Short answer: Psalm 106 is a history psalm that contrasts God's steadfast love with Israel's repeated rebellion. It begins and ends with praise but focuses on Israel's sin — their forgetfulness, rebellion, idolatry, and unfaithfulness. The psalm recounts the rebellion at the Red Sea, the golden calf, the rejection of the Promised Land, the rebellion of Korah, and the worship of Baal. Despite their sin, God remembered his covenant and relented according to his steadfast love.
The setting of the psalm
Psalm 106 is a history psalm that contrasts God's steadfast love with Israel's repeated rebellion. It begins and ends with praise, but the body of the psalm is a confession of sin. The psalmist declares that both he and his fathers have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly. The confession is corporate and comprehensive.
The first rebellion the psalm recounts is at the Red Sea. Even after witnessing God's mighty works in Egypt, Israel soon forgot his works and did not wait for his counsel. They gave in to craving in the wilderness and put God to the test. The pattern of forgetfulness and rebellion is established immediately.
The psalm traces Israel's rebellions through their history: the golden calf at Sinai, the rejection of the Promised Land at Kadesh-barnea, the rebellion of Korah, the worship of Baal at Peor, the waters of Meribah, and the failure to destroy the Canaanites as God commanded. Each rebellion is met with God's judgment and yet his mercy.
Despite Israel's persistent rebellion, God remembered his covenant and relented according to his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by their captors. The psalm ends with a prayer for salvation and a doxology: 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord!'
For Christians, this psalm is a sobering reminder of human sinfulness and a celebration of God's covenant faithfulness. The pattern of rebellion and mercy points to the grace of God in Christ. The call to remember God's steadfast love in the face of human failure is the heart of the gospel.
Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all his praise? Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times. Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation, that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
Psalm 106:1-5 (World English Bible)
Key words and their meaning
The Hebrew word for 'Hallelujah' (hallelu-yah) in verse 1 means 'Praise the Lord.' The psalm begins and ends with this call to praise, framing the confession of sin with worship.
The word 'rebel' (marah) appears multiple times. Israel rebelled against God at the Red Sea, in the wilderness, and throughout their history. The verb describes willful defiance of God's authority.
The word 'remembered' (yizkor) in verse 45 is the turning point. Despite Israel's rebellion, God remembered his covenant. God's memory of his promises is the basis for his mercy.
We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea. 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 was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left. Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.
Psalm 106:6-12 (World English Bible)
What the psalm claims
First, human sinfulness is persistent and pervasive. The psalm catalogues Israel's repeated rebellions without minimizing them.
Second, God's steadfast love is greater than human sin. Despite Israel's rebellion, God remembered his covenant and relented according to his steadfast love.
Third, confession is an act of worship. The psalm frames its confession of sin within the context of praise, showing that acknowledging our sin is part of worshiping God.
They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel, but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image. Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.
Psalm 106:13-22 (World English Bible)
Where readers disagree
The relationship between this psalm and the penitential psalms has been discussed. Psalm 106 is sometimes included in the penitential psalms because of its extensive confession of sin.
The reference to Phinehas in verse 30 has been discussed. Phinehas's zealous action (Numbers 25) is presented as an example of righteousness, but the violence involved has troubled some readers.
The relationship between this psalm and Psalm 105 has been discussed. The two psalms are often read together as a pair, with Psalm 105 celebrating God's faithfulness and Psalm 106 confessing human unfaithfulness.
Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them. Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe his word, but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice. Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness, that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations, and scatter them in the lands. They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them. Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped. That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
Psalm 106:23-31 (World English Bible)
How this psalm connects to the gospel
The themes of Psalm 106 find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently draws on the Psalms to explain who Jesus is and what he accomplished. The psalm's language of deliverance, kingship, and steadfast love all point toward the gospel.
In Jesus, believers see the perfect fulfillment of everything this psalm celebrates. The deliverance the psalmist experienced was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance Christ would accomplish. The kingship celebrated in the psalm points to Christ's eternal reign. The steadfast love described in the psalm is fully revealed in Jesus's sacrificial death and resurrection.
For Christians, reading this psalm is an opportunity to see God's faithfulness across the entire biblical story. The same God who heard the psalmist's cry also hears the prayers of his people today. The same deliverance finds its ultimate expression in the salvation Christ offers. The psalm invites believers to trust in this faithful God and to make his praise known to all generations.
The New Testament writers understood the Psalms as a prophetic witness to Christ. Jesus himself told his disciples that everything written about him in the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). When the apostles preached about Jesus, they regularly quoted the Psalms to demonstrate that his suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation were all part of God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 106 participates in this prophetic witness. Whether through its language of kingship, its descriptions of suffering and deliverance, or its celebration of God's steadfast love, this psalm contributes to the biblical portrait of the Messiah. Reading it in light of Christ does not diminish its original meaning but reveals its deepest significance.
They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes; because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips. They didn’t destroy the peoples, as Yahweh commanded them, but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
Psalm 106:32-39 (World English Bible)
Biblical fidelity check
Psalm 106 is theologically sound and consistent with the broader biblical witness. Its themes of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness are central to biblical theology. The psalm contributes to the Psalter's comprehensive portrait of God's relationship with his people. While each psalm reflects its original historical context, its truths are enduring and applicable to believers today. The New Testament affirms and deepens the themes found in this psalm, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 106?
The main message of Psalm 106 is give thanks to the lord; confess our rebellion. The psalm teaches that God is worthy of trust and praise. It calls believers to respond to God's character with faith, obedience, and worship.
How does Psalm 106 point to Christ?
Psalm 106, like all Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus Christ. The themes of God's deliverance, steadfast love, and kingship find their fullest expression in Christ. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms to explain Christ's person and work. As Jesus himself said, the Scriptures bear witness to him (John 5:39).
How does Psalm 106 apply to Christians today?
Psalm 106 applies to believers today by providing language for prayer, praise, and lament. It teaches about God's character and how believers should respond to him. The psalm's truths are timeless, addressing the universal human experiences of joy, suffering, hope, and trust.
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