Psalm 106:1-2

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 106:1 A beautiful acclamation opens this psalm, but from verse 6 onward the tone changes. We enter into a liturgy of grief and take part in a national confession. It is, especially after the Exile, a psalm for times of distress (see Neh 9:5-37; Isa 63:7—64:11). A repentant Israel evokes the sin of the ancestors, but only to confess its own sin. The people continue the long succession of infidelities of yesteryear. The meditation on Israel’s history contrasts with the beautiful hymn of Psalm 105. Taking his inspiration from Numbers and Deuteronomy, the psalmist retains from the past only the concatenation of sins: the ancestors doubted God (v. 7; see Ex 14:12), murmured in the wilderness (v. 14; see Ex 15:24; 16:3; 17:2), adored the golden calf (v. 19; see Ex 32), balked at conquering the Promised Land (v. 24; see Num 14:3f), adopted pagan practices (vv. 28-35; see Num 25; Jdg 2:1-5), and sacrificed to idols (vv. 36-38; see 1 Ki 16:34).
   Paul will later evoke how the flood of sin submerges humanity (see Rom 3:23). But the history of sin is opposed to that of the love of God; the Lord always pardons and delivers his people. On recalling such goodness, the community of his people gathered together acknowledges its sins and begs God to save it.
   In praying this psalm, Christians recall that the wonders of God’s mercy in favor of his chosen people were simple preludes to the works of mercy that he accomplishes in Christ on behalf of sinful but believing humankind (see Rom 5:20). Acknowledgment of sin opens the door to the experience of God’s love.
2. Psalm 106:1 Give thanks: a liturgical call to praise (see Pss 100:5; 103:2; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1-3). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
3. Psalm 106:2 His praise: see note on Ps 9:2.