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)
The psalm points out that Israel's rebellion wasn't just a failure to remember God's miracles; it was a profound failure to understand them. They saw God's awesome power and love in Egypt, but because they didn't grasp its meaning, they quickly turned on Him at the Red Sea, proving that true remembrance comes from comprehending God's character, not just recalling events.
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)
This passage is part of a prayer confessing Israel's sinfulness, tracing it back to their ancestors' rebellion right after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt. The people had just witnessed God's mighty acts but failed to truly understand or remember His power and steadfast love. Instead, at the Red Sea, facing Pharaoh's army, they immediately turned to rebellion and distrust, forgetting the very wonders that had just saved them.
Have you ever experienced something so incredible you thought you'd never forget it? Yet, somehow, with time, the vividness fades. The Israelites at the Red Sea faced a similar crisis of memory.
The psalmist points out a critical failure of the Israelites: they 'did not consider your wondrous works' and 'did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love.' This wasn't just a lapse in memory; it was a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character and power.
Why 'Not Consider'?
The Cost of Forgetfulness
When we fail to remember God's past faithfulness, especially His 'steadfast love'—that enduring, covenantal kindness—we open the door to doubt and rebellion. It’s like facing a storm without recalling how God has navigated you through previous tempests.
Imagine being trapped between an advancing army and an impassable sea. What would your reaction be? For the Israelites, this terrifying moment led not to trust, but to outright rebellion.
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The verse culminates in a shocking act: 'but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.' This rebellion happened at the very moment God was performing His most dramatic act of deliverance for them.
More Than Just Murmuring
This teaches us that our greatest tests of faith often occur when we are closest to experiencing God’s breakthrough. It's precisely then that forgetfulness can fuel rebellion.
Understand the original words
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.
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.
This verse highlights a recurring theme in Israel's story: the tragic gap between God's incredible acts and the people's short memory and persistent rebellion. Their failure to truly 'consider' and 'remember' God's wonders in Egypt and at the Red Sea set a pattern that would mark their journey.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
After 430 years of slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, are miraculously delivered from Egypt through a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Rebellion at the Red Sea
Despite the recent miracles of their deliverance, the Israelites, facing the Egyptian army, cry out to Moses in fear and doubt God's provision, even as God parts the Red Sea for their escape.
c. 1446 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
For 40 years, the Israelites journey through the Sinai wilderness, experiencing God's provision (manna, water from a rock) but also repeated instances of rebellion and distrust.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
After the generation that rebelled in the wilderness dies off, the new generation, led by Joshua, crosses the Jordan River and begins the conquest of Canaan.
This passage directly describes the Israelites' reaction at the Red Sea, mirroring the psalmist's complaint of their disbelief and remembrance of Egypt more than God's power.
Deuteronomy 32:28-29Moses warns Israel that they are a 'stubborn and foolish' people who lack wisdom and consideration for their future, reflecting the 'understanding not' and 'remembering not' highlighted in Psalm 106:7.
Nehemiah 9:16-17This prayer is a direct parallel, confessing that the people 'did not obey' and 'did not remember' God's wonders in Egypt and even rebelled at the Red Sea, echoing the sentiments of Psalm 106.
Psalm 78:42-43This psalm recounts how the Israelites repeatedly forgot God's power and 'did not remember' what he had done for them, specifically mentioning the wonders in Egypt, which ties directly into the theme of forgetfulness in Psalm 106:7.
Isaiah 63:7-9This passage reflects on God's 'steadfast love' and 'great goodness' towards Israel, recalling His mighty acts in bringing them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, serving as a reminder of the mercies the psalmist laments were forgotten.
clarkePsalms 106:7: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea."
Our fathers understood not - They did not regard the operation of God's hands; and therefore they understood neither his designs nor their own interest. At the sea, even at the Red Sea - Some of the rabbins suppose that the repetition of the words point out two faults of the Israelites at the Red Sea. 1. They murmured against Moses…
pulpitPsalms 106:7: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea."
Verse 7. - Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; rather, considered not - did not give serious thought to them; took them as matters of course, and so were not impressed by them. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies (comp. Psalm 69:16; Isaiah 63:7; Lamentations 3:32; and infra, ver. 45). But provoked him; rath…
The psalm points out that Israel's rebellion wasn't just a failure to remember God's miracles; it was a profound failure to understand them. They saw God's awesome power and love in Egypt, but because they didn't grasp its meaning, they quickly turned on Him at the Red Sea, proving that true remembrance comes from comprehending God's character, not just recalling events.
This passage is part of a prayer confessing Israel's sinfulness, tracing it back to their ancestors' rebellion right after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt. The people had just witnessed God's mighty acts but failed to truly understand or remember His power and steadfast love. Instead, at the Red Sea, facing Pharaoh's army, they immediately turned to rebellion and distrust, forgetting the very wonders that had just saved them.
This passage is part of a prayer confessing Israel's sinfulness, tracing it back to their ancestors' rebellion right after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt. The people had just witnessed God's mighty acts but failed to truly understand or remember His power and steadfast love. Instead, at the Red Sea, facing Pharaoh's army, they immediately turned to rebellion and distrust, forgetting the very wonders that had just saved them.
"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." — The psalm points out that Israel's rebellion wasn't just a failure to remember God's miracles; it was a profound failure to understand them. They saw God's awesome power and love in Egypt, but beca…
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Last reviewed October 2026