Psalms 106:36-39
They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out 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 became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The real sting here isn't just that they served idols, but that these idols, which were meant to be powerful deities, actually became a trap. They weren't divine protectors, but rather the very thing that would lead them into ruin, as forewarned by God.
This verse comes after a description of Israel's repeated disobedience, specifically their failure to drive out the Canaanite nations and their subsequent intermingling with them. Instead of following God's commands, they adopted the pagan practices of their neighbors, even sacrificing their children to idols, which is presented as a direct cause of their downfall.
We often think of idols as statues or objects. But what if the most dangerous idols are the ones we can't see, the ones that masquerade as good things?
The verse says the Israelites "served their idols, which became a snare to them." This isn't just about ancient statues of Baal. It points to anything we give ultimate loyalty to, anything that pulls us away from God.
A Subtle Danger
Think of a snare set for a bird or an animal. It looks harmless, even enticing, until it's too late. Idolatry works the same way. These "snares" aren't always obvious vices. They can be careers, relationships, possessions, or even our own desires and ambitions, when they take God's rightful place.
The Ruin of Worship
When we pour our energy, trust, and affection into these idols, they don't fulfill us. Instead, they trap us. They lead us further into sin (as Poole notes, leading to "further and greater sins") and ultimately lead to ruin. The very things we hoped would bring us satisfaction become the instruments of our downfall.
Idolatry isn't just a religious mistake; it's a profound betrayal that leads to deep pain and destruction, both for individuals and communities.
The commentators highlight how the Israelites' pursuit of idols led to immense suffering. Clarke mentions that idols are called "griefs" because of the "pains taken in forming them, the labor in worshipping them, and the grief occasioned by the Divine judgments."
Beyond Statues
This verse, and the context in Psalms 106, paints a stark picture of the consequences:
Understand the original words
‘atsab · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, idols refer to any physical or abstract object, image, or concept that is worshipped or served in the place of, or alongside, the one true God. They are frequently characterized as worthless, powerless, and a source of spiritual deception.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for a trap, lure, or enticement that leads individuals or communities away from obedience to God and into sin, judgment, or spiritual ruin. It represents the deceptive power of sinful practices to ensnare the heart and life.
shed · Hebrew Noun
Supernatural, malevolent spiritual entities that oppose God and lead humanity into rebellion, idolatry, and destruction. In the Old Testament, these are often associated with the false gods worshipped by pagan nations.
This psalm reflects on the devastating consequences of Israel's repeated turning to idols. The historical context shows this wasn't a one-time lapse but a recurring cycle throughout their history, ultimately leading to national destruction and exile. The idols they served became the very means of their downfall, trapping them in sin and judgment.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan begins
Following God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, Joshua leads them to conquer the Promised Land, a land inhabited by various Canaanite peoples.
c. 1400-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
After Joshua's death, Israel enters a cycle of faithfulness, apostasy, and oppression. They repeatedly fall into idolatry, particularly worshipping the Canaanite gods like Baal and Ashtoreth.
c. 1050 BC
Saul Anointed King
Israel's demand for a king is a departure from God's direct leadership, marking a significant shift in their history and often leading to further deviations.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After King Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
This passage directly warns the Israelites that the Canaanites, if left in the land, would become a snare and cause them to sin, highlighting the future fulfillment of Psalm 106:36.
Judges 2:11-15This narrative shows the Israelites falling into idolatry after Joshua's death, serving Baals, and experiencing God's anger and oppression, directly illustrating how idols became a snare and ruin.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12Paul uses Israel's history of falling into idolatry and their subsequent judgment as a warning to believers, emphasizing that these events were recorded as examples to prevent them from falling into similar snares.
Jeremiah 2:11-13This prophetic passage directly condemns Israel for abandoning God, the source of living water, for broken cisterns (idols), demonstrating how their pursuit of false gods was a profound snare leading to ruin.
cambridgePsalms 106:36: "And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them."
36 . which were &c.] And they became a snare unto them, as they had been forewarned, Exodus 23:33 , &c. P.B.V. which turned to their own decay = which proved their ruin.
clarkePsalms 106:36: "And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them."
They served their idols - עצביהם atsabbeyhem, their labors or griefs - idols, so called because of the pains taken in forming them, the labor in worshipping them, and the grief occasioned by the Divine judgments against the people for their idolatry.
The real sting here isn't just that they served idols, but that these idols, which were meant to be powerful deities, actually became a trap. They weren't divine protectors, but rather the very thing that would lead them into ruin, as forewarned by God.
This verse comes after a description of Israel's repeated disobedience, specifically their failure to drive out the Canaanite nations and their subsequent intermingling with them. Instead of following God's commands, they adopted the pagan practices of their neighbors, even sacrificing their children to idols, which is presented as a direct cause of their downfall.
This verse comes after a description of Israel's repeated disobedience, specifically their failure to drive out the Canaanite nations and their subsequent intermingling with them. Instead of following God's commands, they adopted the pagan practices of their neighbors, even sacrificing their children to idols, which is presented as a direct cause of their downfall.
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A Cycle of Loss
When we turn from the true God, we don't find freedom. We find ourselves entangled. The effort and devotion we pour into lesser things, instead of bringing life, ultimately lead to pain and loss, mirroring the "ruin" that came upon the Israelites.
naqi dam · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to the taking of a life that has not committed a capital crime or is morally blameless in a specific context. The shedding of such blood is a grave moral abomination that cries out for divine justice and brings defilement upon the land.
tame’ · Hebrew Adjective/Verb
To be made ceremonially or morally impure. It denotes a state of corruption or contagion that separates a person or a nation from the presence, blessing, and holiness of God.
zanah · Hebrew Verb
A frequent prophetic metaphor used to describe apostasy, spiritual unfaithfulness, and the abandonment of the covenant relationship with God in favor of worldly or idolatrous pursuits. It highlights the betrayal of God's exclusive love and authority.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and leading to a significant loss of national identity and religious purity.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The southern Kingdom of Judah falls to the Babylonians, Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed, and many of the people are exiled, a direct consequence of generations of disobedience and idolatry.
"They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to…" — The real sting here isn't just that they served idols, but that these idols, which were meant to be powerful deities, actually became a trap. They weren't divine protectors, but rather the very thing…
