Psalms 106:6-7
Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This confession isn't just about a general feeling of wrongdoing; the repetition of "sinned," "iniquity," and "wickedly" emphasizes the depth and perversity of their actions, not just mistakes. It reveals a conscious choice to act against God, even after witnessing His powerful deeds.
This psalm begins with a call to praise God for His goodness, but immediately pivots to a profound confession of sin. The speaker, representing the collective voice of Israel, acknowledges that both their generation and their ancestors have persistently rebelled against God, moving from the nation's foundational experiences at the Red Sea to their ongoing struggles. This confession sets the stage for recounting God's faithfulness despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness.
Have you ever felt like your family's struggles are repeating themselves? This psalm dives deep into that very feeling.
The psalmist doesn't just confess his own sins; he links them directly to his ancestors. "We have sinned with our fathers." This isn't about blaming the past, but acknowledging a pattern. It suggests that sin isn't just an individual act, but can become a generational tendency that we, in our own time, continue. It’s a profound recognition that the choices and behaviors of previous generations can create a spiritual or cultural atmosphere that impacts us, and that we, in turn, have the choice to either perpetuate or break those cycles. Our generation's iniquity is often built upon the foundations laid by those who came before.
Why use three different words for sin? This psalm packs a punch in its description of human failing.
The psalm doesn't just say "we sinned." It uses three distinct Hebrew words to paint a fuller picture of transgression:
By piling up these terms, the psalmist emphasizes the depth and breadth of their rebellion. It wasn't a single mistake, but a persistent, pervasive pattern of missing God's standard, deliberately twisting His ways, and actively doing evil.
Understand the original words
chata' · Hebrew Verb
To miss the mark, violate God's law, or fail to live up to His moral standards. It signifies a departure from the path of righteousness and a rupture in the relationship with God.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A twisting or perversion of the right path; denotes moral crookedness or guilt. It suggests a conscious distortion of what is known to be good.
rasha' · Hebrew Verb/Noun
Moral guilt or the act of acting perversely. It encompasses conscious wrongdoing and acting in a way that is contrary to the established order or will of God.
marah · Hebrew Verb
A state of active opposition or stiff-necked defiance against God's authority. It is the conscious rejection of His sovereignty and commands.
This psalm is a profound confession uttered during or after the Babylonian exile. It acknowledges that the nation's suffering isn't a surprise to God but a consequence of a deep, inherited pattern of sin stretching all the way back to the Exodus.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites leave Egypt after centuries of slavery, witnessing God's powerful miracles like the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. This event marks a pivotal moment of deliverance and covenant-making.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
Following the Exodus, the Israelites journey for 40 years in the desert. During this time, they repeatedly grumble, disobey, and turn to idolatry, testing God's patience despite His continued provision.
c. 1406 BC - 1050 BC
Period of the Judges
After entering the Promised Land, Israel experiences cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance, demonstrating a recurring pattern of unfaithfulness to God.
c. 1050 BC - 931 BC
United Monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon)
Israel is ruled by kings, initially united under Saul, David, and Solomon. While David and Solomon achieve significant spiritual and political heights, seeds of later division and sin are sown.
This passage parallels the confession in Psalm 106:6 by speaking of ancestors confessing their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, recognizing that their punishment was a consequence of their and their fathers' sins.
1 Kings 8:47Similar to Psalm 106:6, this verse features a prayer of confession where Solomon acknowledges that 'we have sinned against you' and attributes their captivity to their own sins and those of their fathers.
Ezra 9:7Ezra, in his prayer, also confesses the sins of Israel, including his own generation and their fathers, stating, 'From the days of our fathers until this day we have been in great guilt.' This highlights the generational aspect of sin and confession found in Psalm 106:6.
Nehemiah 9:2This chapter contains a lengthy prayer of confession and recounting of God's faithfulness, directly referencing the sins of the people and their fathers, much like Psalm 106:6, acknowledging past disobedience.
Daniel 9:5Daniel's prayer of confession strongly echoes Psalm 106:6, stating, 'we have sinned and done wrong. We have done wickedly and rebelled,' and directly links their nation's plight to the sins of their fathers.
clarkePsalms 106:6: "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly."
We have sinned - Here the confession begins; what preceded was only the introduction to what follows: Our forefathers sinned, and suffered; we, like them, have sinned, and do suffer.
bensonPsalms 106:6: "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly."
Psalm 106:6-7 . We have sinned with our fathers — That is, as our fathers did, and have not been made wiser or better by their examples, as we ought to have been. Our fathers understood not — Or, considered not; thy wonders in Egypt — Namely, so as to be rightly affected with them, and to receive from them the instruction they were intended to convey. They saw them, but they did not rightly appre…
This confession isn't just about a general feeling of wrongdoing; the repetition of "sinned," "iniquity," and "wickedly" emphasizes the depth and perversity of their actions, not just mistakes. It reveals a conscious choice to act against God, even after witnessing His powerful deeds.
This psalm begins with a call to praise God for His goodness, but immediately pivots to a profound confession of sin. The speaker, representing the collective voice of Israel, acknowledges that both their generation and their ancestors have persistently rebelled against God, moving from the nation's foundational experiences at the Red Sea to their ongoing struggles. This confession sets the stage for recounting God's faithfulness despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness.
This psalm begins with a call to praise God for His goodness, but immediately pivots to a profound confession of sin. The speaker, representing the collective voice of Israel, acknowledges that both their generation and their ancestors have persistently rebelled against God, moving from the nation's foundational experiences at the Red Sea to their ongoing struggles. This confession sets the stage for recounting God's faithfulness despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness.
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chesed · Hebrew Noun
The covenantal, loyal, and faithful love of God. It is a deep, committed love that surpasses mere emotion, rooted in God's faithfulness to His promises.
931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This division is largely driven by idolatry and disobedience.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers and exiles the Northern Kingdom of Israel due to its persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness to God.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Exile
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling much of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This event is the culmination of generations of sin and apostasy.
"Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast…" — This confession isn't just about a general feeling of wrongdoing; the repetition of "sinned," "iniquity," and "wickedly" emphasizes the depth and perversity of their actions, not just mistakes. It…
