Psalm 106

Psalm 106 Augustine: Dr. Rubel Shelly of Woodmont Hills sees the Exodus as an approved pattern for community and worship. However, the text itself would warn that the Exodus event is an example of total failure even in the face of God's mighty works. It is not an example of Christian worship but of pagan worship of Baal. This is proven by all later references to the event. Dr. Shelly also treats Psalm 106 as a pattern of worship. However, the pattern is to prove that the Exodus event led to the destruction of the nation and the Psalmist refutes the notion that it is a "success story" to be imitated in the church of Christ.

You may want to read Psalm 106 first:

PRAISE ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 106:1
Queston: Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise? Psalm 106: 2
Answer: Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Psalm 106: 3

Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; Psalm 106:4

That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. Psalm 106: 5

We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Psalm 106: 6
.......... Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt;
.......... they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies;
.......... but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Psalm 106: 7

Nevertheless he saved them for his names sake,
.......... that he might make his mighty power to be known. Psalm 106: 8

He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. Psalm 106: 9

And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. Psalm 106: 10
.......... And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. Psalm 106: 11

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. Psalm 106: 12
.......... They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: Psalm 106: 13
.......... But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. Psalm 106: 14
.......... .......... And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Psalm 106: 15

They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord. Psalm 106: 16

The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Psalm 106: 17
.......... And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. Psalm 106: 18

They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Psalm 106: 19

Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. Psalm 106: 20
They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; Psalm 106: 21
Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. Psalm 106: 22

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. Psalm 106: 23

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word Psalm 106: 24 :
.......... But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Psalm 106: 25
.......... Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: Psalm 106: 26
.......... To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. Psalm 106: 27

They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Psalm 106: 28 (The Marzeah Amos 5, 6)
.......... Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. Psalm 106: 29
.......... Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. Psalm 106: 30
.......... .......... And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. Psalm 106: 31

They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: Psalm 106: 32
.......... Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. Psalm 106: 33

They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: Psalm 106: 34

But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. Psalm 106: 35
And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Psalm 106: 36
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, Psalm 106: 37
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Psalm 106: 38
.......... Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Psalm 106: 39

Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. Psalm 106: 40
.......... And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Psalm 106: 41

Mashal (h4910) maw-shal'; a prim. root; to rule: - (have, make to have) dominion, governor, * indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have) rule (- ing, - r), have power.

Mashal (h4911) maw-shal'; denom. from 4912; to liken, i. e. (trans.) to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like); intrans. to resemble: - be (-come) like, compare, use (as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.

Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Psalm 106: 42

Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Psalm 106: 43

Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: Psalm 106: 44
And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. Psalm 106: 45
.......... He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Psalm 106: 46

Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Psalm 106: 47

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 106: 48

Augustine:Psalm CVI.

1. This Psalm also hath the title Allelujah prefixed to it: and this twice. But some say, that one Allelujah belongeth to the end of the former Psalm, the other to the beginning of this. And they assert, that all the Psalms bearing this title have Allelujah at the end, but not all at the beginning; so that they will not allow any Psalm which hath not Allelujah at the end, to have it at the beginning; supposing that what seemeth to belong to the commencement, really belongeth to the end of the former Psalm.

But until they persuade us by some sure proofs that this is true, we will follow the general custom, which, whenever it findeth Allelujah, attributes it to the same Psalm, at the head of which it is found. For there are very few copies (and I have found this in none of the Greek copies, which I have been able to inspect) which have Allelujah at the end of the CL^th Psalm; after which there is no other which belongeth to the same canon. But not even this could outweigh custom, although all the copies had it so. For it might be that, with some reference to the praise of God, the whole book of Psalms, which is said to consist of five books (for they say that the books severally end where it is written Amen, Amen), might be closed with this last Allelujah, after all that hath been sung; nor, on account of the end of the CL^th Psalm, do I see that it is necessary that all the Psalms entitled Allelujah, should have Allelujah at the end. But when there is a double Allelujah at the head of a Psalm, why as our Lord sometimes once, sometimes twice over, saith Amen, in the same way Allelujah may not sometimes be used once, sometimes twice, I know not: especially, since as in this CV^th, both the Allelujahs are placed after the mark by which the number of the Psalm is described, whereas the one, if it belonged to the end of the former Psalm, ought to have been placed before the number; and the Allelujah which belonged to the Psalm of this number, should have been written after the number.

But perhaps even in this an ignorant habit hath prevailed, and some reason may be assigned of which we are as yet uninformed, so that the judgment of truth ought rather to be our guide than the prejudice of custom. In the mean time, before we are fully instructed in this matter, whenever we find Allelujah written, whether once or twice, after the number of the Psalm, according to the most usual custom of the Church, we will ascribe it to that Psalm to which the same number is prefixed; confessing that we both believe the mysteries of all the titles in the Psalms, and of the order of the same Psalms, to be important, and that we have not yet been able, as we wish to penetrate them.

2. But I find these two Psalms, the CV^th and CVI^th so connected, that in one of them, the first, the people of God is praised in the person of the elect, of whom there is no complaint, whom I imagine to have been there in those with whom God was well pleased; [This repeats the covenant made with Abraham: the oral Covenant given at Mount Sinai]

but in the following Psalm those are mentioned among the same people who have provoked God; though the mercy of God was not wanting even to these. ...This Psalm therefore beginneth like the former; "Confess ye unto the Lord?" But in that Psalm these words follow: "And call upon His Name:" whereas here, it is as follows "For He is gracious, and His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 1).

Wherefore in this passage a confession of sins may be understood; for after a few verses we read,

"We have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly;" but in the words,

"For He is gracious, and His mercy endureth for ever," there is chiefly the praise of God, and in His praise confession. Although when any one confesses his sins, he ought to do so with praise of God; nor is a confession of sins a pious one, unless it be without despair, and with calling upon the mercy of God. It therefore doth contain His praise, whether in words, when it calleth Him gracious and merciful, or in the feeling only, when he believeth this. ...If that mercy be here understood, in respect of which no man can be happy without God; we may render it better, "for ever:" but if it be that mercy which is shown to the wretched, that they may either be consoled in misery, or even freed from it; it is better construed, "to the end of the world," in which there will never be wanting wretched persons to whom that mercy may be shown. Unless indeed any man ventured to say, that some mercy of God will not be wanting even to those who shall be condemned with the devil and his angels; not a mercy by which they may be freed from that condemnation, but that it may be in some degree softened for them: and that thus the mercy of God may be styled eternal, as exercised over their eternal misery. . ...

3. "Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord?" (ver. 2). Full of the consideration of the Divine works, while he entreateth His mercy,

Praise is not singing "praise the Lord" or sing sentimental poetry more "me" directed that God directed. Rather, to praise God one must tell what god has done using His own Words (Isaiah 55)

"Who," he saith, "can express the mighty acts of the Lord, or make all His praises heard?"
We must supply what was said above, to make the sense complete here, thus, "Who shall make all His praises heard?" that is,
who is sufficient to make all His praises heard? "Shall make" then "heard," he saith; that is, cause that they be heard;

showing, that the mighty acts of the Lord and His praises are so to be spoken of, that they may be preached to those who hear them. But who can make "all," heard?

The universal them of the Old Testament religion is never "time or place or ritual." Rather, the universal themes are doing righteousness and treating others with justice: on these hang the law.

Is it that as the next words are, "Blessed are they that alway keep judgment, and do righteousness in every time" (ver. 3); he perhaps meant those praises of His, which are understood as His works in His commandments? "For it is God," saith the Apostle, "who worketh in you," ...since He worketh in these things in a manner that cannot be spoken. "Who will do all His praises heard?" that is, who, when he hath heard them, doth all His praises? which are the works of His commandments.

As far as they are done, although all which are heard are not performed, He is to be praised, who "worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure." For this reason, while he might have said, all His commandments, or, all the works of His commandments; he preferred saying, "His praises."

When we are not interested in keeping Christ's commandments or even repudiate the possiblitty we can be sure that the "spirit" which is working in us is not the Holy Spirit.

4. But unless there were some difference between judgment and righteousness, we should not read in another Psalm, "Until righteousness turn again unto judgment."

The Scripture, indeed, loveth to place these two words together; as, "Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His seat;" and this, "He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day;" where there is apparently a repetition of the same sentiment.

And perhaps on account of the resemblance of signification one may be put for the other, either judgment for righteousness, or righteousness for judgment: yet, if they be spoken of in their proper sense, I doubt not that there is some difference; viz. that he is said to keep judgment who judgeth rightly, but he to do righteousness who acts righteously. And I think that the verse, "Until righteousness turn again unto judgment," may not absurdly be understood in this sense:
.......... that here also those are called blessed, who keep judgment in faith, and do righteousness in deed.

5. Next, since God justifieth, that is, maketh men righteous, by healing them from their iniquities, a prayer followeth: "Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people" (ver. 4):
.......... that is, that we may be among those with whom Thou art well pleased;
.......... since God is not well pleased with them all. "O visit me with Thy salvation."

This is the Saviour Himself, in whom sins are forgiven, and souls healed, that they may be able to keep judgment, and do righteousness; and since they who here speak know such men to be blessed, they pray for this themselves. ..."Visit us," then, "with Thy salvation," that is, with Thy Christ. "To see the felicity of Thy chosen, and to rejoice in the gladness of Thy people" (ver. 5): that is, visit us for this reason with Thy salvation, that we may see the felicity of Thy chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of Thy people.

For "felicity" some copies read "sweetness;" as in the former passage, "For He is gracious;" where others read, "for He is sweet." And it is the same word in the Greek, as is elsewhere read, "The Lord shall show sweetness:" which some have translated "felicity," others "bounty."

But what meaneth, "Visit us to see the felicity of Thy chosen:" that is, that happiness which Thou givest to Thine elect: except that we may not remain blind, as those unto whom it is said, "But now ye say we see: therefore your sin remaineth."

For the Lord giveth sight to the blind, not by their own merits, but in the felicity He giveth to His chosen, which is the meaning of "the felicity of Thy chosen:" as, the help of my countenance, is not of myself, but is my God.

And we speak of our daily bread, as ours, but we add, Give unto us. ..."That Thou mayest be praised with Thine inheritance." I wonder this verse hath been so interpreted in many copies, since the Greek phrase is one and the same in these three verses. ...But since this seemeth a doubtful expression, if that sense be true according to which interpreters have preferred, "That Thou mayest be praised," the two preceding verses also must be so understood, because, as I have said, there is one Greek expression in these three verses; so that the whole should be thus understood, "Visit us with Thy salvation, that Thou mayest see the felicity of Thy chosen;" that is, visit us for this purpose, that Thou mayest cause us to be there, and mayest see us there; that "Thou mayest rejoice in the gladness of Thy people," that is, that Thou mayest be said to rejoice, since they rejoice in Thee; that "Thou mayest be praised with Thine inheritance," that is, mayest be praised with it, since it may not be praised save for Thy sake. ...

6. But let us hear what they next confess: "we have sinned with our fathers: we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly" (ver. 6).

What meaneth "with our fathers"? ...

"Our fathers," he saith, "regarded not Thy wonders in Egypt" (ver. 7); and many other things also, he doth relate of their sins. Or is, "we have sinned with our fathers," to be understood as meaning, we have sinned like our fathers, that is,

by imitating their sins? If it be so, it should be supported by some example of this mode of expression: which did not occur to me when I sought on this occasion an instance of any one saying that he had sinned, or done anything, with another, whom he had imitated by a similar act after a long interval of time.

What meaneth then, "Our fathers understood not Thy wonders;" save this, they did not know what Thou didst wish to convince them of by these miracles? What indeed, save life eternal, and a good, not temporal, but immutable, which is waited for only through endurance? For this reason they impatiently murmured, and provoked, and they asked to be blessed with present and fugitive blessings, "Neither were they mindful of the greatness of Thy mercy."

He reproveth both their understanding and memory. Understanding there was need of, that they might meditate unto what eternal blessings God was calling them through these temporal ones; and of memory, that at least they might not forget the temporal wonders which had been wrought, and might faithfully believe, that by the same power which they had already experienced,

God would free them from the persecutions of their enemies; whereas they forgot the aid which He had given them in Egypt, by means of such wonders, to crush their enemies.

"And they provoked, as they went up to the sea, even to the Red Sea."

We ought especially to notice how the

Scripture doth censure

the not understanding

that which ought to have been understood,

and the not remembering that which ought to have been remembered;

which men are unwilling to have ascribed to their own fault, for no other reason than that they may pray less, and be less humble unto God, in whose sight they should confess what they are, and might by praying for His aid, become what they are not.

For it is better to accuse even the sins of ignorance and negligence, that they may be done away with, than to excuse them, so that they remain; and it is better to clear them off by calling upon God, than to clench them by provoking Him.

He addeth, that God acted not according to their unbelief.

"Nevertheless," he saith, "He saved them for His Name's sake:

that He might make His power to be known" (ver. 8):

not on account of any deservings of their own.

7. "He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up" (ver. 9). We do not read that any voice was sent forth from Heaven to rebuke the sea; but he hath called the Divine Power by which this was effected, a rebuke: unless indeed any one may choose to say, that the sea was secretly rebuked, so that the waters might hear, and yet men could not.

The power by which God acteth is very abstruse and mysterious, a power which He causeth that even things devoid of sense instantly obey at His will. "So He led them through the deeps, as through a wilderness." He calleth a multitude of waters the deeps. For some wishing to give the sense of this whole verse, have translated, "So He led them forth amid many waters." What then doth "through the deeps, as through a wilderness," mean, except that that had become as a wilderness from its dryness, where before had been the watery deeps?

This was a recapitulation of the Creation our of the deep, the flood and the spiritual recreation of the people in Jeremiah 4.

8. "And He saved them from the hating ones" (ver. 10). Some translators, in order to avoid an expression unusual in Latin, have rendered the word, by a circumlocution, "And He saved them from the hand of those that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy."

What price was given in this redemption?
Is it a prophecy, since this deed was a figure of Baptism,
wherein we are redeemed from the hand of the devil at a great price,
.......... which price is the Blood of Christ?
.......... whence this is more consistently figured forth,
.......... not by any sea indiscriminately, but by the Red Sea; since blood hath a red colour.

9. "As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them: there was not one of them left" (ver. 11); not of all the Egyptians, but of those who pursued the departing Israelites, desirous either of taking or of killing them.

10. "Then believed they in His words" (ver. 12). The expression seemeth barely Latin, for he saith not "believed His word," or "on His words," but "in His words;" yet it is very frequent in Scripture.

"And praised praise unto Him;" such an expression as when we say, "This servitude he served," "such a life he lived." He is here alluding to that well-known hymn, commencing,

"I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and the rider hath He thrown into the sea."

Legalists want to use Miriam as an example of leading the singing in the Christian church with insrumental music. However, Moses spake the song but Miriam fulfilled this destructive form of praise:

And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Ex.15:21

With Moses' status as a prince, Miriam would have been a princess and automatically a prophetess of Hathor as the Apis counterpart. The sistrum was the positive symbol of this role.

Later, when Miriam presumed to "lead" in a positive, revealing sense, God afflicted her with prophecy and repudiated the notion that Egyptian prophesying with instruments meant that she was spokesperson for Yahweh.

Rather than an endorsement of Miriam, note the following

"And praised praise unto Him;"

"They acted hastily: they forgot His works"

11. "They acted hastily: they forgot His works" (ver. 13): other copies read more intelligibly, "They hastened, they forgot His works, and would not abide His counsel."

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Luke 7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

For they ought to have thought, that so great works of God towards themselves were not without a purpose,

but that they invited them to some endless happiness, which was to be waited for with patience; but they hastened to make themselves happy with temporal things,

which give no man true happiness, because they do not quench insatiable longing: for "whosoever," saith our Lord, "shall drink of this water, shall thirst again."

12. Lastly, "And they lusted a lust in the wilderness, and they tempted God in the dry land" (ver. 14). The "dry land," or land without water, and "desert," are the same:

so also are, "they lusted a lust," and, "they tempted God."

The form of speech is the same as above, "they praised a praise."

And praised praise unto Him

They acted hastily: they forgot His works

They lusted a lust

13. "And He gave them their desire, and sent fulness withal into their souls" (ver. 15).

But He did not thus render them happy:
for it was not that fulness of which it is said,
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

In this passage he doth not speak of the rational soul, but of the soul as giving animal life to the body; to the substance of which belong meat and drink, according to what is said in the Gospel, "Is not the soul more than meat, and the body than raiment?" as if it belonged to the soul to eat, to the body to be clothed.

And praised praise unto Him

They acted hastily: they forgot His works

They lusted a lust

God gave them their desire

But sent Leanness into their souls.

And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Acts 7:41

Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Acts 7:42

Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Acts 7:43

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them;

and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them. 2 Kings 17: 15

And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 2 Kings 17: 16

14. "And they angered Moses in the tents, and Aaron the saint of the Lord" (ver. 16). What angering, or, as some have more literally rendered it, what provocation, he speaketh of, the following words sufficiently show.

15. "The earth opened," he saith, "and swallowed up Dathan, and covered over the congregation of Abiram" (ver. 17): "swallowed up" answereth to "covered over." Both Dathan and Abiram were equally concerned in a most sacrilegious schism.

16. "And the fire was kindled in their company; the flame burnt up the sinners" (ver. 18). This word is not in Scripture usually applied to those, who, although they live righteously, and in a praiseworthy manner, are not without sin.

Rather, as there is a difference between those who scorn and scorners, between men who murmur and murmurers, between men who are writing and writers, and so forth; so Scripture is wont to signify by sinners such as are very wicked, and laden with heavy loads of sins.

This pattern would be repeated when Messiah came: some would honor the baptism of water but most would experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire.

And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Deut 33:2

Jude quotes Enoch to show that God will come with ten thousand saints to execute vengeance upon those who followed the Exodus pattern in the very beginning of the seduction by Satan.

17. "And they made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the graven image" (ver. 19). "Thus they changed their glory, in the similitude of a calf that eateth hay" (ver. 20).

He saith not "into" the likeness, but "in" the likeness.

It is such a form of speech as where he said "and they believed in His words." With great effect in truth he saith not, they changed the glory of God when they did this; as the Apostle also saith,

"They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man:" but "their glory." For God was their glory, if they would abide His counsel, and hasten not.

> "When the Hebrews were in Egypt - living as Egyptians, worshipping the Golden Calf of Horus, etc. - they also worshipped Horus's "twin," Set, whence comes Satan. Where Horus is the Golden Sun in the Age of Taurus the Bull, Set represents the Serpent of the Night, i.e., the night-time sky. The battle between Horus/Jesus and Set/Satan represents the struggle between day and night for supremacy. Source

> "The triumphal hymn of Moses had unquestionably a religious character about it; but the employment of music in religious services, though idolatrous, is more distinctly marked in the festivities which attended the erection of the golden calf." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Music, p. 589).

This was spiritual adultery or fornication. By committing adultery with the musical worship of the calf--Apis representing Osiris or other Egyptian gods--they actually involved God with their fornication. That is, God's "two becomes one" relationship put God in the middle as they fornicated.

> Ephraim Syrus On Our Lord notes that Sinai was a test. The Israelites were consummate idolaters in Egypt. However, God gave them one more shot at the Abrahamic Covenant. By removing Moses as a visible "authority figure" He wanted to let them answer their own prayer:

18. But when their heathenism from being inward became open, then Moses also from being hidden openly appeared; that he might openly punish those whose heathenism had revelled beneath the holy cloud which had overshadowed them.

But God removed the Shepherd of the flock from it for forty days, that the flock might show that its trust was fixed upon the calf.

And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Mark 1:13

While God was feeding the flock with all delights, it chose for itself as its Shepherd the calf, which was not able even to eat.

Moses who kept them in awe was removed from them, that the idolatry might cry aloud in their mouths,

which the restraint of Moses had kept down in their hearts. For they cried: Make us gods, to go before us.

19. But when Moses came down, he saw their heathenism revelling in the wide plain with drums and cymbals.

Speedily, he put their madness to shame by means of the Levites and drawn swords.

So likewise here, our Lord concealed His knowledge for a little when the sinful woman approached Him, that the Pharisee might form into shape his thought,

as his fathers had shaped the pernicious calf.

> "For a while in the Middle Ages, the bishops banned the use of brass instruments in churches because they were brash and produced what was perceived as " Devil tones " and " Satan's music".

This proscription was intended to sever the link with all ancient, Old Testament forms of worship ritual and its associated Egyptian ritual .

However, it is interesting that, from the Reformation, secular music was almost totally dedicated to the use of brass instruments with composers like Purcell, Handel and Bach at the forefront of great choral and brass-dominated works .

The fact is that, today, both Church and State ceremonies inherit their musical traditions from the priestly ritual and military pomp of the early time-frame. Adrian Wagner

18. "They forgat God who saved them" (ver. 21). How did He save them? "Who did so great things in Egypt: Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and fearful things in the Red Sea" (ver. 22). The things that are wondrous, are also fearful; for there is no wonder without a certain fear: although these might be called fearful, because they beat down their adversaries, and showed them what they ought to fear.

19. "So He said, He would have destroyed them" (ver. 23). Since they forgot Him who saved them, the Worker of wondrous works, and made and worshipped a graven image, by this atrocious and incredible impiety they deserved death.

"Had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breaking."

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. Ps.106:23

Remember that this was after they sang His praise specificially pointing to Miriam but the forgot His words.
This is the common theme of instrumental music and ignoring God:

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Job 21:7
.......... Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Job 21: 8
.......... Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Job 21: 9
.......... Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. Job 21: 10
.......... They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. Job 21: 11
.......... They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. Job 21: 12
.......... They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Job 21: 13

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Job 21: 14

By definition this pagan fertility practice specificially said to God: "Depart from us."

He doth not say, that he stood in the breaking, as if to break the wrath of God, but in the way of the breaking, meaning the stroke which was to strike them:

that is, had he not put himself in the way for them,

saying, "Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin;-and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book." Where it is proved how greatly the intercession of the saints in behalf of others prevaileth with God.

For Moses, fearless in the justice of God, which could not blot him out, implored mercy, that He would not blot out those whom He justly might.

Thus he "stood before Him in the breaking, to turn away His wrathful indignation, lest He should destroy them."

The land of Canaan might have been the promised land. However, when they scorned it it became the place of their consumated paganism which never ceased, their captivity and their death. Canaan is not the pattern of the church of Christ but of the world. To use this as a pattern for the church is to, with a high hand, promote actual Baal worship knowing that the common people even as in these days were totally ignorant and unable to hear the Word because their senses got in the way.

20. "Yea, they thought scorn of that pleasant land" (ver. 24). But had they seen it?

How then could they scorn that which they had not seen,
except as the following words explain, "and believed not in His words."

Indeed, unless that land which was styled the land that flowed with milk and honey, signified something great, through which, as by a visible token,

He was leading those who understood His wondrous works to invisible grace and the kingdom of heaven, they could not be blamed for scorning that land, whose temporal kingdom we also ought to esteem as nothing,

that we may love that Jerusalem which is free, the mother of us all, which is in heaven,

and truly to be desired. But rather unbelief is here reproved, since they gave no credence to the words of God, who was leading them to great things through small things, and hastening to bless themselves with temporal things, which they carnally savoured of,

they "abided not His counsel," as is said above.

The Jerusalem of Hagar and Egypt on the other hand:

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:10

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Rev 11:8

21. "But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord" (ver. 25); who strongly forbade them to murmur.

Modern Baalism works so effectively because, in the paraphrased words of Paul, people love to be fooled. This works out in a two-fold preaching style in the modern world:

All of the church is rotten and destructive and you need me to make you a community.

This is symptomatic of ignorance of or contempt for God's Word. This contempt is
shown by stripping the teaching program of Biblical content and diverting the mind
with music or play. This was always Satan's preferred method.

22. "Then lift He up His hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness" (ver. 26);
.......... "to cast out their seed among the nations: and to scatter them in the lands" (ver. 27).

When the elders insisted that God set a human king over them it was so that they could be governed like the nations and worship like the nations. As soon as the secular city or temple-state was completed there was a wholesale ignorance of the word and a highly organized civil musical worship team.

This was Israel ultimately carrying out the death sentence for their sins in the wilderness.

23. "They were initiated also unto Baalpeor;" that is, were consecrated to the Gentile idol; "and
.......... ate the offerings of the dead" (ver. 28). "Thus they provoked Him to anger with their own inventions;
.......... and destruction was multiplied among them" (ver. 29).

As if He had deferred the lifting up of His hand which was to cast them down in the desert, and to cast out their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands; as the Apostle saith:

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient."

"Destruction,' therefore, `was multiplied among them,' when they were heavily punished for their heavy sins."

In First Corinthians 10 and Romans 10 Paul warns against demon worship which was the RISING UP TO PLAY in their old Egyptian musical idolatry. The SIGNS or MARKS of a like the nation's worship is a perverted sexuality:

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Romans 1:23

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Romans 1: 24

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 1: 25

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: Romans 1: 26

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Romans 1: 27

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Romans 1: 28

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Romans 1: 29

24. "Then stood up Phineas, and appeased Him, and the shaking ceased" (ver. 30). He hath related the whole briefly, because he is not here teaching the ignorant, but reminding those who know the history.

The word "shaking" here is the same as "breaking" before.
For it is one word in the Greek. Lastly, so great was their wickedness, in being consecrated to the idol, and eating the sacrifices of the dead (that is, because the Gentiles sacrificed to dead men as to God), that God would not be otherwise appeased than as Phineas the Priest appeased Him,

when he slew a man and a woman together whom he found in adultery.
If he had done this from hatred towards them, and not from love, while zeal for the house of God devoured him, it would not have been counted unto him for righteousness. ...Christ our Lord indeed, when the New Testament was revealed, chose a milder discipline; but the threat of hell is more severe, and this we do not read of in those threatenings held out by God in His temporal government.

In ancient paganism especially among the Babylonians and Hittites, songs, even as among the American Indians, were composed usually by women. While they lived the song was private property. However, after they were dead the songs were put in the "catalogs" which correspond directly to modern "song books." Thereafter, when you sang the song of, say Fanny Crosby, you actually were paying tribute to the dead who was now considered a saint or authorized revealer of the Word of God. In this sense, most modern "church music" is a ritual with and for the dead.

25. "And that was counted unto him for righteousness among all posterities for evermore" (ver. 31). God counted this unto His Priest for righteousness, not only as long as posterity shall exist, but "for evermore;" for He who knoweth the heart, knoweth how to weigh with how much love for the people that deed was done.

26. "And they angered Him at the waters of strife: so that Moses was vexed for their sakes" (ver. 32); "because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake doubtfully with his lips" (ver. 33). What is spake doubtfully?

As if God, who had done so great wonders before, could not cause water to flow from a rock. [This Rock was Christ]

For he touched the rock with his rod with doubt, and thus distinguished this miracle from the rest, in which he had not doubted. He thus offended, thus deserved to hear that he should die, without entering into the land of promise.

For being disturbed by the murmurs of an unbelieving people, he held not fast that confidence which he ought to have held. Nevertheless, God giveth unto him, as unto His chosen, a good testimony even after his death,

so that we may see that this wavering of faith was punished with this penalty only, that he was not allowed to enter that land, whither he was leading the people.

27. But they of whose iniquities this Psalm speaketh, when they had entered into that temporal land of promise, "destroyed not the heathen, which the Lord commanded them" (ver. 34); "but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works" (ver. 35).

"Insomuch that they worshipped their idols, which became to them an offence" (ver. 36). Their not destroying them, but mingling with them, became to them an offence.

28. "Yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils" (ver. 37); "and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan" (ver. 38).

"An interesting reference to idolatry and Moloch worship and their connection with demonism is found in Psalm 106:36, 37. The Hebrews are said to have 'mingled themselves with the nations... learned their works and served their idols... ye they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto demons... In fact, Manasseh's idolatries were the result of a gigantic outburst of demon-energized occultism. He is said to have practed augury, and used enchantment, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits (divining demons) and with wizards (those possessed of occult knowledge because under the control of a divining demon ) (II Kings 21:6; II Chron. 33:6)." (Unger, Merrill, Archaeology and the Old Testament, Zondervan, P. 279)

That history doth not relate that they offered their sons and daughters to devils and idols; but neither can that Psalm lie, nor the Prophets, who assert this in many passages of their rebukes.

Passing through the fire was in Topheth (hell) which had once been "the king's music grove" where Israel tried to get into the god's presence with music while their children were consumed in the experimental process. See how God will pollute these people.