Psalm 106:13-23

God’s Blessings in Spite of Israel’s Unfaithfulness

They soon forgot His works, literally, “they made haste, they forgot,” their flare of faith lasting barely three days; they waited not for His counsel, the plan which He had for their care, v. 14. but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, demanding to be given their desire, and tempted God in the desert, trying Him out, wearing down His patience with their constant grumbling. Cp. 1 Cor. 10, 6.

V. 15. And He gave them their request, sending them water, manna, quails, Ex. 15, 22-24; 16; 17, 2; Num. 11, but sent leanness into their soul, by consuming them with a very great plague, Num. 11, 33-35.

V. 16. They envied Moses also in the camp and Aaron, the saint of the Lord, Num. 16, 1, the rebels desiring the places of authority for themselves. V. 17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram, Num. 16,23-35. V. 18. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. After this reference to the rebellion of Korah the psalmist returns to the early days of the wilderness journey.

V. 19. They made a calf in Horeb, while Moses was on the mount with God, and worshiped the molten image, Ex. 32, 4. V. 20. Thus they changed their glory, Jehovah, the true God Himself, as He had manifested and proved Himself before the people, into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. V. 21. They forgot God, their Savior, who had delivered them by such a signal deliverance, which had done great things in Egypt, in the ten plagues upon Pharaoh and his people; v. 22. wondrous works in the land of Ham, Egypt being called so because the descendants of Ham had settled there, and terrible things, which caused Him to be feared, by the Red Sea.

V. 23. Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Ex. 32, 10; Num. 14, 12, had not Moses, His chosen, stood before Him in the breach to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them, for in one case the plague had already made great headway, Num. 16, 44-50.