Psalms 106

19-23. From indirect setting God at naught, they pass to direct.
made--though prohibited in Exodus 20:4 Exodus 20:5 to make a likeness, even of the true God.
calf--called 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. The idolatry was more sinful in view of their recent experience of God's power in Egypt and His wonders at Sinai ( Exodus 32:1-6 ). Though intending to worship Jehovah under the symbol of the calf, yet as this was incompatible with His nature ( Deuteronomy 4:15-17 ), they in reality gave up Him, and so were given up by Him. Instead of the Lord of heaven, they had as their glory the image of an ox that does nothing but eat grass.

23. he said--namely, to Moses ( Deuteronomy 9:13 ). With God, saying is as certain as doing; but His purpose, while full of wrath against sin, takes into account the mediation of Him of whom Moses was the type ( Exodus 32:11-14 Deuteronomy 9:18 Deuteronomy 9:19 ).
Moses his chosen--that is, to be His servant (compare Psalms 105:26 ).
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 25:11 , Psalms 78:38 ).

24-27. The sin of refusing to invade Canaan, "the pleasant land" ( Jeremiah 3:19 , Ezekiel 20:6 , Daniel 8:9 ), "the land of beauty," was punished by the destruction of that generation ( Numbers 14:28 ), and the threat of dispersion ( Deuteronomy 4:25 , 28:32 ) afterwards made to their posterity, and fulfilled in the great calamities now bewailed, may have also been then added.
despised--( Numbers 14:31 ).
believed not his word--by which He promised He would give them the land; but rather the word of the faithless spies (compare Psalms 78:22 ).

26. lifted up his hand--or, "swore," the usual form of swearing (compare Numbers 14:30 , Margin).

27. To overthrow--literally, "To make them fall"; alluding to the words ( Numbers 14:39 ).
among . . . nations . . . lands--The "wilderness" was not more destructive to the fathers ( Psalms 106:26 ) than residence among the heathen ("nations") shall be to the children Le 26:33,38 is here, before the Psalmist's mind, the determination against the "seed" when rebellious, being not expressed in Numbers 14:31-33 , but implied in the determination against the fathers.

28-30. sacrifices of the dead--that is of lifeless idols, contrasted with "the living God" ( Jeremiah 10:3-10 ; compare Psalms 115:4-7 1 Corinthians 12:2 ). On the words,
joined themselves to Baal-peor--see Numbers 25:2 Numbers 25:3 Numbers 25:5 .
Baal-peor--that is the possessor of Peor, the mountain on which Chemosh, the idol of Moab, was worshipped, and at the foot of which Israel at the time lay encamped ( Numbers 23:28 ). The name never occurs except in connection with that locality and that circumstance.

29. provoked--excited grief and indignation ( Psalms 6:7 , 78:58 ).

30. stood--as Aaron "stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was stayed" ( Numbers 16:48 ).
executed judgment--literally, "judged," including sentence and act.

31. counted . . . righteousness--"a just and rewardable action."
for--or, "unto," to the procuring of righteousness, as in Romans 4:2 , 10:4 . Here it was a particular act, not faith, nor its object Christ; and what was procured was not justifying righteousness, or what was to be rewarded with eternal life; for no one act of man's can be taken for complete obedience. But it was that which God approved and rewarded with a perpetual priesthood to him and his descendants ( Numbers 25:13 , 1 Chronicles 6:4 , &c.).

32, 33. (Compare Numbers 20:3-12 , Deuteronomy 1:37 , 3:26 ).
went ill with--literally, "was bad for"
Moses--His conduct, though under great provocation, was punished by exclusion from Canaan.

34-39. They not only failed to expel the heathen, as God
commanded--( Exodus 23:32 Exodus 23:33 ), literally, "said (they should)," but conformed to their idolatries ( Psalms 106:36 ) and thus became spiritual adulterers ( Psalms 73:27 ).

37. unto devils--Septuagint, "demons" (compare 1 Corinthians 10:20 ), or "evil spirits."

38. polluted with blood--literally, "blood," or "murder" ( Psalms 5:6 , 26:9 ).

40-43. Those nations first seduced and then oppressed them (compare Judges 1:34 , 2:14 , 3:30 ). Their apostasies ungratefully repaid God's many mercies till He finally abandoned them to punishment ( Leviticus 26:39 ).

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 favor.

45. repented--(compare Psalms 90:13 ).

46. made . . . pitied--( 1 Kings 8:50 , Daniel 1:9 ). These tokens encourage the prayer and the promise of praise ( Psalms 30:4 ), which is well closed by a doxology.