Westminster Annotations, Psalms · Psalm 106
PSAL. CVI.
Vers. 2. PRa…se ye the Lord] Heb. Hallelujah. The prophet exhorteth the people to praise God for his benefits past, that thereby their mindes may be strengthened against all present troubles and despair.
…ive thanks unto the Lord, &c.] Psal. 107. 1. and 118. 1. and 136. 1.
V. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgement] He sheweth that it is not enough to praise God with mouth, except heart and life be answerable to Gods word.
V. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people] Gen. 8. 1. Psal. 119. 132.
with the favour that thou learest unto thy people] Let the goodwill thou hast born to thy people heretofore, extend it self unto me.
V. 6. We have sinned with our fathers] Dan. 9. 5. By earnest confession as well of their own as of their fathers sins, they shew, that though they were utterly unworthy of Gods mercies, yet they had hope, that God, according to his promise, would pitie them.
V. 7. but provoked him at the sea, even at the red-sea] Exod. 14. 11, 12.
even at the red-sea] Or, and in the red sea: that is, not onelyonly before, but when they were entred into the sea: for the Egyptians followed them still.
V. 8. Neverthelesse, he saved them for his names sake] Though they were wicked, yet God changed the order of nature to save them, for to perform his promise, and shew forth his glory.
V. 9. led them thorow the depths, as thorow the wildernesse] Between the two heaps of water that were deep, Exod. 15. 5.
V. 10. of him that hated them] Of Pharaoh.
V. 11. …nd the waters covered their enemies] Exod. 14. 27. and 15. 5.
V. 12. Then …elieved they his words] Exod. 14 31. and 15. 1. Psal. 105. 43. The wonderfull works of God caused them to believe him for a time, and to praise him.
V. 13. They soon forgat] Heb. they made haste, they forgat.
They so…n forgat his works] Exod. 15. 24. and 17. 2.
they waited not for his counsell] They would prevent his wisedom and providence.
V. 14. But lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse] Num. 11. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 6.
lusted exceedingly] Heb. lusted a lust.
V. 15. An the gave them their request] Num. 11. 31.
but sent leannesse into their soul] The abundance that God gave them profited them not, but made them pine away, because God cursed it, Hag. 1. 6.
V. 16. They envied Moses also in the camp] Num. 16. 1, &c.
Aa…n the saint of the Lord] Whom God set apart, as holy, for the priesthood.
V. 17. The earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan, &c.] Num. 16. 31. Deut. 11. 6.
and swallowed up Dathan] By the greatnesse of the punishment the haynousnesse of the offence may be concluded: for they that rise against Gods ministers, rebell against him.
and … the company of Abiram] He means Korah, and his associates that were joyned with them in rebellion.
V. 18. And a fire was kindled in their company] Num. 16. 35, 46.
V. 19. They in t…le a calf in Horeb] Exod. 32. 4.
V. 20. …s they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grasse] Jer. 2. 11. Rom. 1. 23. He sheweth that all idolaters renounce God to be their glory, when, in stead of him, they worship any creature, much more wood, stone, metall, or calves, Rom. 1. 23, 25. or other base things, Ezek. 8. 10.
V. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them] Exod. 32. 10.
had not Moses his chosen stood] If Moses, by his intercession, had not prevailed with God to pardon their rebellions.
in the breach] Vers. 29. A similitude from a breach in the wall of a citie, wherein one stands, to keep out the enemies by force. It shews the great force of prayer to divert Gods judgements, Ezek. 13. 5. and 22. 30. whence, the plague is said to break in, v. 29.
V. 24. the pleasant land] Heb. a land of desire] That is, Canaan, which was, as it were, an earnest-peny of the heavenly inheritance.
they believed not his word] Heb. 3. 19. That he would bring them into Canaan.
V. 24. But murmured in their tents] Num. 14. 2.
V. 26. he lifted up his hand against them] Gen. 14. 22. That is, he sware, Ezek. 20. 15, 23. Psal. 95. 11. Sometimes also it signifieth to punish.
to overthrow them in the wildernesse] Num. 14. 28.
V. 27. To overthrow] Heb. to make them fall.
V. 28. They joyned themselves also unto Baal-peor] Num. 25. 3. Which was the idol of the Moabites.
and ate the sacrifices of the dead] Sacrifices offered to the dead idols, psal. 115. 5.
V. 29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions] Signifying, that whatsoever man inventeth of himself to serve God by, is detestable, and provoketh his anger.
inventions] Heb. practices.
and] Or, so that. So v. 32, 33.
brake in upon them] Vers. 23.
V. 30. Then stood up Phinehas, &c.] Num. 25. 7. When all others neglected Gods glory, he in his zeal killed the adulterers, and so prevented Gods wrath.
V. 31. for righteousnesse] God counted it a righteous act, though men might think it a fruit of rash zeal.
V. 32. They angred him a…so at the waters of shife] Num. 20 13.
so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes] Num. 20. 12. Deut. 3. 26. If so notable a prophet of God escaped not punishment, though others provoked him to sin; how much more shall they be subject to Gods judgement which cause Gods children to sin?
V. 34. concerning whom the Lord commanded them] Deut. 7. 2.
V. 35. but were mingled among the heathen] Judg. 1. 21. By marriage, and so they were drawn to idolatry.
V. 36. And they served their idols] They have their name in Hebrew from sorrow, because they bring much grief to their worshippers, psal. 16. 4.
which were a snare unto them] Exod. 23. 33. To bring them to destruction, as snares do birds.
V. 37. they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils] He sheweth the great force of idolatry, which can win us to things abhorring to nature, when Gods word cannot obtain the smallest things of us.
devils] 1 Cor. 10. 20.
V. 38. idols of Canaan] 2 Kings 16. 3.
V. 39. and went a whoring with their own inventions] Then true chastity is, to cleave wholly and onelyonly unto God, Num. 15. 29. Levit. 17. 7.
V. 41. And] Or, So that, as v. 29.
V. 43. Many times did he deliver them] Judg. 2. 16. The prophet sheweth, that neither by menaces nor promises we can come to God, except we be altogether newly reformed, and that his mercy hide our wickednesse.
brought lowe] Or, imp…verished, or weakned.
V. 45. he remembred for them his covenant] Deut. 30. 3. Two things made God relieve them, his covenant, and his mercy.
and repented according to the multitude of his mercies] Not that God is changeable in himself, but that then he seemeth to us to rep…nt, when he taketh away his punishment, and forgiveth us.
V. 46. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives] Heb. And he gave them for pities: that is, he made them finde abundance of pity, Jer. 15. 11.
V. 47. gather us from among the heathen] Bring us from among the heathen to Jerusalem, to praise thee.