (Gen. 1).

They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons: One of the worst examples of this evil influence was Israel’s worship of Molech, a Canaanite god sometimes worshipped with child sacrifice.

The land was polluted with blood: Until justice prevails, the blood of murdered innocents cries out to God (Gen. 4:10) and pollutes a nation(Num. 35:33). Isn’t America guilty of abortion (murder)?

Thus they were defiled by their own works: In both the atmosphere they allowed and the deeds they did, the Israelites defiled themselves. The same can be said of most of God’s people of the Christian west today.

GIVEN TO ENEMY (v. 40-43):

“Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people,
So that He abhorred His own inheritance.
And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
Many times He delivered them;
But they rebelled in their counsel,
And were brought low for their iniquity.”

Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people: God’s wrath righteously burned against the Israelites for all the sins mentioned in this long psalm. In a sense, “He abhorred His own inheritance,” and gave them over to severe correction.

He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles: This seems to be a psalm of exile (especially in light of verse 46), written after the conquest and forced exile of Judah. This giving of Israel “into the hand of the Gentiles [nations]” was not merely defeat in a few battles, but their complete conquest and virtual depopulation of the land – “those who hated them ruled over them.”

Many times He delivered them: Israel’s ingratitude is once again considered; God delivered, but they rebelled. Such ingratitude could not go on unanswered. In time – after much long-suffering from God – Israel was “brought low for their iniquity.”

CRY OF AFFLICTION (v. 44-46):

“Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,
When He heard their cry;
And for their sake He remembered His covenant,
And relented according to the multitude of His mercies.
He also made them to be pitied
By all those who carried them away captive.”

Nevertheless He regarded their affliction: After the description of God’s correction of Israel in the previous lines, the word nevertheless comes as a wonderful, gracious reprieve. Despite the judgment they well deserved, God “regarded their affliction” and “remembered His covenant.”

Relented according to the multitude of His mercies: It might have been different; God could have dealt with Israel only on the basis of their sin and His judgment. But, while not ignoring their sin, God decided to deal with them “according to His mercies.”

He also made them to be pitied: One aspect of God’s mercy to Israel was in giving them favor with the nations where they suffered exile. “Those who carried them away captive” felt sorry for their Israelite captives and treated them accordingly. Dr. Clarke commented, “This was particularly true as to the Babylonian captivity; for Cyrus gave them their liberty; Darius favored them, and granted them several privileges; and Artaxerxes sent back Nehemiah, and helped him to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.”

PRAISE FOR GREAT MERCY (v. 47-48):

“Save us, O LORD our God,
And gather us from among the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD!”

Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles: This psalm seems to have been composed when the mercies of God to Israel in captivity were just beginning to be seen. The psalmist rightly took those small mercies as the basis to boldly ask for greater mercies– that their captivity would be ended and they could return.

To give thanks to Your holy name: The psalmist predicted that God’s people would respond gratefully, breaking the previous pattern of ingratitude. They would not forget, but “triumph in Your praise.”

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: This leading phrase of the doxology is found twice in the Book of Psalms (9 times in the Bible). The psalmist did not wait for the mercies to be shown before he began to thank God. The praise began right away, and would last “from everlasting to everlasting.” We too, at our church, are quite familiar with this doxology.

CONCLUSION

Man’s perverseness arises continually from his stupidity toward God. Our understandings are dull; our memories are fickle and often subversive, so that we easily lose sight of God’s mercies. In spite of our foolishness, our God is gracious and has sympathy toward us, ever making merciful allowances and not giving us our full punishment. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel.”