Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
While the verse uses "me" and "my," the writer isn't just asking for personal salvation; he's speaking on behalf of the entire community. This isn't just a private plea, but a prayer that he might personally experience the same great deliverance God extends to all His people.
Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm begins by recounting Israel's unfaithfulness and God's faithfulness despite their rebellion, highlighting their repeated sins of idolatry and disobedience. The speaker then shifts, asking God to remember him (or us, representing the people) amidst this national narrative of sin and deliverance. This verse is a personal plea within a broader reflection on God's covenant love and the community's need for salvation.
When David penned this psalm, he wasn't just speaking for himself. He often used 'me' and 'my' while representing the entire nation.
In Psalms 106:4, the psalmist uses the singular 'me' but scholars note that the original Hebrew and surrounding context suggest a prayer for the nation, not just the individual. This highlights a beautiful truth: even personal prayers can be deeply communal.
Speaking for the People
What does it mean for God to 'favor' His people? It's more than just a lucky break; it's rooted in an ancient promise.
The "favor" mentioned in verse 4 isn't arbitrary. It refers to the special, covenantal grace God extends to His chosen people. This favor is deeply tied to His promises and His character.
Rooted in Relationship
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The plea 'visit me with your salvation' isn't just about escaping danger. It speaks to a deeper, more comprehensive rescue.
The word 'salvation' here is rich. It encompasses not only physical deliverance from immediate crises but also spiritual rescue and the ultimate redemption God provides.
A Holistic Rescue
Understand the original words
zakar · Hebrew Verb
To bring to mind or to act upon a memory. When used of God, it signifies that He is choosing to act according to His covenant promises and grace.
ratson · Hebrew Noun
Unmerited divine goodwill, kindness, or acceptance extended toward individuals or the community, often resulting in deliverance or blessing.
yasha · Hebrew Verb
The act of delivering, rescuing, or preserving someone from danger, sin, or death. It is ultimately accomplished by God’s power and intervention.
This psalm reflects a deep understanding of Israel's history of rebellion and God's persistent faithfulness. The plea in verse 4 arises from the context of exile, a time when God's people were far from their land and in deep distress due to their sins. The prayer is not just for personal comfort but for inclusion in the larger redemptive work God performs for His chosen people.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt under Moses, initiating their journey to the Promised Land and establishing His covenant with them.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua, the Israelites conquer the land of Canaan, dividing it among the twelve tribes. This marks the fulfillment of God's promise of land.
c. 1000 BC
Reign of King David
David unites the tribes, establishes Jerusalem as the capital, and expands the kingdom, marking a golden age for Israel.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants and scattering them.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian Empire conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiles a significant portion of the population to Babylon.
538 BC
Return from Babylonian Exile
Under Cyrus the Great, some exiled Judeans are permitted to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple.
This passage echoes the psalm's plea for remembrance and favor by showing a tax collector crying out, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' This highlights the core desire for God's gracious attention in the face of unworthiness.
Numbers 6:24-26The priestly blessing found here, 'The LORD bless you and keep you... lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace,' parallels the psalm's request for God's favorable remembrance and the 'salvation' that brings peace and well-being.
Exodus 34:6-7This divine self-declaration, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,' provides the theological basis for the psalm's prayer, emphasizing God's character as the source of the 'favor' and 'salvation' sought.
Psalm 51:18-19Here, the psalmist prays for God to 'build up the walls of Jerusalem' and accept sacrifices, demonstrating a similar longing for national restoration and God’s favor following sin, which resonates with the communal aspect of Psalm 106:4.
clarkePsalms 106:4: "Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;"
Remember me - This and the following clauses are read in the plural by several MSS.: Remember Us - that We may rejoice, - that We may glory, etc.: and thus all the Versions except the Chaldee; and this is more agreeable to the context.
bensonPsalms 106:4: "Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;"
Psalm 106:4 . Remember me, O Lord, &c. — Or, us: for he may be considered as praying, either for himself, or for the church of God among the Israelites, that they, with himself, might partake of the blessedness here spoken of. With the favour that thou bearest unto thy people — With those favours and blessings which thou dost usually and peculiarly confer upon thy people; meani…
While the verse uses "me" and "my," the writer isn't just asking for personal salvation; he's speaking on behalf of the entire community. This isn't just a private plea, but a prayer that he might personally experience the same great deliverance God extends to all His people.
The psalm begins by recounting Israel's unfaithfulness and God's faithfulness despite their rebellion, highlighting their repeated sins of idolatry and disobedience. The speaker then shifts, asking God to remember him (or us, representing the people) amidst this national narrative of sin and deliverance. This verse is a personal plea within a broader reflection on God's covenant love and the community's need for salvation.
The psalm begins by recounting Israel's unfaithfulness and God's faithfulness despite their rebellion, highlighting their repeated sins of idolatry and disobedience. The speaker then shifts, asking God to remember him (or us, representing the people) amidst this national narrative of sin and deliverance. This verse is a personal plea within a broader reflection on God's covenant love and the community's need for salvation.
"Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them," — While the verse uses "me" and "my," the writer isn't just asking for personal salvation; he's speaking on behalf of the entire community. This isn't just a private plea, but a prayer that he might pe…
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Last reviewed October 2026