Psalms 106:24

24 Then they refused to go into the beautiful land of Canaan; they did not believe what God promised.

Psalms 106:24 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 106:24

Yea, they despised the pleasant land
Or "land of desire" {r}; the land of Canaan; a very delightful and desirable country, the glory of all lands, a land that abounded with everything for necessity and pleasure. The spies themselves, that brought an ill report of it, owned it was a land flowing with milk and honey; but that there were such difficulties to possess it which they thought insuperable: and hence the people despised it, inasmuch as, when they were bid to go and possess it, they refused, and did not choose to be at any difficulty in subduing the inhabitants of it, or run any risk or hazard of their lives in taking it, though the Lord had promised, to give it them, and settle them in it; but they seemed rather inclined to make themselves a captain, and return to Egypt, when they were just on the borders of Canaan; which was interpreted as despising the land, ( Numbers 14:1-4 Numbers 14:31 ) . This was a type of heaven, the good land afar off; the better country, the land of promise and rest; in which is fulness of provisions, and where there will be no hunger and thirst; where flows the river of the water of life, and stands the tree of life, bearing all manner of fruits; where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore: the most delightful company of Father, Son, and Spirit, angels and glorified saints; and nothing to disturb their peace and pleasure, neither from within nor from without. And yet this pleasant land may be said to be despised by such who do not care to go through any difficulty to it; to perform the duties of religion; to bear reproach for Christ's sake; to go through tribulation; to walk in the narrow and afflicted way, which leads unto it: and by all such who do not care to part with their sinful lusts and pleasure; but prefer them and the things of this world to the heavenly state.

They believed not his word;
his word of promise, that he would be with them, and lead them into the pleasant land, and put them into the possession of it: which disbelief of his word was highly provoking to him; and therefore he swore they should not enter into his rest; and because of their unbelief they did not, ( Numbers 14:11 ) ( Hebrews 3:18 Hebrews 3:19 ) . This is a very heinous sin, to disbelieve God that is true, and cannot lie; it is to make him a liar; nothing can more dishonour him; it is a departure from him, very provoking to him, and of very dangerous consequence; unbelievers shall have their part and portion in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, ( Revelation 21:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (hdmx Urab) "in term desiderii", Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Psalms 106:24 In-Context

22 who had done miracles in Egyptn and amazing things by the Red Sea.
23 So God said he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stood before him and stopped God's anger from destroying them.
24 Then they refused to go into the beautiful land of Canaan; they did not believe what God promised.
25 They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord.
26 So he swore to them that they would die in the desert.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.