Psalms 106:12-22

12 Then they believed his words were true and broke out in songs of praise.
13 But it wasn't long before they forgot the whole thing, wouldn't wait to be told what to do.
14 They only cared about pleasing themselves in that desert, provoked God with their insistent demands.
15 He gave them exactly what they asked for - but along with it they got an empty heart.
16 One day in camp some grew jealous of Moses, also of Aaron, holy priest of God.
17 The ground opened and swallowed Dathan, then buried Abiram's gang.
18 Fire flared against that rebel crew and torched them to a cinder.
19 They cast in metal a bull calf at Horeb and worshiped the statue they'd made.
20 They traded the Glory for a cheap piece of sculpture - a grass-chewing bull!
21 They forgot God, their very own Savior, who turned things around in Egypt,
22 Who created a world of wonders in the Land of Ham, who gave that stunning performance at the Red Sea.

Psalms 106:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 106

This psalm is without the name of its author, as the Syriac interpreter observes. Aben Ezra, on Ps 106:47, says, that one of the wise men of Egypt (perhaps Maimonides) was of opinion that it was written in the time of the judges, when there was no king in Israel; and another, he says, thought it was written in Babylon: but he was of opinion it was wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or by a prophetic spirit, concerning their present captivity; and so Kimchi. The petition in Ps 106:47, "gather us from among the Heathen", has led most interpreters to conclude that it was written either in the Babylonish captivity, or, as some, in the times of Antiochus: but by comparing it with 1Ch 16:7, it appears that it was written by David, at the time of the bringing up of the ark to Zion; since the first and two last verses of it are there expressly mentioned, in the psalm he gave Asaph to sing on that occasion, Ps 106:34-36, who therein might have respect to the Israelites that had been taken captive by some of their neighbours, as the Philistines, and still retained; though there is no difficulty in supposing that David, under a prophetic spirit, foresaw future captivities, and represents those that were in them. As the preceding psalm treats of the mercies and favours God bestowed upon Israel, this of their sins and provocations amidst those blessings, and of the goodness of God unto them; that notwithstanding he did not destroy them from being a people; for which they had reason to be thankful.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.