1Haleluja! Chválu vzdejte Hospodinu, protože je dobrý, vždyť jeho milosrdenství je věčné! 2Kdo vylíčí Hospodinovy mocné činy? Kdo rozhlásí všechnu jeho chválu? 3Blahoslavení jsou ti, kdo zachovávají právo, kdo jednají v každé době spravedlivě. 4Rozpomeň se na mě, Hospodine, pro přízeň ke svému lidu, navštiv mě svou spásou, 5abych viděl dobro tvých vyvolených, abych se radoval radostí tvého národa, abych se chlubil tvým dědictvím. 6Zhřešili jsme jako naši otcové, páchali jsme zlo, jednali jsme ničemně. 7Naši otcové v Egyptě nepochopili tvé divy, nepřipomínali si tvé hojné milosrdenství, byli vzpurní při moři, při moři Rákosovém. 8Ale on je zachránil pro své jméno, aby dal poznat svou udatnost. 9Obořil se na Rákosové moře a vyschlo. Vedl je vodními hlubinami jako pustinou. 10Zachránil je z rukou toho, kdo je nenáviděl, vykoupil je z ruky nepřítele. 11Jejich protivníky přikryla voda, nezbyl z nich ani jeden. 12I uvěřili jeho slovům, zpívali k jeho chvále. 13Rychle však zapomněli na jeho skutky, nečekali na jeho rozhodnutí. 14V pustině propadli chtivosti, v pusté krajině pokoušeli Boha. 15Splnil jim tedy jejich prosby, leč postihl je úbytěmi. 16V táboře žárlili na Mojžíše i na Árona, Hospodinova svatého. 17Země se otevřela a pohltila Dátana a přikryla spolek Abíramův. 18Proti jejich spolku vzplanul oheň, plamen spálil ničemy. 19Na Chorébu udělali tele a klaněli se lité modle. 20Zaměnili svou Slávu za zpodobení býka, který žere trávu. 21Zapomněli na Boha, svého zachránce, který učinil v Egyptě veliké věci, 22divy v zemi Chámově, hrůzu vzbuzující činy u Rákosového moře. 23Řekl tedy, že je vyhladí. Ale Mojžíš, jeho vyvolený, se postavil do trhliny před ním, a tak odvrátil jeho rozlícení, aby je nezničil. 24Pohrdli výbornou zemí, nevěřili jeho slovu, 25reptali ve svých stanech, neuposlechli Hospodina. 26Pozvedl tedy proti nim ruku, že je v pustině nechá padnout 27a že jejich potomstvo nechá padnout mezi pohany a že je rozpráší do různých zemí. 28Pak se spřáhli s Baal-peórem a jedli oběti mrtvých. 29Svými činy ho popouzeli k hněvu a dopadla na ně rána. 30I povstal Pinchas, vykonal soud a rána byla zastavena. 31Bylo mu to přičteno k spravedlnosti od pokolení do pokolení — až navěky. 32U Vod sváru ho podnítili ke hněvu, kvůli nim se zle vedlo i Mojžíšovi, 33neboť se vzepřeli jeho Duchu a on svými rty mluvil nerozvážně. 34Nevyhladili národy, o nichž Hospodin mluvil, 35ale smísili se s pohanskými národy a učili se jejich skutkům. 36Sloužili jejich modlářským zpodobeninám a ty se jim staly léčkou. 37Své syny a své dcery obětovali démonům. 38Prolévali nevinnou krev, krev svých synů a dcer, které obětovali kenaanským modlářským zpodobeninám, a proléváním krve znesvětili zemi. 39Svými skutky se poskvrnili; svými činy se dopouštěli smilstva. 40Hospodin vzplál proti svému lidu hněvem a své dědictví si zošklivil. 41Vydal je do ruky pohanských národů, takže nad nimi vládli ti, kdo je nenáviděli. 42Utlačovali je jejich nepřátelé, byli pokořeni, byli pod jejich mocí. 43Mnohokrát je vysvobodil, leč oni se svými úradky vzpírali a pro své viny byli pokořeni. 44I pohleděl na jejich soužení a vyslyšel jejich nářek. 45Pamatoval kvůli nim na svou smlouvu a slitovával se podle svého hojného milosrdenství 46a dal jim dojít slitování před všemi, kdo je odvedli do zajetí. 47Zachraň nás, Hospodine, náš Bože, shromáždi nás z národů, a budeme vzdávat díky tvému svatému jménu a uctívat tě chválami. 48Požehnán buď Hospodin, Bůh Izraele, od věků až navěky. A všechen lid ať řekne: Amen. Haleluja!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 This Psalm gives a detailed confession of the sins of Israel in all periods of their history, with special reference to the terms of the covenant as intimated (
Ps 105:45). It is introduced by praise to God for the wonders of His mercy, and concluded by a supplication for His favor to His afflicted people, and a doxology. (Psa. 106:1-48)
Praise, &c.--(See on
Ps 104:35), begins and ends the Psalm, intimating the obligations of praise, however we sin and suffer
1Ch 16:34-36 is the source from which the beginning and end of this Psalm are derived.
2 His acts exceed our comprehension, as His praise our powers of expression (
Rm 11:33). Their unutterable greatness is not to keep us back, but to urge us the more to try to praise Him as best we can (
Ps 40:5;
Ps 71:15).
3 The blessing is limited to those whose principles and acts are right. How "blessed" Israel would be now, if he had "observed God's statutes" (
Ps 105:45).
4 In view of the desert of sins to be confessed, the writer invokes God's covenant mercy to himself and the Church, in whose welfare he rejoices. The speaker, me, I, is not the Psalmist himself, but the people, the present generation (compare
Ps 106:6).
visit--(Compare
Ps 8:4).
5 see the good--participate in it (
Ps 37:13).
thy chosen--namely, Israel, God's elect (
Es 43:20;
Es 45:4). As God seems to have forgotten them, they pray that He would "remember" them with the favor which belongs to His own people, and which once they had enjoyed.
thine inheritance-- (
Dt 9:29;
Dt 32:9).
6 Compare
1Ro 8:47;
Dn 9:5, where the same three verbs occur in the same order and connection, the original of the two later passages being the first one, the prayer of Solomon in dedicating the temple.
sinned . . . fathers--like them, and so partaking of their guilt. The terms denote a rising gradation of sinning (compare
Ps 1:1).
with our fathers--we and they together forming one mass of corruption.
7 Special confession. Their rebellion at the sea (
Ex 14:11) was because they had not remembered nor understood God's miracles on their behalf. That God saved them in their unbelief was of His mere mercy, and for His own glory.
the sea . . . the Red Sea--the very words in which Moses' song celebrated the scene of Israel's deliverance (
Ex 15:4). Israel began to rebel against God at the very moment and scene of its deliverance by God!
8 for his name's sake-- (
Ez 20:14).
9 rebuked-- (
Ps 104:7).
as through the wilderness-- (
Es 63:11-
Es 63:14).
12 believed . . . his words--This is said not to praise the Israelites, but God, who constrained even so unbelieving a people momentarily to "believe" while in immediate view of His wonders, a faith which they immediately afterwards lost (
Ps 106:13;
Ex 14:31;
Ex 15:1).
13 The faith induced by God's display of power in their behalf was short lived, and their new rebellion and temptation was visited by God with fresh punishment, inflicted by leaving them to the result of their own gratified appetites, and sending on them spiritual poverty (
Nb 11:18).
They soon forgat--literally, "They hasted, they forgat" (compare
Ex 32:8). "They have turned aside quickly (or, hastily) out of the way." The haste of our desires is such that we can scarcely allow God one day. Unless He immediately answers our call, instantly then arise impatience, and at length despair.
his works-- (
Dt 11:3-
Dt 11:4;
Dn 9:14).
his counsel--They waited not for the development of God's counsel, or plan for their deliverance, at His own time, and in His own way.
14 Literally, "lusted a lust" (quoted from
Nb 11:4, Margin). Previously, there had been impatience as to necessaries of life; here it is lusting (
Ps 78:18).
15 but sent leanness--rather, "and sent," that is, and thus, even in doing so, the punishment was inflicted at the very time their request was granted. So
Ps 78:30, "While their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them."
soul--the animal soul, which craves for food (
Nb 11:6;
Ps 107:18). This soul got its wish, and with it and in it its own punishment. The place was therefore called Kibroth-hattaavah, "the graves of lust" [
Nb 11:34], because there they buried the people who had lusted. Animal desires when gratified mostly give only a hungry craving for more (
Jr 2:13).
16 All the congregation took part with Dathan, Korah, &c., and their accomplices (
Nb 16:41).
Aaron the saint--literally, "the holy one," as consecrated priest; not a moral attribute, but one designating his office as holy to the Lord. The rebellion was followed by a double punishment: (1) of the non-Levitical rebels, the Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram, &c. (
Dt 11:6;
Nb 26:10); these were swallowed up by the earth.
17 covered--"closed upon them" (
Nb 16:33). (2) Of the Levitical rebels, with Korah at their head (
Nb 16:35;
Nb 26:10); these had sinned by fire, and were punished by fire, as Aaron's (being high priest) sons had been (
Lv 10:2; Num. 16:1-35).
19 From indirect setting God at naught, they pass to direct.
made--though prohibited in
Ex 20:4-
Ex 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 (
Ex 32:1-
Ex 32:6). Though intending to worship Jehovah under the symbol of the calf, yet as this was incompatible with His nature (
Dt 4:15-
Dt 4:17), 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 (
Dt 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 (
Ex 32:11-
Ex 32:14;
Dt 9:18-
Dt 9:19).
Moses his chosen--that is, to be His servant (compare
Ps 105:26).
in the breach--as a warrior covers with his body the broken part of a wall or fortress besieged, a perilous place (
Ez 13:5;
Ez 22:30).
to turn away--or, "prevent"
his wrath-- (
Nb 25:11;
Ps 78:38).
24 The sin of refusing to invade Canaan, "the pleasant land" (
Jr 3:19;
Ez 20:6;
Dn 8:9), "the land of beauty," was punished by the destruction of that generation (
Nb 14:28), and the threat of dispersion (
Dt 4:25;
Dt 28:32) afterwards made to their posterity, and fulfilled in the great calamities now bewailed, may have also been then added.
despised-- (
Nb 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
Ps 78:22).
26 lifted up his hand--or, "swore," the usual form of swearing (compare
Nb 14:30, Margin).
27 To overthrow--literally, "To make them fall"; alluding to the words (
Nb 14:39).
among . . . nations . . . lands--The "wilderness" was not more destructive to the fathers (
Ps 106:26) than residence among the heathen ("nations") shall be to the children.
Lv 26:33,
Lv 26:38 is here, before the Psalmist's mind, the determination against the "seed" when rebellious, being not expressed in
Nb 14:31-
Nb 14:33, but implied in the determination against the fathers.
28 sacrifices of the dead--that is, of lifeless idols, contrasted with "the living God" (
Jr 10:3-
Jr 10:10; compare
Ps 115:4-
Ps 115:7;
1Co 12:2). On the words,
joined themselves to Baal-peor--see
Nb 25:2-
Nb 25:3,
Nb 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 (
Nb 23:28). The name never occurs except in connection with that locality and that circumstance.
29 provoked--excited grief and indignation (
Ps 6:7;
Ps 78:58).
30 stood--as Aaron "stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was stayed" (
Nb 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
Rm 4:2;
Rm 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 (
Nb 25:13;
1Ch 6:4, &c.).
32 (Compare
Nb 20:3-
Nb 20:12;
Dt 1:37;
Dt 3:26).
went ill with--literally, "was bad for"
Moses--His conduct, though under great provocation, was punished by exclusion from Canaan.
34 They not only failed to expel the heathen, as God
commanded-- (
Ex 23:32-
Ex 23:33), literally, "said (they should)," but conformed to their idolatries [
Ps 106:36], and thus became spiritual adulterers (
Ps 73:27).
37 unto devils--Septuagint, "demons" (compare
1Co 10:20), or "evil spirits."
38 polluted with blood--literally, "blood," or "murder" (
Ps 5:6;
Ps 26:9).
40 Those nations first seduced and then oppressed them (compare
Jgs 1:34;
Jgs 2:14;
Jgs 3:30). Their apostasies ungratefully repaid God's many mercies till He finally abandoned them to punishment (
Lv 26:39).
44 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
Ps 90:13).
46 made . . . pitied-- (
1Ro 8:50;
Dn 1:9). These tokens encourage the prayer and the promise of praise (
Ps 30:4), which is well closed by a doxology.