Psalm CVI
Ver. 1-48. This Psalm gives a detailed confession of the sins of Israel in all periods of their history, with special reference to the terms of tlie covenant as intimated (Psalm 105. 45). It is introduced hy praise to God for tlie wonders of His mercy, and concluded by a supplication for His favour to His atllicted people, and a doxology.
1. Praise, Ac—(Psalm 104. 24), begins and ends the Psalm, intimating tlie obligations of praise, however we sin and suffer. 1 Chronicles 16. 34-36 is the source from which the beginning and end of this Psalm are derived. a. His acts exceed our compreliension, as His praise our powers of expression (Uoiiiaiis 11. 33). Their unutterable greatness is not to keep us back, but to urge us the more to try to jiraise Him as liest we can (Psalm 40. 5; 71. 15). 3. Tlio blessing is limited to tliose whose principles and acts are riglu. How " blessed" Israel would be now. If he liad "observed God's statutes" (Psalm 105.45). 4,5. In view of the desert of sins to be confessed, the writer invokes God's covenant mercy to liimself and the Churcli, in whose welfare he rejoices. The speaker, me, I, is not the Ps.almist liimself, but the people, tlie present generation
20. 4, 5 to make a likeness, even of the true God. calfcalled so In contempt. They would have made an ox or bull, but their idol turned out but a calf; an imitation of the Divine .symbols, the cherubim; or of the sacred bull of Egyptian idolatry. This Idolatry was more sinful in view of their recent experience of God's power in Egypt and His wonders at SInal (E.xodus 32. I-C). Though Intending to worship .leliovah under the symbol of the calf, yet a.s this was incompatible witli his nature (Deuteronomy 4. 1.5-17), they in reality gave up Him, and so were given up by Hlin. Instead of the Lord of heaven, they had as their glory the image of an ox that does nothing but eat grass. 33. he said—I'iz., to Moses (Deuteronomy
(cf. V. 0). visit—(Cf. Psalm H. 4.) see the good—participate In it (Psalm 37. 13.) thy chosen— 1'/2., Israel, God's elect (Isaiali 43. 20; 45. 4). As God seems to have fori/olten them, they pray that He would "remember" them with the favour whicli helotigs to His own people, and which once they had enjoyed, tiklne Inheritance—(Deuteronomy 9. 29; 32. 9.) G. Cf. 1 Kings 8. 47; Daniel 9. 5, where the same three verbs occur in the same order and connection, the original of tlie two later passages being the tlist one, the prayer of (Solomon in dedicating the temple, sinned . . . fathers—like tliem, and so partaking of their guilt. The terms denote a rising gradation of sinning (cf. Psalm 1. 1). with our fathers—we and tliey together forming one
9. 13). With Ood, saying is as certain as doing; but His purpose, whilst full of wrath against sin, takes Into ftccouiit the mediation of Him of whom Moses was the typo (Exodus 3'2. U-14; Deuteronomy 9. 18, 19). Moses his chosen —t. c., to be his servant (cf. Psalm 105. '20). In the breach —as a warrior covers with his body the broken part of a wall or fortress besieged, a perilous place (Ezekiel 13,5;
22. 30). to turn away [or, prevent) his wrath—(Numbers
25. II ; Psalm 78. 38.) 34-'e7. The sin of refusing to invade Canaan "the pheasant land" (.lerenilah 3. 19; Ezeklel20. 0; Daniel 8. 9), " the land of beauty," was punished by the destruction of that generation (Numbers 14. 28), and the threat of dispi-rslon (Deuteronomy 4. 2.5; 28. ;?2) afterwards made to their post(<rlty, and fulfilled in the great calami-
liiiiss f)r corrupt ion. 7-l!4. Special confession. Their rebellion at the sea (Kxodus 14. 11) was because they had not remembered nor understood Ciod's miracles on their liehalf. That God saved thein In their unbelief was of His mere mercy, and for His own glory, the sea . . . the Red Sea—the very words in which Moses' song celebrated the scene of Israel's deliverance (Exodus 15. 4). Israel began to riOiel against God at the very moment and scene Of his deliverance by God! 8. for his name's sake—
ties now bewaili'd, may have also lieen then added, despised—(Numbers 11. .'U.) lielleved not his woitl-by which lie promised He would give them the land; but rather tlu! word of the faithless spies (<^f. Psalm 78. '22).
(E/.cklel •-'(). 14.) ». roimked—(Psalm 101.7.) as titroiiKh the wilcUrness-(Isaiah «3. 11-14.) la. believed . . . his words— this Is said not to praise the Israelllt's, but God, who conslralned even so unb('ll((ving a peoph; momentarily to " bellevc!" whilst In Immediate view of His won-
lilted up his hand—or, swore, the usual form of swearing
(cf. Numbers 1 1. 311, Margin). 37. To overthrow—///., " To make them full :" alluding lo the words (Numbers 14.39). anioiiK . . . nations lands— the " wtlilerne.ss" was not more destructive to the fathei-.i (v. 26) than reshlence among the heathen (" nations") shall be to the children.
ders, a faith which thc^y Immediately after lost (v. 13; Exodus 11. 31; 15. 1). I3-l.'». The faith Induced by God's display of power In their behalf was short-lived, and 378
Leviticus '26. 33, ;)S Is here, before the Psalmist's mluU, the
(ixxTa Providence over Ilis People. PSALMS CVII—CIX. David Devotclh hif> Enemies.
determination against the "seed" when rebellious, being not erprr.ised in Numbers U. 31-3.3, but implied in the determination against tlie fathers. 38-30. sacrifices of the dernl I. p.. of lifeless idols, contrasted with "the living Go<l" (Jeremiah 10.3-10; cf. Psalm 115. 4-7; 1 Corinthians
alllicted lit., rrfflict themselves, i. e., bring on disease, denoted by loathing of food, and drawing near unto [lit., even to] the gates [or, domains, Psalm 9. Ui) of death, sent his word—i. e., put forth His power, their destructions i. e., that which threatened them. To the chorus Is added the mode of giving thanks, by a sacrifice and joyful singing (Psalm 50. 14). 23-.32. Here are set forth the perils of seafaring, futility of man's and efficiency of God's help, go . . . sea—Alluding to the elevation of the land at the coast. Tliese see . . . deep—Illustrated both by the storm He raises and the calm He makes with a word (Psalm 3ii. 9). waves thereof— Hi.i waves (God's, Psalm
12. On the words, "joined themselves to Baal-peor," seo Numbers 2,"). 2, 3, 5. Baal-peor, i. e., the possessor of Peor,
tlie mountain on wliich Chemosh, the idol of lloab, was worshipped, and at the foot of which Israel at the time lay encamped (Numl)ers 2!. 2.S). The name never occurs except ir connection witii that locality and that circumstance. provoUccl—excited grief and indignation (Psalm
42.7). arc . . . end lit., all their voisdom swallows up itself, destroys itself by vain and contradictory devices, such as despair induces. He maketh . . . calm—or, to stand to stillness, or in quiet. Instead of acts of temple worship, those of the synagogue are here described, where the people with the assembly, or session of elders, convened for reading, singing, prayer, and teaching. 33-41. God's providence is illustriously displayed in His influence on two great elements of human prosperity, the earth's productiveness, and the powers of government. He punishes
6.7: 78. r-S). stood—as Aaron "stood between the living nnd tlie dead, ami the plague was stayed" (Numl^ers 16. 48). executed .Judgment lit., judged, including sentence and act. 31. counted . . . rl^s^liteousness—"a.just and revvardable action." tor—or, unto, to tlie procuring of righteousness, as in Romans i. 2; 10. 4. Here it was a particular act, not
faith, nor its oliject Christ; and ivhaturis procured was not Jus tifying righteousness, or what was to be rewarded with eternal life; for no one act of man's can be taken for complete obedience. BTit it was that which God approved and rewarded witli a perpetual priesthood to him and his descendants (Numl>ers 25.13; 1 Chronicles fi. 4, Ac). 32, 33. (CC. Numbers 20. 3-12; Deuteronomy 1.37; 3. 28.) went
tlie wicked by destroying the sources of fertility, or, in mercy, gives fruitfulness to deserts, which become the homes of a busy and successful agricultural population. By a permitted misrule and tyranny, this scene of piosperity is changed to one of adversity. He rules rulers, setting up one and putting down another, wander . . . wilderness—reduced to misery (Job 12.21). 42, 43. In this providential government, good men will rejoice, and the cavils of the wicked will be stopped (Job 5. 16; Isaiah
ill with [lit., vas had for] Moses—his conduct, though
lindei great provocation, was punished by exclusion from
Caiiaati. 34-39. They not only failed to expel the heathen, as God "commanded" (Exodus 21. 32, 33), lit., said (they
should], hut conformed to their idolatries, and tlius Iiecaine spiritual adulterers (Psalm 73. 27). nnto devils Sepluagint, demons (cf. 1 Corinthians 10. 20), or evil spirits, polluted witU blood— blood, or murder (Psalm o. 6; 2(i.
52.15), and all who take right views will appreciate God's unfailing mercy and unbounded love.
91. 40-4.3. Tliose nations first seduced and then oppressed them rcf. Judges 1. 34; 2. 14; 3. 30). Their apostasies ungratefully repaid God's many mercies til! He finally abandoned them to punishment (Leviticus 20. .39). 44-46. If, as is probable, this Psalm was written at the time of the captivity, the writer now intimates the tokens of God's returning favour, repented—(cf. Psalm 90. 13). made... pitied— (1 Kings 8.50; Daniel 1. 9). These tokens tncourage the prayer and the promise of praise (Psalm 30. 4), which is well closed by a doxology.