Chapter 106: A Record Of Repeated Rebellion

I. RENDERING OF PRAISE (1-3). "Halleh1jah." 1. Commencing Exhortation (1). 2. Comprehensive Explanation (1). 3. Challenging Exclamation (2). 4. Confident Expression (3). "Happy." Beatitude. II. REQUEST FOR DELIVERANCE (4-5). Personal. III. REVIEW OF HISTORY, PERSONAL (6). "We have sinned." IV. REVIEW OF HISTORY, PATERNAL (7-46). "Our fathers (sinned)." 1. Rebellion and Recovery (7-12). Provocation. Exodus from Egypt. (i) The Sin (7). (ii) The Salvation (8-r2). "Nevertheless."

REJOICING OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIP 2. Rebellion and Recovery (13-23). (i) The Sin (13-16). (ii) The Searching (17-18). (iii) The Sin (19-22). (iv) The Searching (23a). (v) The Salvation (23bc). Intercession of Moses. 3. Rebellion and Recovery (24-31). (i) The Sin (24-25). (ii) The Searching (26-27). (iii) The Sin (28-29a ). (iv) The Searching (29b). (v) The Salvation (30-31). Interposition of Phinehas. 4. Rebellion and Recovery (32-43a). (i) The Sin (32a). (ii) The Searching (32b-33). (iii) The Sin (34-39 ). (iv) The Searching (40-42). (v) The Salvation (43a). Intervention of Jehovah. 5. Rebellion and Recovery (43b-46). Provocation. Experience in Canaan. (i) The Sin (43bc). (ii) The Salvation (44-46). "Nevertheless." V. REQUEST FOR DELIVERANCE (47). National. VI. RENDERING OF PRAISE (48). 1. Crowning Exclamation (48ab). "Blessed." Benediction. 2. Conductor's Explanation (48c). 3. Closing Exhortation. "Hallelujah." PRIMARY AssocIATION.-Writer and occasion unknown, but 47 might seem to indicate the period of the Exile. Yet it is not necessary to assume such a late date for the psalmist may have been speaking prophetic”y. The Dispersion was well known as a prophetic event, Deut. xxviii. 64. Solomon himself prays this prayer, I Kings viii. 46-50. See notes to CV: "Never but in Israel has patriotism chosen a nation's sins as a theme of song, or in celebrating its victories written but one name, the name of Jehovah, upon its trophies." (Maclaren): Compare other hymns of national confession, I Kings viii.; Neh. ix.; Dan. ix.; Deut. xxvi. With verses 47.,...48 c£ I Chron. xvi. 34-36; also Isa. lxiii.; Ezk. xx. This psalm closes Book IV. The chronological order of Israel's relapses is not preserv•d. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Notes to cv. apply equally to the present psalm though the prayer (47), which is the climax of the composition, points more especially to the end time immediately before the national deliverance eff ee:ted by Messiah's advent.

PERSONAL APPLICATION.-The history of God's past is a record of continuous mercies; the record of man's past is one of continual sin. Man's wickedness cannot alter God's character (1). Israel's relapses did not exhaust Jehovah's lovingkindness ( 1). No human voice can adequately celebrate His works or worthily pro.claim His praifes (2). God's mercy and might are sure ground for His people's hope (1-2). '' Is it right?'' (3) is a higher law than, '' Is it profitable? '' or '' Is it popular?" or "Is it pleasant?" God expects His people to have and to exercise spiritual insight (7). Forgetfulness often leads to sin (7). The sin of rebellion is obstinate resistance to the revealed will of God (7c). God is tempted when unbelief demands proof of His power (14). We should never try to force the hand of God (13-15). Full-fed flesh often makes starved souls ( I 5). Many Christians suffer from a spiritual ''wasting sickness'' (15). Our hearts are often slow to recognise the divine mark in His saints (16). Jehovah is the glory of Israel (20). For God's people to follow their own counsel is rebellion (43). An act of judgment may be an act of faith (31). Even a strong leader may be dragged down by the prevailing tone (33). Divine discipline takes account of all alike (32). If we do not overcome our spiritual foes they will overcome us (34). Envy often masquerades as the champion of common rights (16). ,Envy of God-given leaders is not confined, alas, to Israel (16). "It took forty hours to get Israel out of Egypt, but forty years to get Egypt out of Israel." In the world's history human lawlessness and divine long-suffering have appeared in constantly repeated cycles. The long recital of Israel's lapses and failure ends upon the note of Jehovah's lovingkindness and forgiveness (44 ff.). VERSE NOTES I. "good," i.e. not God's essential goodness, but His kindness to Israel. 3. Br. "O how happy ... "; (b) in experience true only of Christ. 4. Cf. Nehemiah's interposed prayers, Neh. v. 19; vi; 14; xiii. 14, 22, 31. Psalmist prays that he personally may share in the nation's restoration to the diviJ;ie favour; lit. " ... with (or, in) the favour (or, acceptance) of Thy people." 5. Note the three names for Jehovah's people; "glory," or trium?h. 6. Main theme of the psalm; confession of recurrent sin; "with' expresses not merely "like (our fathers)" but identification in a sense of national solidarity. Note threefold description of the sin. 9. (b) i.e. on dry ground.

10. "redeemed them," i.e. as a kinsman-redeemer. 12. This allusion to their momentary f:uth and gratitude serves only to emphasise the later relapses. 13. They were only three days on their journey when they murmured; six weeks later they murmured again. 14. (b) i.e. by questioning His will and ability to provide. 15. C£ their complaint, "Our soul is dried away" (Num. xi. 6); i.e. vitality exhausted. 16. (b) as marg. Aaron was specially set apart for Jehovah and consecrated to His service, N um. xvi. 3 ff. 17. Korah's family did not perish. 19. "Horeb," the name always given to Sinai in Deut. except at xxxiii. 2. 20. "their glory," ancient reading was "My glory." Note the instructive moral order in Israel's doings from 16 on. 2-3. (b) Moses was like a warrior standing in the breach of a city wall to repel the enemy at risk of his life. 24. They despised the "delightsome" land and disbelieved God's promise to give it them. 25. (a) Graphic picture of Israelites sulking in their tents instead of boldly preparing themselves for the marcli. .26. Br. "So He lifted up His hand unto them; That He would make them (emph.) fall in the wilderness," i.e. He swore solemnly; fig. anthropopatheia. · thr " b d" 27. over ow, r. ISperse. 28. They attached themselves as devotees to Baal-peor, i.e. the particular Baal worshipped at Peor by the Moabites, Nwp. xxv. 3. (b) This either pertains to necromancy or else refers to "dead" gods in ctr. with the Living God. 29. "provoked,"= grieved or irritated; not same Heb. word as in 7, 33, 43. 3 I. This zeal of Phinehas was for God, not for a party, and he acted upon the impulse of faith. 32-33. 33a parallels 32a, 33b parallels 32b; "His Spirit," i.e. God's; "he (Moses) spake- rashly ... "; but Rotherham renders 33a, "For they embittered his spirit," still re£ to Moses. 34. They did not destroy the CanaanitS!S, so the Canaanites destroyed them. 35. i.e. by matrimonial alliances and intercourse generally. 37. "demons," Heb. word only here and Deut. xxxii. 17. Israel failed to take warning from the fate of the Canaanites. 38. The climax of Canaanitish abominations; (c) = profaned by bloodshed; see also of Israel, Ezk. xvi. 20-21 ; xx. 3 I. 39. Br. " ... their own works, and prostituted themselves with their own dos." Relation of Israel to Jehovah is often expressed by the figure of the marna!!ie vow. 43. (b) Br. "But as for them, they ... " Note the old story: (a) Rebellion; (b) Retribution; (c) Repentance; (d) Restoration, in recurrent cycles. 46. "them" (emph.). In answer to Solomon's prayer, I Kings viii. 50. 47. This prayer is the climax of the psalm. 48. A liturgical direction ( c£ I Chron. xvi. 3 6); a doxology forming part of the psalm as well as marking the close of the Fourth Book.

Book Five. Israel's Regathering and Retrospect: cvii.-cl. This "Deuteronomy" Book shows Israel regathered and ready to talce full possession of their land. The nation is represented as taking a retrospective view ofJchovah's dealings with His people, bringing them to a recognition of what their Covenant-God is to them and proving them that He might fully bless them "at the latter end." See Deut. viii. 2-3, where Jehovah Himself gives the reason for the trials of Israel's pilgrimage. Israel strikes the keynote of praise in cvii. which is taken up by the gentiles (cxvii.) and the sound increases in volune until the grand climax is reached in cl. Sec further notes at Introduction, p. 24. Pss. cvii.-cx. introduce a series of nine psalms (cxi.-cxix.) almost certainly sung at the laying of the foundation of the second temple. Ps. cxix. may be regarded as the preaching after the praise. It was doubtless composed by Ezra himself. Pss. cxxxv.-cxlv. celebrate the happy completion of the work. The remaining psalms (cxlvi.-cl.) were sung most probably at the consecration of the city walls under Nehemiah. I. THE WAYS OF GOD RETRACED IN TJIB NATIONAL HISTORY, CVII-CXII. I. Divine Dealings with Israel, cvii.-cviii. National. The Gathered People. 2. Divine Dealirigs with Messiah, cix.-cx. Special. 3. Divine Dealings with Israel, cxi.-cxii. Individual. The God-fearing Persons. II. THE WAYS OF GOD RECALLED IN THE NATIONAL HOMAGE, CXIII-CXVIII. SONGS FOR PASSOVER. THE "HALLEL." I. The Commencement. Praise, cxiii. The Theme introduced. 2. The Celebration. cxiv.-cxvii. The Testimony and Tribute. 3. The Conclusion. Praise, cxviii. The Thanksgiving inspired. Ill. THE WORD OF GOD REVERED BY THE LOYAL HEART, CXIX. (CENTRAL). IV. THE WAYS OF GOD RECALLED IN THE NATIONAL HOME COMING, CXX-CXXXIV. SONGS OF PILGRIMAGE. THE ASCENTS (DEGREES). Cycle I. Human Stress and Divine Sufficiency: cxx.-cxxii. Jehovah the National Refuge. The Keeper of Israel. Cycle 2. Human Stress and Divine Siifficiency: cxxiii.-cxxv. Jehovah the National Rescuer. The Helper of Israel. Delivered from Foes.

Cycle 3. Human Stress and Divine Sufficiency: cxxvi.-cxxviii. Jehovah the National Rebuilder. The ½stablisher of Israel. Cycle 4. Human Stress and Divine Sufficiency: cxxix.-cxxxi. Jehovah the National Redeemer. The Saviour of Israel. Delivered from Sins. Cycle 5. Human Stress and Divine Sufficiency: cxxxii.-cxxxiv. Jehovah th(? National Reconciler. The Uniter of Israel. V. THE WAYS OF GOD RETRACED IN THE NATIONAL HISTORY, CXXXV-CXLV. 1. Witness in Praise, cxxxv.-cxxxvi. Israel. 2. Workings of Providence, cxxxvii.-cxxxix. 3. Waiting in Prayer, cxl.-cxliv. 4. Witness in Praise, cxlv. Messiah. CHORAL APPENDIX:- VI. T¾ WORSHIP OF GOD RENDERED IN UNIVERSAL HARMONY, CXLVI-CL. r. Praise Universal, cxlvi. The Initial Descant. 2. Praise National, cxlvii. 3. Praise Universal, cxlviii. 4. Praise National, cxlix. 5. Praise Universal, cl. The Final Do¿ology. Book Fi11e. I. The Ways of God Retraced in the National History: cvii.-cxii. r. Divine Dealings with Israel, cvii.-cviii. National. The Gathered People. (i) Restoration of the People, cvii. (ii) Repossession of the Land, cviii.