Psalm 106:43
Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity.
Many times He rescued them
This phrase highlights the repeated acts of deliverance by God towards the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "rescued" is "yasha," which means to save or deliver. This word is foundational in understanding God's role as a savior throughout the Old Testament. Historically, the Israelites experienced numerous rescues, such as the Exodus from Egypt and deliverance from various oppressors during the time of the Judges. This phrase emphasizes God's enduring patience and mercy, continually offering salvation despite the people's repeated failures.

but they were bent on rebellion
The phrase "bent on rebellion" suggests a persistent inclination towards disobedience. The Hebrew word for "rebellion" is "marah," which conveys a sense of bitterness and defiance. This reflects the Israelites' frequent turning away from God's commandments and their tendency to follow their own desires. Scripturally, this rebellion is seen in episodes like the worship of the golden calf and the murmuring in the wilderness. The phrase serves as a cautionary reminder of the human propensity to stray from divine guidance.

and sank down in their iniquity
"Sank down" implies a descent into moral and spiritual decline. The Hebrew root "mashach" can mean to draw or drag, suggesting that their iniquity pulled them away from righteousness. "Iniquity" refers to moral corruption and sin, with the Hebrew word "avon" indicating a twisting or perversion of what is right. This phrase illustrates the consequences of persistent sin, leading to a state of spiritual degradation. It serves as a warning of the dangers of allowing sin to dominate one's life, ultimately leading to separation from God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The central figure in this verse, God is depicted as the rescuer of His people, demonstrating His patience and mercy despite their repeated disobedience.

2. The Israelites
The people of Israel are the recipients of God's deliverance. Despite experiencing God's salvation multiple times, they continue to rebel against Him.

3. Rebellion
This refers to the Israelites' repeated disobedience and turning away from God, despite His continuous acts of deliverance.

4. Iniquity
The moral and spiritual failures of the Israelites, which lead them away from God's path and into sin.

5. Rescue
The acts of deliverance by God, saving the Israelites from their enemies and their own sinful ways.
Teaching Points
God's Patience and Mercy
Despite repeated rebellion, God continues to rescue His people, demonstrating His boundless patience and mercy. This should encourage us to trust in God's willingness to forgive and restore us when we repent.

The Danger of Rebellion
Rebellion against God leads to spiritual decline and suffering. We must be vigilant in our walk with God, constantly seeking His guidance to avoid falling into patterns of sin.

The Need for Repentance
True repentance involves turning away from sin and seeking God's forgiveness. We should regularly examine our lives and repent of any rebellion against God.

Learning from History
The history of Israel serves as a warning and a lesson for us today. We should learn from their mistakes and strive to remain faithful to God.

God's Faithfulness
Even when we are unfaithful, God remains faithful. This truth should inspire us to remain steadfast in our faith and trust in His promises.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Psalm 106:43 reflect the cycle of sin and redemption in the history of Israel, and how can we see this cycle in our own lives?

2. In what ways does God's repeated rescue of the Israelites demonstrate His character, and how can this understanding impact our relationship with Him?

3. What are some modern-day examples of rebellion against God, and how can we guard against falling into similar patterns?

4. How can we apply the lessons from Israel's history of rebellion and rescue to our personal spiritual journey?

5. How do other scriptures, such as those in Judges and Nehemiah, enhance our understanding of Psalm 106:43, and what practical steps can we take to avoid the pitfalls of rebellion?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Judges 2:16-19
This passage describes the cycle of sin, oppression, crying out to God, and deliverance that characterized the period of the Judges, illustrating the pattern of rebellion and rescue mentioned in Psalm 106:43.

Nehemiah 9:26-31
Nehemiah recounts Israel's history of rebellion and God's merciful responses, paralleling the themes of Psalm 106:43.

Romans 7:15-25
Paul discusses the struggle with sin and the human tendency to do what is wrong despite knowing what is right, echoing the Israelites' struggle with rebellion.
The Nevertheless of God's MercyS. Conway Psalm 106:1-48
Four Solemn Thoughts Concerning GodHomilistPsalm 106:40-46
Man's Misery and God's CompassionC. Short Psalm 106:40-46
The Divine Pity and PatienceR. Tuck Psalm 106:43, 44
People
Aaron, Abiram, Baalpeor, Dathan, Ham, Phinehas, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Bent, Counsel, Deliver, Delivered, Free, Hearts, However, Iniquity, Low, Often, Overcome, Provoked, Purpose, Purposes, Rebel, Rebellion, Rebellious, Sank, Sin, Sins, Wasted
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 106:43

     5979   waste
     6142   decay
     6223   rebellion, of Israel
     8835   unbelief, nature of

Psalm 106:33-48

     3272   Holy Spirit, in OT

Psalm 106:39-46

     5246   captivity

Library
June the Twelfth Waiting for the Spectacular
"The waves covered their enemies.... Then believed they His words." --PSALM cvi. 1-12. Their faith was born in a great emergency. A spectacular deliverance was needed to implant their trust in the Lord. They found no witness in the quiet daily providence; the unobtrusive miracle of daily mercy did not awake their song. They dwelt upon the "special" blessing, when all the time the really special blessing was to be found in the sleepless care which watched over them in their ordinary and commonplace
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Israel at the Red Sea
"A few more rolling years at most, Will land me on fair Canaan's coast.' And then I shall have no more warfare, no more fighting, no more disturbance; but I shall be at peace." "Not quite as thou desirest," says God. "Oh! thou little one; I have more to teach thee ere thou art prepared for my palace." Then he commences to lead us about, and bring us into straits and perils. The sins which we thought had utterly left us are hunting us behind, while impassible floods block up the way. Even trembling
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Why are Men Saved?
"The hand that made us is Divine." If we listen to the rippling of the freshet at the mountain side, to the tumbling of the avalanche, to the lowing of the cattle, to the singing of the birds, to every voice and sound of nature, we shall hear this answer to the question, "God is our maker; he hath made us, and not we ourselves." The next question, as to design--Why were these things made?--is not so easy to answer, apart from Scripture; but when we look at Scripture we discover this fact--that as
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Sin: Its Spring-Head, Stream, and Sea
It may help us to escape out of the meshes of our natural depravity, if we look back and see the causes of our fathers' sins. To confess our personal sin will tend to keep us humble; and in view of the Lord's mercy, which has spared and pardoned us, a sense of our guilt will make us grateful. The less we think of ourselves the more we shall think of him whose "mercy endureth for ever"; and if we see where our fathers' sins began, and how they grew, and what they came to, we may hope that the Spirit
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Waters of Meribah
'Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Fourteenth Day. The Holy one of God.
Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.'--Luke i. 35. 'We have believed and know that Thou art the Holy One of God.'--John vi. 69. 'The holy one of the Lord'--only once (Ps. cvi. 16) the expression is found in the Old Testament. It is spoken of Aaron, in whom holiness, as far as it could then be revealed, had found its most complete embodiment. The title waited for its fulfilment in Him who alone, in His own person, could perfectly show forth
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending;
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Elucidations.
I. (Deadly Sins, cap. ix., p. 356.) To maintain a modern and wholly uncatholic system of Penitence, the schoolmen invented a technical scheme of sins mortal and sins venial, which must not be read into the Fathers, who had no such technicalities in mind. By "deadly sins" they meant all such as St. John recognizes (1 John v. 16-17) and none other; that is to say sins of surprise and infirmity, sins having in them no malice or wilful disobedience, such as an impatient word, or a momentary neglect of
Tertullian—The Five Books Against Marcion

Rest for the Weary
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. W hich shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply freely to him, with a promise of relief, fully answerable to their wants and wishes! But the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible. If millions and millions
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Psalm 106:43 NIV
Psalm 106:43 NLT
Psalm 106:43 ESV
Psalm 106:43 NASB
Psalm 106:43 KJV

Psalm 106:43 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Psalm 106:42
Top of Page
Top of Page