Psalms 106:7
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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The text highlights that the Israelites didn't just forget God's miracles; they failed to consider them, meaning they didn't truly reflect on what they meant or how they revealed God’s character. This lack of deep thought, rather than simple amnesia, led them to rebel at the Red Sea despite being on the brink of deliverance.
This psalm is a prayer of confession, looking back at Israel's history of rebellion and unfaithfulness. The verses leading up to this speak of the people's sins, and here, the psalmist acknowledges that their ancestors, while still in Egypt and even immediately after their miraculous deliverance, failed to grasp God's powerful acts. Instead of remembering God's abundant love that brought them out, they quickly turned to rebellion by the Red Sea when faced with danger.
Have you ever seen something amazing and then just... forgotten about it? The Israelites did, and it led them straight into trouble.
This verse highlights a tragic pattern in Israel's history: a failure to truly see and understand God's powerful interventions. They witnessed the "wondrous works" in Egypt – the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea – but these amazing events didn't lead to a deep, lasting recognition of God's character and power.
Mercy is sweet, but when forgotten, it doesn't just leave a void—it can become the fuel for rebellion.
The psalmist points out that forgetting God's 'abundance of your steadfast love' was a direct cause of the rebellion at the Red Sea. This wasn't just a minor oversight; it was a critical failure with severe consequences.
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 psalm passage highlights a recurring theme in Israel's history: a failure to grasp God's mighty acts and remember His unfailing love, leading to rebellion even in the midst of His deliverance. The text points to the pivotal, yet problematic, event at the Red Sea as an early example of this deep-seated human tendency.
c. 1550-1450 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
Generations after settling in Egypt, the Israelites became enslaved, enduring harsh labor and oppression under Egyptian rule.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from slavery through Moses, marked by the ten plagues and the Passover.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Crossing the Red Sea
Pharaoh's army pursued the Israelites to the Red Sea. God parted the waters, allowing Israel to cross on dry ground, then the waters returned, drowning the pursuing Egyptians.
c. 1446 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
Following the Red Sea crossing, the Israelites began their 40-year journey through the wilderness, a period marked by both divine provision and frequent rebellion.
This passage directly illustrates the 'rebellion by the sea' mentioned in Psalms 106:7, showing the Israelites' fear and doubt when facing the Red Sea after their deliverance from Egypt.
Deuteronomy 32:28-29This passage describes a similar lack of understanding and wisdom in Israel, highlighting how a lack of insight into God's actions leads to sin, mirroring the sentiment in Psalms 106:7 about not considering God's wondrous works.
Nehemiah 9:17This verse recounts Israel's rebellion in Egypt and at the Red Sea, echoing the confession in Psalms 106:7 and providing further context for their repeated unfaithfulness.
Psalm 105:5While Psalms 106:7 points to the Israelites *not* remembering God's works, this verse from the preceding psalm calls them to remember His wondrous deeds, highlighting the stark contrast of their forgetfulness and ingratitude.
Isaiah 63:7This passage expresses a similar reflection on God's steadfast love and great deeds for His people, providing a counterpoint to the ungrateful remembrance described in Psalms 106:7.
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 text highlights that the Israelites didn't just forget God's miracles; they failed to consider them, meaning they didn't truly reflect on what they meant or how they revealed God’s character. This lack of deep thought, rather than simple amnesia, led them to rebel at the Red Sea despite being on the brink of deliverance.
This psalm is a prayer of confession, looking back at Israel's history of rebellion and unfaithfulness. The verses leading up to this speak of the people's sins, and here, the psalmist acknowledges that their ancestors, while still in Egypt and even immediately after their miraculous deliverance, failed to grasp God's powerful acts. Instead of remembering God's abundant love that brought them out, they quickly turned to rebellion by the Red Sea when faced with danger.
This psalm is a prayer of confession, looking back at Israel's history of rebellion and unfaithfulness. The verses leading up to this speak of the people's sins, and here, the psalmist acknowledges that their ancestors, while still in Egypt and even immediately after their miraculous deliverance, failed to grasp God's powerful acts. Instead of remembering God's abundant love that brought them out, they quickly turned to rebellion by the Red Sea when faced with danger.
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Imagine this: you've just seen the impossible. Yet, at the very moment of deliverance, you turn and fight against your rescuer.
The climax of this verse is the stark declaration: 'but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.' This points to a profound and immediate act of defiance that occurred precisely when God was most actively delivering 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 text highlights that the Israelites didn't just forget God's miracles; they failed to consider them, meaning they didn't truly reflect on what they meant or how they revealed God’s character. T…
