Click here to read PSALM 106 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 106 is the final Psalm in the Numbers Book of the Psalms (Psalms 90-106). God’s rest is a major theme of these 17 Psalms, and in this specific Psalm, we see God’s repeated care for His people, despite their rejection of His promised rest in the Messiah.
Structure
(Verses 1-3) Praise the Lord (Hallelu-jah)
(Verses 4,5) Prayer for salvation (Messiah as savior) to God’s people
(Verse 6) We have sinned and done wickedly as our fathers did
(Verse 7) The fathers’ sin—at the Red Sea
(Verses 8-12) Nevertheless, God saved them
(Verses 13,14) The fathers’ sin—lusting for food and tempting God
(Verse 15) Consequences: leanness in their souls
(Verse 16) The fathers’ sin—envying and rejecting Moses and Aaron
(Verses 17,18) Consequences: Dathan and Abiram swallowed up, fire in their company
(Verses 19-22) The fathers’ sin—worshipping a molten calf, and forgetting God their Savior
(Verse 23) Consequences: destruction (averted by Moses interceding in the breach)
(Verses 24,25) The fathers’ sin—despising the land and murmuring against the Lord’s voice
(Verses 26,27) Consequences: overthrown in the wilderness and scattered in the land
(Verse 28) The fathers’ sin—joining to Baal-peor and sacrificing to it
(Verses 29-31) Consequences: plague (averted by Phinehas and his righteous act)
(Verse 32) The fathers’ sin—causing indignation at the waters of strife (Meribah)
(Verse 33) Consequences: Moses speaking unadvisedly when provoked by them
(Verses 34-39) The fathers’ sin—mixing with the nations and worshipping their idols
(Verses 40-42) Consequences: given over to their enemies, oppressed by and subjected to them
(Verses 43-46) Many times our fathers did sin and provoke Him, and He was merciful
(Verse 47) Prayer for salvation (Messiah as savior) to God’s people
(Verse 48) Praise the Lord (Hallelu-jah) and say Amen
Key Scriptures
Verse 8—“Nevertheless, He saved them for His name’s sake.” This is ultimately true in preserving David’s lineage so that the Messiah could be born. Jesus Christ is God’s “name sake,” His only begotten Son.
Verse 23—”Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach.” Although Israel originally rejected Moses as a deliverer, God chose him to bring His people out of bondage. Though Jesus Christ was rejected by his own nation, he “stood…in the breach” as the mediator between God and man to bring salvation to all (I Timothy 2:4-6).
Verse 28—”They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.” This refers to spiritualism, necromancy, and familiar spirits. God made it clear in His Word that people who die are in the grave until future resurrections. So, any so-called “dead person” brought into a séance or psychic reading, must in reality be an evil spirit using that psychic or medium to deceive others.
These counterfeit “seers” were to be executed so that their evil influence was removed. Exodus 22:18: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch [psychic, spiritualist] to live.” Leviticus 20:27: “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit [communicates with the evil spirits that impersonate dead people], or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.”
Verse 43—”Many times did he deliver [rescue, snatch away, help to escape] them.” This is an example of God’s eternal patience and longsuffering. He continues to help all who seek Him. That is why he sent the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to rescue us, which he did at the cost of his own life. He has been awarded the highest honor for his selfless service (Colossians 1:13; Galatians 1:13,14; Philippians 2:8,9).
God the Creator is now our Father through what Jesus Christ accomplished for us. We have only one God, the Father. He is the Source of all good things. And all of those good things come to us through His Son, Jesus Christ our lord. That includes salvation (I Corinthians 8:6). When Adam fell, he lost his spiritual connection with his Creator.
God promised to send a “seed” of the woman (Genesis 3:15) who would crush the serpent’s head. This promised seed would be the “anointed” one (“Messiah” in Hebrew and “Christ” in Greek). He would redeem mankind and make it available for man to be born again of God’s spirit. Man would once again through Christ have body, soul, and spirit—making him “saved” and complete.
Therefore, God is our Savior. He brought our salvation by sending a redeemer. Jesus Christ is our savior. He carried out everything necessary so that people could be born again of God’s spirit. God, the Father, is the source of salvation (ek, out of Him), and Jesus Christ is the one who accomplished our salvation (dia, by means of him). Both are called “savior” in the Bible.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!
The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
