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Psalm 106 (LXX 105) - Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good

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Psalm 106 is the Psalm of covenant memory turned into corporate repentance. It does not flatter Israel. Even after the Red Sea, manna, covenant, and mercy, the people still run after idols, lust, murmuring, unbelief, and compromise. Yet the last word is not apostasy but mercy. The Lord remembers His covenant, looks upon affliction, and gathers His people again.

St Augustine treats Psalm 106 as the confessional counterpart to Psalm 105. One rehearses the Lord’s mighty acts; the other confesses the people’s recurring rebellion. He presses the prayer, “Visit us with thy salvation,” to its Christological center: “Visit us, then, with Your salvation, that is, with Your Christ.” The Psalm therefore teaches the Church not to excuse sin, but to accuse it honestly before the God whose covenant mercy is stronger than our unfaithfulness.

Psalm 106 (LXX 105) - Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good

Psalm Metadata

FieldNotes
NKJV / Masoretic numberingPsalm 106
Septuagint / Coptic numberingPsalm 105
Accepted authorAlleluia.
Period in author’s lifeNo precise life event is given; the Psalm is a liturgical confession and prayer for restoration, likely from the period of the exile or return.
Christ prophecy statusTypological and ecclesial. The confession of sin and the prayer for restoration point toward Christ, who bears the sins of His people and brings the true and final restoration.
Coptic lectionary/service useScripture from this study has an established place in the Coptic Orthodox lectionary through documented Church readings.
Numbering issueThis note embeds Brenton LXX Psalm 105. The local lectionary rows (if any) would preserve printed Psalm 106 references.

Historical and Scriptural Context

Psalm 106 stands beside Psalm 105 as the second half of a historical diptych. Where Psalm 105 magnifies the Lord’s fidelity from Abraham through the Exodus, Psalm 106 recounts the people’s infidelity at the sea, in the wilderness, at Horeb, at Baal-peor, at Meribah, and in the land. The movement is deliberate: first remembrance of grace, then confession of sin.

Augustine says it is better “to accuse even the sins of ignorance and negligence” than to excuse them. That line gives the Psalm its pastoral force. The history is not retold to shame Israel only, but to train the Church in truthful repentance. Moses standing in the breach and Phinehas turning back wrath also prepare the way for Christ, the true Intercessor, who bears judgment and restores the covenant people.

Geographical Significance ⛰️

The geography moves from Egypt, to the Red Sea, to the wilderness, to Horeb, to the desirable land, to Baal-peor, to the waters of Strife, to the land of Canaan, and finally to the scattering among the heathen. Each place is marked by either the Lord’s deliverance or the people’s rebellion.

🕯️ Light from the Word

Psalm 105:1-5, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good

105:1 Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. 105:2 Who shall tell the mighty acts of the Lord? who shall cause all his praises to be heard? 105:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do righteousness at all times. 105:4 Remember us, O Lord, with the favour thou hast to thy people: visit us with thy salvation; 105:5 that we may behold the good of thine elect, that we may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that we may glory with thine inheritance.

The Psalm opens with the call to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever. It asks who can tell the mighty acts of the Lord or cause all His praises to be heard. It pronounces blessed those who keep judgment and do righteousness at all times. The prayer is that the Lord would remember His people with favor, visit them with salvation, that they may behold the good of His elect, rejoice in the gladness of His nation, and glory with His inheritance.

St Augustine sees the enduring mercy as the reason the Church can always return to the Lord in confession. Theodoret emphasizes that the blessedness of keeping judgment is the way to receive the visitation of salvation.

The Christological reading is that Christ is the mercy of God that endures forever. In Him the mighty acts of God are made known, and the prayer for visitation is answered in the coming of the Savior.

Psalm 105:6-12, We have sinned with our fathers

105:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have transgressed, we have done unrighteously. 105:7 Our fathers in Egypt understood not thy wonders, and remembered not the multitude of thy mercy; but provoked him as they went up by the Red Sea. 105:8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might cause his mighty power to be known. 105:9 And he rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up: so he led them through the deep as through the wilderness. 105:10 And he saved them out of the hand of them that hated them, and redeemed them out of the hand of the enemy. 105:11 The water covered those that oppressed them: there was not one of them left. 105:12 Then they believed his words, and celebrated his praise.

The Psalm moves to confession. We have sinned with our fathers, transgressed, and done unrighteously. Our fathers in Egypt understood not the wonders of the Lord and remembered not the multitude of His mercy, but provoked Him at the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name’s sake, rebuked the Red Sea, led them through the deep, saved them from their enemies, and the water covered those that oppressed them. Then they believed His words and celebrated His praise.

St Augustine sees the confession “we have sinned with our fathers” as the honest acknowledgment that the sin of the past generation continues in the present. Theodoret emphasizes that the Lord saved them for His name’s sake, not because of their merit.

The Christological depth is that Christ is the One who saves for the sake of the Father’s name. The belief and praise that followed the deliverance point to the faith that follows the greater deliverance in Christ.

Psalm 105:13-23, They made haste, they forgot his works

105:13 They made haste, they forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel. 105:14 And they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the dry land. 105:15 And he gave them their request, and sent fulness into their souls. 105:16 They provoked Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the holy one of the Lord. 105:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and closed upon the congregation of Abiron. 105:18 And a fire was kindled in their congregation, and a flame burnt up the sinners. 105:19 And they made a calf in Choreb, and worshipped the graven image, 105:20 and they changed their glory into the similitude of a calf that feeds on grass. 105:21 They forgot God that saved them, who had wrought great deeds in Egypt; 105:22 wondrous works in the land of Cham, and terrible things at the Red Sea. 105:23 So he said that he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn him away from the fierceness of his anger, so that he should not destroy them.

The Psalm continues the confession of rebellion. The people made haste and forgot the works of the Lord; they waited not for His counsel. They lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the dry land. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls. They provoked Moses and Aaron. The earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, and fire burnt up the sinners. They made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the graven image, changing their glory into the similitude of a calf that feeds on grass. They forgot God who saved them. The Lord would have destroyed them had not Moses stood before Him in the breach.

St Augustine sees the making of the calf as the exchange of the glory of the invisible God for the likeness of a corruptible animal. Theodoret emphasizes that the intercession of Moses turned away the fierce anger of the Lord.

The Christological reading is that Christ is the greater Moses who stands in the breach and turns away the wrath of God by His own blood. The idolatry of the golden calf is the type of every turning from the living God to idols.

Psalm 105:24-46, They set at nought the desirable land

105:24 Moreover they set at nought the desirable land, and believed not his word. 105:25 And they murmured in their tents: they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord. 105:26 So he lifted up his hand against them, to cast them down in the wilderness; 105:27 and to cast down their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the countries. 105:28 They were joined also to Beelphegor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. And they provoked him with their devices; 105:29 and destruction was multiplied among them. 105:30 Then Phinees stood up, and made atonement: and the plague ceased. 105:31 And it was counted to him for righteousness, to all generations for ever. 105:32 They provoked him also at the water of Strife, and Moses was hurt for their sakes; 105:33 for they provoked his spirit, and he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. 105:34 They destroyed not the nations which the Lord told them to destroy; 105:35 but were mingled with the heathen, and learned their works. 105:36 And they served their graven images; and it became an offence to them. 105:37 And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils, 105:38 and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Chanaan; and the land was defiled with blood, 105:39 and was polluted with their works; and they went a whoring with their own devices. 105:40 So the Lord was very angry with his people, and he abhorred his inheritance. 105:41 And he delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and they that hated them ruled over them. 105:42 And their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought down under their hands. 105:43 Many a time he delivered them; but they provoked him by their counsel, and they were brought low by their iniquities. 105:44 Yet the Lord looked upon their affliction, when he heard their petition. 105:45 And he remembered his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercy.

The Psalm reaches its climax with the long list of rebellions: setting at nought the desirable land, murmuring in their tents, joining themselves to Baal-peor, provoking the Lord at the waters of Strife, failing to destroy the nations, mingling with the heathen, serving graven images, sacrificing sons and daughters to devils, and shedding innocent blood. The land was defiled, the Lord was angry, and He delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Yet many a time He delivered them, and when He heard their petition He remembered His covenant and repented according to the multitude of His mercy.

St Augustine sees the prayer that the Lord would remember His covenant as the appeal to the faithfulness of God that outlasts every human failure. Theodoret emphasizes that the Lord’s mercy is not exhausted by the people’s sin; He repents according to the multitude of His mercy.

The Christological fulfillment is that Christ is the mercy of God in whom the covenant is remembered and fulfilled. The prayer for gathering from among the heathen is answered in the Church that is gathered from every nation.

The Church’s Voice in Worship 📖

Scripture from this study has an established place in the Coptic Orthodox lectionary through documented Church readings.

Iconography Connection 🖼️

Psalm 106 connects with icons of the Exodus, the golden calf, Phinehas the zealot, and the return from exile. The icon of the crucifixion reminds the faithful that Christ is the greater Moses who stands in the breach and turns away the wrath of God by His own blood.

Spiritual Fruit 🍇

  1. Give thanks for enduring mercy. The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever; let this be the foundation of your praise.

  2. Confess sin honestly. The history of Israel is written for our instruction; do not repeat the rebellions of the wilderness.

  3. Remember the mighty acts of God. Forgetting leads to idolatry and destruction; remembering leads to faithfulness.

  4. Stand in the breach. Like Moses and Phinehas, intercede for the people of God with zeal and faithfulness.

  5. Cling to the covenant. When all else fails, the Lord remembers His covenant and repents according to the multitude of His mercy.

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