The macarthur study bibl.., p.285
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 285
105:15 Do not touch…no harm. No one passage in the OT records this exact statement. The psalmist most likely is summarizing several occasions, such as Gen. 20:7; 26:11. My anointed ones…My prophets. With poetic parallelism, God’s prophets are termed those whom He chose to represent Him on earth. In Gen. 20:7, Abraham is called a prophet. This title could also apply to Isaac and Jacob.
105:16–25 The history recorded in Gen. 37–50 is in view. Verses 16–22 refer to Joseph’s experience in Egypt (cf. Gen. 37–41), while v. 23 looks to Jacob’s trek to Egypt that resulted in a 430 year stay (Gen. 42–50; cf. Gen. 15:13, 14; Ex. 12:40). Verses 24, 25 give an overall summary of Israel’s experience in Egypt (cf. Ex. 1:7–14).
105:23 the land of Ham. Another name for the area in Egypt where part of the descendants of Ham, the youngest son of Noah, settled (cf. Gen. 9:24; Ps. 78:51).
105:23–25 God sovereignly used Egypt to judge Israel (cf. Gen. 15:13).
105:26–36 God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt through the leadership of Moses and Aaron is rehearsed with a special emphasis on the 10 plagues, ending with the Passover (cf. Ex. 5–12).
105:28 darkness. The ninth plague (cf. Ex. 10:21–29).
105:29 waters into blood. The first plague (cf. Ex. 7:14–25).
105:30 frogs. The second plague (cf. Ex. 8:1–15).
105:31 swarms of flies…lice. The fourth and third plagues respectively (cf. Ex. 8:16–32). The fifth plague of pestilence (Ex. 9:1–7) and the sixth plague of boils (Ex. 9:8–12) are not mentioned.
105:32, 33 hail…flaming fire. The seventh plague (cf. Ex. 9:13–35).
105:34, 35 locusts. The eighth plague (cf. Ex. 10:1–20).
105:36 destroyed…the firstborn. The tenth and final plague, which was death to the firstborn of man and beast (cf. Ex. 11:1—12:51).
105:37–41 The psalmist summarizes Israel’s Exodus from Egypt. God provided for their financial and physical needs (cf. Ex. 11:2, 3; 12:35 and Ex. 15:26); protection by day and night (cf. Ex. 14:19, 20); food needs (Ex. 16:1–36); and water needs (cf. Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:1–11).
105:42–45 The psalmist concludes with a summary that alludes to Joshua’s leading the nation back into the Land, first promised to Abraham, (Josh. 1–12) and then distributed to the 12 tribes of Israel (Josh. 13–24). What God promised (cf. 105:7–12) He delivered.
105:42 He remembered. As promised in v. 8.
105:45 observe…keep. This theme of obedience begins (1:6–9) and ends (24:14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 24) the book of Joshua.
Psalm 106
106:1–48 Psalm 106 rehearses God’s mercy during Israel’s history in spite of Israel’s sinfulness (cf. Neh. 9:1–38; Ps. 78; Is. 63:7—64:12; Ezek. 20:1–44; Dan. 9:1–19; Acts 7:2–53; 1 Cor. 10:1–13). The occasion for this psalm is most likely the repentance (v. 6) of post-Exilic Jews who had returned to Jerusalem (vv. 46, 47). Verses 1, 47, 48 seem to be borrowed from 1 Chr. 16:34–36, which was sung on the occasion of the ark’s first being brought to Jerusalem by David (cf. 2 Sam. 6:12–19; 1 Chr. 16:1–7). True revival appears to be the psalmist’s intention.
I. The Invocation (106:1-5)
II. The Identification with Israel’s Sins (106:6)
III. The Confession of Israel’s Sins (106:7-46)
A. During Moses’ Time (106:7-33)
B. From Joshua to Jeremiah (106:34-46)
IV. The Plea for Salvation (106:47)
V. The Benediction (106:48)
106:1 good…mercy. These attributes of God are especially praiseworthy to the psalmist in light of Israel’s historical sin pattern (cf. 106:6–46).
106:2, 3 Verse 2 asks the question answered in v. 3.
106:4, 5 The psalmist has the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant in mind (see note on Ps. 105:9, 10). He prays here for personal deliverance (v. 4) and later for national deliverance (v. 47).
106:6 We…fathers. The psalmist acknowledges the perpetual sinfulness of Israel, including that of his own generation.
106:7–12 This section recalls the crossing of the Red Sea during the Exodus by the nation, when Pharaoh and his army were in pursuit (cf. Ex. 14:1–31).
106:7 Red Sea. See note on Ex. 13:18.
106:8 His name’s sake. The glory and reputation of God provide the highest motive for His actions. This frequent OT phrase appears 6 other places in the Psalms (cf. Pss. 23:3; 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 109:21; 143:11).
106:9 He rebuked the Red Sea. This reliable historical account recalls a true supernatural miracle of God (cf. Ex. 14:21, 22) just as He would later provide a way for the nation to cross the Jordan into the land (cf. Josh. 3:14–17).
106:10 Quoted in Luke 1:71.
106:11 not one of them left. As recorded in Ex. 14:28 (cf. Ps. 78:53).
106:12 They sang His praise. The Song of Moses is in view (cf. Ex. 15:1–21).
106:13–33 This section remembers the nation’s wanderings in the wilderness (cf. Num. 14-Deut. 34).
106:13–15 The Jews forgot what God had most recently done on their behalf, but 1) remembered the basics of life that Egypt provided, and 2) doubted that they would have water (cf. Ex. 15:24) or food (cf. Ex. 16:2, 3) in the future.
106:14 tested God. According to Num. 14:22, the nation tested God at least 10 times (cf. Ex. 5:21; 6:9; 14:11, 12; 15:24; 16:2, 3; 17:2, 3; 32:1–6; Num. 11:1–6; 12:1, 2; 14:2, 3).
106:16–18 Korah, who is not named here, led the rebellion that is recounted (cf. Num. 16:1–35). God’s judgment concluded with fire which consumed 250 men (cf. Num. 16:35).
106:19–23 This section remembers when the nation convinced Aaron to make a golden calf for idol worship while Moses was on the mountain receiving the commandments of God (cf. Ex. 32:1–14; Deut. 9:7–21).
106:19 Horeb. Most likely another name for Mt. Sinai (cf. Ex. 19:11). This special place, called “the mountain of God” (cf. Ex. 3:1; 1 Kin. 19:8), is where Moses received the commandments of God (Deut. 1:6; 5:2; 29:1; Mal. 4:4).
106:21 God their Savior. This title, common in the pastoral epistles, is seldom used in the OT outside of Isaiah (19:20; 43:3, 11; 45:15, 21; 49:26; 60:16; 63:8). Here it refers to physical deliverance. It looks forward to Jesus Christ as spiritual redeemer (Luke 2:11).
106:22 Ham. Another name for the part of Egypt, which was settled by descendants of Ham, the youngest son of Noah (cf. Gen. 9:24; 10:6–20).
106:23 Moses…in the breach. Moses pleaded with God, based on the Abrahamic Covenant promises, not to destroy the nation in spite of their idolatry and immoral behavior (cf. Ex. 32:11–14).
106:24–27 This portion recounts 1) the nation’s rejection of Joshua’s and Caleb’s positive report from the Land, and 2) their desire to return to Egypt (cf. Num. 14:1–4). God responded with judgment (Num. 14:11–38).
106:24 the pleasant land. A term used of the Land God promised to Abraham for the nation Israel (cf. Jer. 3:19, Zech. 7:14).
106:28–31 This scene recounts Israel’s encounter with the prophet Balaam who, on behalf of Balak, King of Moab, tried to curse Israel but was prevented from doing so by God (cf. Num. 22–24; Deut. 23:4; Josh. 24:9, 10; Neh. 13:2). Having failed, Balaam advised Balak to entice Israel with immorality and idolatry (cf. Num. 31:16 with 25:1; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14). Israel sinned and God judged (Num. 25:1–13). Balaam was later slain by Israel (cf. Josh. 13:22).
106:28 Baal of Peor. Refers to Baal, a god of the Moabites, whose worship occurred at the location of the mountain called Peor (cf. Num. 23:28). sacrifices made to the dead. This most likely refers to sacrifices made to lifeless idols (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9). Israel should have been worshiping “the living God” (cf. Deut. 5:26; 1 Sam. 17:26, 36; Pss. 42:2; 84:2; Jer. 10:3–10; Dan. 6:20, 26).
106:30 Phinehas. The son of Eleazar, son of Aaron (cf. Num. 25:7).
106:31 accounted to him for righteousness. This was a just and rewardable action, evidencing faith in God. As with Abraham (cf. Gen. 15:6 and Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23), so it was also with Phinehas. The everlasting covenant of perpetual priesthood through Aaron, from the house of Levi, was first made by God in Lev. 24:8, 9 (cf. Jer. 33:17–22; Mal. 2:4–8). This covenant was reaffirmed in Num. 18:8, 19. In this text, the covenant is further specified to be through the line of faithful Phinehas.
106:32, 33 This scene looks back to Num. 20:1–13 when Moses, provoked by the continuing rebellion of Israel, nonetheless wrongly struck the rock in anger (cf. Ex. 11:8; 16:20) and thus offended God (cf. Num. 20:12). As a result, both Aaron (cf. Num. 20:22–29) and Moses (Deut. 34:1–8) died prematurely without entering the Promised Land.
106:32 the waters of strife. These are the waters of Meribah (cf. Num. 20:13).
106:33 His Spirit. This most likely refers to the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit of God had an extensive ministry in the OT (cf. Gen. 1:2; 6:3; 2 Sam. 23:2; Neh. 9:30; Ps. 139:7; Is. 48:16; Ezek. 2:2; 3:12–14; 8:3; 11:1, 5, 24; Hag. 2:5, Zech. 7:12). Both Is. 63:10, 11 and Acts 7:51 point to this particular event.
106:34–39 This section describes the general sins of Israel from the time they entered the Land (Josh. 3, 4) until they were exiled to Assyria (2 Kin. 17) and Babylon (2 Kin. 24, 25). They failed to expel the heathen and sadly conformed to their idolatry.
106:36–38 idols…demons…idols. Demons impersonate idols and encourage idol worship (cf. Deut. 32:17; 2 Chr. 33:5–7; 1 Cor. 10:14–21; Rev. 9:20). The sacrifice of children was not uncommon (cf. Deut. 12:31; 2 Kin. 17:17; Ezek. 16:20, 21).
106:39 their own works…deeds. God held Israel directly responsible for their sin without excuse.
106:40–43 From the time of the judges until the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, God used the hand of His enemies to discipline Israel for their sin.
106:44–46 This emphasizes the unconditional nature of God’s covenant with Abraham.
106:45 for their sake. A secondary complement to God, who was primarily acting for His name’s sake (cf. v. 8). He remembered His covenant. This answers the psalmist’s prayer of vv. 4, 5 with regard to the Abrahamic Covenant that 1) the descendants of Abraham would multiply, and 2) they would possess the Land (see note on Ps. 105:9, 10; cf. Luke 1:72–75).
106:47 The psalmist pleads, on behalf of the nation and in light of the Abrahamic Covenant, for the nation to be regathered in Israel. He remembers what the men of Moses’ day forgot, i.e., God as their Savior (cf. 106:21). Even though the tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned to Israel in Ezra and Nehemiah, this text looks ahead to the regathering of Israel at the time when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to rule over the promised Davidic (2 Sam. 7) millennial kingdom (Rev. 20) on earth (cf. Ezek. 37:11–28; Hos. 14:4–8; Joel 3:18–21; Amos 9:7–15; Mic. 7:14–20; Zeph. 3:8–20; Zech. 12–14).
106:48 From everlasting to everlasting. With the hopeful prayer of 106:47 on his lips, the psalmist closes the fourth book of the Psalms (Pss. 90–106) with a grand benediction focusing on the eternal character of God, Israel’s Savior (cf. 1 Chr. 16:36; Pss. 41:13; 90:2).
Psalm 107
107:1–43 The opening line of Pss. 105–107, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD,” links together this trilogy of songs which praise God for His goodness and mercy to Israel. Most likely this psalm has a post-Exilic origin (cf. 107:3). The psalm develops two main themes: 1) praising God for His continual deliverance (107:4–32), and 2) remembering God’s response to man’s obedience/disobedience (107:33–42).
I. The Call to Praise (107:1-3)
II. The Cause of Rejoicing—Deliverance (107:4-32)
III. The Consequences of Obedience/Disobedience (107:33-42)
IV. The Commentary on Wisdom/Understanding (107:43)
107:1–3 All of those who have been delivered (redeemed) from the hand of Israel’s enemy focus on God’s goodness and everlasting mercy. They had been delivered through the centuries from Egypt to the S (cf. Ex. 12–14), Syria and Assyria to the N (cf. 2 Kin. 19:29–37), the Philistines to the W (cf. 2 Sam. 8:1; 2 Kin. 18:8), and Babylon to the E (cf. Ezra 1). Compare the psalmist’s prayer in 106:47 with v. 3.
107:4–32 This portion contains four pictures or actual situations which illustrate the disastrous end of sin in the nation: 1) wandering in the wilderness (vv. 4–9), 2) languishing in prison (vv. 10–16); 3) enduring sickness (vv. 17–22); and 4) tossing on a stormy sea (vv. 23–32). Each picture follows the same sequence of four events: 1) man’s predicament (vv. 4, 5, 10–12, 17, 18, 23–27); 2) man’s petition (vv. 6a, 13a, 19a, 28a); 3) God’s pardon (vv. 6b, 7, 13b, 14, 19b, 20, 28b–30); and 4) man’s praise (vv. 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 31, 32).
107:4–9 Possibly the psalmist looked back at the desert wanderings of ungrateful, faithless Israel after the miraculous Exodus (Num. 14-Josh. 2).
107:10–16 Possibly the psalmist thought of the capture and imprisonment of King Zedekiah ca. 586 B.C. (cf. 2 Kin. 25:4–7; Jer. 39:4–8; Jer. 52:1–11).
107:17–22 Possibly the psalmist recalled the mass affliction and subsequent mass healing in Num. 21:4–9.
107:23–32 Possibly the psalmist had Jonah and the sailors bound for Tarshish in mind (cf. Jon. 1).
107:33–42 This section contrasts God’s blessing in response to man’s obedience with God’s judgment on man’s sin. The psalmist makes his point with 4 illustrations: 1) descending from prosperity to poverty (vv. 33, 34); 2) being lifted up from barrenness to blessedness (vv. 35–38); 3) falling from the top to the bottom (vv. 39, 40); and 4) being elevated from low to high (vv. 41, 42).
107:33, 34 Perhaps the 3 years of drought from Ahab’s and Jezebel’s sins are in view (cf. 1 Kin. 17:1; 18:18).
107:35–38 Perhaps the time of Abraham (Gen. 24:1, 34, 35) or Joshua (Josh. 24:13) is in view.
107:39, 40 Perhaps the Assyrian Exile (2 Kin. 17:4–6) or the Babylonian Captivity (2 Kin. 24:14, 15) is in view.
107:41, 42 Perhaps the impoverished Jews in Egypt who were made rich with Egyptian gold and other treasures are in view (cf. Ex. 1:13, 14 with 3:21, 22; 11:2; 12:35, 36).
107:43 Perhaps the psalmist has Prov. 8:1–36, Eccl. 12:13, 14, or Hos. 14:9 in mind as he pens these concluding words.
Psalm 108
108:1–13 David combines portions of his own previously written Pss. 57 and 60 to make up this psalm commemorating God’s victories (vv. 1–5 are from 57:7–11; vv. 6–13 are from 60:5–12). He deleted the laments that began each psalm (57:1–6 and 60:1–4) while combining his own words of exaltation and confidence in God with only slight word variation. No specific historical occasion behind this psalm is given. See notes on Ps. 57:7–11 and Ps. 60:5–12.
I. Personal Exaltation of God (108:1-5)
II. Personal Confidence in God (108:6-13)
109:1–31 This imprecatory psalm of David cannot be conclusively connected by the psalm’s general details with any particular incident/person in the king’s life as chronicled in 1, 2 Sam.; 1 Kin.; and 1 Chr. David responds here to those who have launched a vicious verbal assault of false accusations against him (cf. 109:2, 3, 20). This psalm is considered messianic in nature, since Acts 1:20 quotes v. 8 in reference to Judas’ punishment for betraying Christ (cf. Pss. 41:9; 69:25). David reverses roles with his enemies by moving from being the accused in man’s court to being the accuser/prosecutor before the bar of God.
I. The Plaintiff’s Plea (109:1-5)
II. The Punishment Desired (109:6-20)
III. The Petition for Justice (109:21-29)
IV. The Praise of the Judge (109:30, 31)
109:1 O God of my praise. David begins and ends (cf. v. 30) with praise for the Chief Justice of the universe. At v. 21, David addresses the Judge as “O GOD the Lord” and at v. 26 as “O LORD my God.”
109:2–5 David’s complaint was that the innocent were being accused by the guilty. He asserted that the charges were without cause (109:3). While Doeg the Edomite has been identified by some (cf. 1 Sam. 21, 22; Ps. 52), the far more likely candidate would be Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 18–27). Eight of the 14 historical superscriptions in other psalms refer to the sufferings of David related to Saul’s pursuits for the purpose of killing David (cf. Pss. 18, 34, 54, 56, 57, 59, 63, 142).
109:2 In vv. 2–5, 20, 25, 27–29, David refers to a group of accusers, in contrast to vv. 6–19 where an individual is mentioned. Most likely, the individual is the group leader.
109:6–20 The Mosaic law had anticipated false accusations and malicious witnesses (cf. Deut. 19:16–21) by decreeing that the false accuser was to be given the punishment intended for the accused. It would appear that David had this law in mind here and vv. 26–29. Thus, his imprecations are not malicious maledictions, but rather a call for justice according to the law. These severe words have respect not to the penitent, but to the impenitent and hard-hearted foes of God and His cause, whose inevitable fate is set.
109:8 The Apostle Peter cited this verse as justification for replacing Judas the betrayer with another apostle (cf. Acts. 1:20).
109:21–29 David petitioned the court for justice by asking for deliverance for the judge’s sake (109:21) and then for his own sake (vv. 22–25). Afterwards, he requested that his enemies be rightfully punished (vv. 26–29).
109:30, 31 David’s praise for the Divine Magistrate (v. 30) was based on his confidence in the compassion and mercy of the judge (v. 31). Second Samuel 22 and Ps. 18 record the general outcome to David’s case, which was tried in God’s courtroom.
Psalm 110
110:1–7 This psalm contains one of the most exalted prophetic portions of Scripture presenting Jesus Christ as both a holy king and a royal High-Priest—something that no human monarch of Israel ever experienced. It, along with Ps. 118, is by far the most quoted psalm in the NT (Matt. 22:44; 26:64; Mark 12:36; 14:62; Luke 20:42, 43; 22:69; Acts 2:34, 35; Heb. 1:13; 5:6; 7:17, 21; 10:13). While portraying the perfect king, the perfect High-Priest, and the perfect government, Ps. 110 declares Christ’s current role in heaven as the resurrected Savior (110:1) and His future role on earth as the reigning Monarch (110:2–7). This psalm is decidedly messianic and millennial in content. Jesus Christ (Matt. 22:43, 44) verifies the Davidic authorship. The exact occasion of this psalm is unknown, but it could easily have been associated with God’s declaration of the Davidic Covenant in 2 Sam. 7:4–17.
