Psalms 106:32-42

32 They angered him at the waters of Mer'ibah, and it went ill with Moses on their account;

33 for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke words that were rash.

34 They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them,

35 but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did.

36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

38 they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood.

39 Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the harlot in their doings.

40 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage;

41 he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power.

Psalms 106:32-42 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.