Psalms 106

God is praised for his manifold mercies, Psalm 106:1-3 . The prophet prays for himself, Psalm 106:4 , Psalm 106:5 . A recapitulation of the history of the Hebrew people: of God's mercies toward them, and their rebellions, vv. 6-39. The judgments and affictions which their transgressions brought upon them, Psalm 106:40-42 . God's mercy to them notwithstanding their transgressions, Psalm 106:43-46 . He prays for their restoration, Psalm 106:47 , Psalm 106:48 .

As a part of the preceding Psalm is found in 1 Chronicles 16, so the first and two last verses of this are found in the same place, ( 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 ;), and yet it is supposed by eminent commentators to be a prayer of the captives in Babylon, who acknowledge the mercies of God, confess their own sins, and those of their forefathers, and implore the Lord to gather them from among the heathen, and restore them to their own country. In none of the Versions except the Syriac has it any title, except Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, the word with which the original commences. The Syriac gives us a sort of table of its contents; or rather shows us the subjects to which it may be applied, and the uses we should make of it. After stating that it has no title, it says, "It calls upon men to observe the Divine precepts, and teaches us that the more the Jews transgressed, the more we should fear. That we should not talk together in the church, nor ever contend with our brethren on any account; and especially when we assist in the celebration of the Divine mysteries and in prayer: and that when we sin we should repent." All this is very good: but it would be difficult to find these subjects in the Psalm, or any thing on which they could be rationally founded. But it shows us that the Scriptures were very easily accommodated to particular uses, not originally intended: and hence arose much of the practice of spiritualizing and allegorizing; which, to say the least of it, has been of no use to the Church of Christ.