Psalm 106:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 106:13-33

This is an abridgment of the history of Israel's provocations in the wilderness, and of the wrath of God against them for those provocations: and this abridgment is abridged by the apostle, with application to us Christians (1 Cor. 10:5); for these things were written for our admonition, that we sin not like them, lest we suffer like them. I. The cause of their sin was disregard to the works and word of God, Ps. 106:13. 1. They minded not what he had done for them: They soon forgot his works,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:20

Thus they changed their glory ,.... God, who is glorious in all the perfections of his nature, and is glory itself, and was the glory of these people; it was their greatest honour that they had knowledge of him, nearness to him, the true worship of him among them, and that they were worshippers of him; and who, though he is unchangeable in himself, may be said to be changed when another is substituted and worshipped in his room, or worshipped besides him; which was what the Heathen did, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 106:20

Thus they changed their glory - That is, their God, who was their glory; and they worshipped an ox in his stead. See the use St Paul makes of this, Romans 1:23 ; (note); see also the note there. The incorruptible God was thus served by all the heathen world. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:1-48

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:1-48

The nevertheless of God's mercy. This is actually expressed in Psalms 106:44 , but it is the theme of the whole psalm. Note concerning it— I. IT IMPLIES PREVIOUS AND TERRIBLE PROVOCATION . And, indeed, there had been such: 1 . In sins actually committed. What a catalogue of them the psalm contains! Sin at the very beginning ( Psalms 106:7 ). The former psalm reviewed the history of God's people as a subject for adoring praise, because of God's never-failing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:6-39

Sin in many forms. It is not only the psalmist who says, "I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord" ( Psalms 32:5 ). It becomes us all to say, "We have sinned … we have committed iniquity" ( Psalms 106:6 ). Sin takes many forms, as this psalm makes clear. We may be guilty of— I. SINFUL FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND . ( Psalms 106:7 .) As the children of Israel "understood not God's wonders in Egypt," so we guiltily fail to recognize the wonderful working of the Divine hand,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:6-46

The psalmist now enters on his main subject—the transgressions of Israel in the past, and God's manifold mercies vouchsafed to them. These he traces from the time of the Exodus ( Psalms 106:7 ) to that of the Babylonish captivity ( Psalms 106:46 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:19-20

The sin of the golden calf. "They changed their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grass" (Revised Version). "Into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay" (Prayer book Version). The idea is that the revelation of God as an unseen spiritual Being, requiring the service of righteousness, was the distinguishing glory of Israel. But this revelation they did not rightly value, but, at the first opportunity, bartered it away for a material god, of sensual character, who was served... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:20

Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass; i.e. they exchanged the spiritual revelation of Jehovah, in all his glorious attributes, for a material emblem, which would naturally suggest low and unworthy thoughts of the supreme Being. So Schultz and Cheyne. The expression, "an ox that eateth grass," emphasizes the contempt of the writer for a people who could so act. He has, probably, in his thoughts not only the golden calf, but the Apis bulls of Egypt. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 106:20

Our God our glory. The "glory" of Israel was found, as this verse indicates, in the God whom her sons worshipped; not in her cultivated fields, not in her varied scenery, not in her peculiar civilization, not even in her temple and its rites, but in her God. No other contemporary nation worshipped one, pure, righteous, pitiful God, who sought the well being, material and spiritual, of all his children. Well may we, to whom God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, claim that our God is... read more

Group of Brands