Let’s finish out Psalm 106, where the people of God are doing a fine job (unfortunately) forgetting the works of God. What are the other lowlights from the wilderness journey and after? Psalm 106 seems to capture a lot of those lowlights:

• Envy – Numbers 16

When they envied Moses in the camp, And Aaron the saint of the LORD, The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, And covered the faction of Abiram. (Psalm 106.16, 17)

• The Golden Calf – Exodus 32

They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped the molded image. Thus they changed their glory Into the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the land of Ham, Awesome things by the Red Sea. (Psalm 106.19 – 22, NKJV)

• Failure to enter the land – Numbers 13 and 14

Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe His word, But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the LORD. Therefore He raised up His hand in an oath against them, To overthrow them in the wilderness, To overthrow their descendants among the nations, And to scatter them in the lands. (Psalm 106.24 – 27, NKJV)

• Orgies – Numbers 25

They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, And ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore. (Psalm 106.28 – 31, NKJV)

• More grumbling and Moses’ disobedience – Numbers 20.2 – 13

They angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; Because they rebelled against His Spirit, So that he spoke rashly with his lips. (Psalm 107.32, 33, NKJV)

• Conforming to the nations – Judges 2

They did not destroy the peoples, Concerning whom the LORD had commanded them, But they mingled with the Gentiles And learned their works; They served their idols, Which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. (Psalm 106.34 – 39, NKJV)

• Judgment! (See the rest of Judges – 2 Chronicles!)

Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people, So that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, And those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times He delivered them; But they rebelled in their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity. (Psalm 106.40 – 43, NKJV)

Recall that the purpose for God’s miracles as recorded in Psalm 105 was simple:

He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations, That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 105.44, 45, NKJV)

“…that they might observe his statutes…” And they didn’t do it. Psalm 106 documents the failure and the resulting judgment. Yet how does Psalm 106 close? With a prayer and praise:

Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the Gentiles, To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD! (Psalm 106.47, 48, NKJV)