Psalms 106:21

KJV

They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

KJV (with Strong's)

They forgat {H7911} God {H410} their saviour {H3467}, which had done {H6213} great things {H1419} in Egypt {H4714};

Complete Jewish Bible

They forgot God, who had saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,

Berean Standard Bible

They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt,

American Standard Version

They forgat God their Saviour, Who had done great things in Egypt,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 106:21 serves as a profound and poignant lament over ancient Israel's spiritual amnesia, revealing their tragic failure to remember "God their saviour," despite having been eyewitnesses to His unparalleled power and faithfulness through the "great things" He performed during their miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage. This verse encapsulates a recurring and disheartening pattern of human ingratitude, forgetfulness, and rebellion against divine grace, highlighting the catastrophic consequences that arise when a people neglect to recall God's character, His covenant, and His mighty acts of salvation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, strategically positioned within Book IV of the Psalter (Psalms 90-106), a section that frequently meditates on God's enduring sovereignty and Israel's often-strained covenant relationship with Him. This particular psalm functions as a confessional lament, meticulously recounting the nation's long and lamentable history of rebellion and ingratitude against God, even in the face of His unwavering faithfulness and continuous acts of deliverance. Verse 21 is acutely placed immediately following the detailed description of the egregious sin of the golden calf at Mount Sinai (vv. 19-20), a direct and shocking violation of the freshly given commandments. It powerfully underscores the immediate and profound nature of Israel's spiritual forgetfulness, setting a somber tone for the psalm's subsequent recounting of their persistent wilderness rebellions (e.g., at Meribah, [Psalms 106:32-33](/psalms/106-32-33 "Psalm 106:32-33 - Rebellion at Meribah")) and their eventual exile. The psalm masterfully transitions from this historical recounting of sin to a fervent plea for restoration (vv. 47-48), thereby emphasizing that Israel's dire plight is a direct and tragic consequence of their persistent turning away from the God who continually sought to save them.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop for Psalms 106:21 is the critical period immediately following the miraculous Exodus from Egypt and the foundational covenant ceremony at Mount Sinai. The generation of Israelites referenced in this verse had personally experienced the ten devastating plagues that systematically crippled Egypt and compelled Pharaoh to release them from centuries of brutal slavery. They had witnessed the awe-inspiring miracle of the [Red Sea parting on dry ground](/exodus/14-21 "Exodus 14:21 - The Parting of the Red Sea"), followed by the complete and decisive destruction of the pursuing Egyptian army. Furthermore, they had encountered God's magnificent and terrifying presence at Mount Sinai, where He descended in fire and cloud to personally deliver His Law, including the foundational command against idolatry. Culturally, this was a people newly forged into a distinct nation, set apart from the polytheistic cultures surrounding them, yet tragically still susceptible to the pervasive allure of pagan worship, as vividly evidenced by their shockingly quick reversion to idolizing a golden calf, a practice eerily reminiscent of Egyptian bull cults (e.g., Apis). Their "forgetfulness" was not a mere intellectual oversight but a profound spiritual and relational betrayal of the very God who had just demonstrated His unique power, unwavering love, and covenant faithfulness in such an undeniable manner.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching and critical themes within Psalm 106 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it starkly highlights the **contrast between divine faithfulness and human fickleness**. God consistently acts as "saviour," performing "great things," while Israel repeatedly demonstrates profound spiritual amnesia and rebellion. Secondly, it underscores the pervasive theme of **spiritual forgetfulness and its dire consequences**. The "forgetting" of God's past acts of deliverance directly leads to idolatry, complaining, and disobedience, demonstrating that a failure to remember God's character and His mighty deeds inevitably results in a departure from His ways, as solemnly warned in [Deuteronomy 8:11-14](/deuteronomy/8-11-14 "Deuteronomy 8:11-14 - Warning Against Forgetting the Lord"). Thirdly, the verse powerfully exemplifies **covenant violation**, as the golden calf incident (explicitly detailed in the preceding verses) was a direct and egregious breach of the first two commandments given at Sinai, thereby jeopardizing their sacred relationship with God. Finally, it reinforces the enduring theme of **redemption and deliverance**, showcasing God's sovereign power to save, even when His people prove themselves utterly unworthy, a pattern consistently observed from the Exodus through the wilderness wanderings and beyond (e.g., [Numbers 14:11-20](/numbers/14-11-20 "Numbers 14:11-20 - Moses Intercedes for Israel")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Forgat (Hebrew, _shâkach'_):** This verb signifies far more than a simple intellectual oversight or absentmindedness. In biblical usage, _shâkach_ often implies a deliberate turning away, a willful neglect, or a failure to keep something in mind that *should* be remembered, cherished, and honored. It suggests an active spiritual apathy, a willful suppression of truth, or a disregard for God's covenant and His demonstrated love, leading to a failure to live in light of His past actions and revealed character. It represents a profound relational breach.
* **Saviour (Hebrew, _yâshaʻ'_):** Derived from a primitive root meaning "to be open, wide or free," this term conveys the profound idea of bringing deliverance, rescue, or salvation from distress, confinement, or imminent danger. When applied to God, as it is here, it emphasizes His unique and active role as the one who intervenes to liberate, preserve, and secure the well-being of His people. The use of "Saviour" in this context highlights the deep irony of Israel's forgetfulness: they forgot the very One who had just performed their most monumental and undeniable act of salvation.
* **Great things (Hebrew, _gâdôwl'_):** This adjective describes something as large, mighty, awesome, magnificent, or even profound. In this verse, "great things" refers specifically to the miraculous, awe-inspiring, and undeniable acts God performed in Egypt, such as the ten devastating plagues and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. These were not mere historical events but powerful, public demonstrations of God's unparalleled sovereignty, His absolute control over creation, and His decisive triumph over the false gods of Egypt, all intended to be indelible proofs of His unique identity, boundless power, and covenant faithfulness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"They forgat God their saviour":** This initial clause lays bare the core sin of Israel: a profound spiritual amnesia. It is not merely a lapse of memory, but a deliberate and active failure to acknowledge God's character, His covenant relationship with them, and His active, saving role as their deliverer. This "forgetting" is a deep relational and spiritual turning away, indicative of a severe lack of gratitude and trust, which directly precipitated their subsequent disobedience and idolatry.
* **"which had done great things in Egypt;":** This second clause provides the stark contrast and the tragic irony that defines the verse. The "great things" refer to the undeniable, miraculous, and awe-inspiring acts God performed to liberate them from centuries of brutal slavery – the devastating plagues, the institution of the Passover, and the miraculous Red Sea crossing. These were monumental demonstrations of divine power, unwavering love, and covenant commitment, intended to form the very foundation of their national identity, faith, and worship. The shocking fact that they "forgat" such undeniable, recent, and foundational acts underscores the profound depth of their spiritual blindness, ingratitude, and rebellion.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 106:21 masterfully employs **Irony** and **Contrast** to underscore its profound theological message. The deep and tragic **Irony** lies in the fact that Israel "forgat God their saviour" immediately after He had performed "great things" for them. The very acts that should have indelibly cemented their faith, gratitude, and obedience became tragically forgotten, highlighting humanity's inherent and persistent tendency towards spiritual amnesia and unfaithfulness. This creates a stark **Contrast** between God's consistent, powerful, and loving intervention on behalf of His people and their immediate, shocking ingratitude, rebellion, and spiritual forgetfulness. The psalm's overarching structure, which recounts a litany of Israel's failures against the unwavering backdrop of God's enduring faithfulness, powerfully reinforces this pattern of contrast, revealing the persistent nature of human sin against the boundless nature of divine grace.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 106:21 serves as a timeless theological warning about the pervasive human propensity for spiritual forgetfulness and ingratitude, even in the face of overwhelming and undeniable evidence of God's power, love, and saving work. It profoundly highlights that true remembrance of God is not merely an intellectual recall of facts but a deep, heart-level acknowledgment that fundamentally shapes one's identity, directs one's worship, and compels one's obedience. When God's past acts of salvation are forgotten or deliberately ignored, the very foundation for present faith erodes, leading inevitably to idolatry, murmuring, and rebellion. This verse underscores the ongoing and critical need for humanity to actively cultivate a spirit of remembrance and gratitude, recognizing that our default spiritual setting is often to drift away from the One who consistently saves. It also implicitly points to God's incredible patience, long-suffering, and persistent grace, as He continues to pursue, redeem, and restore a people who repeatedly forget Him and violate His covenant.

* [Deuteronomy 6:12](/deuteronomy/6-12 "Deuteronomy 6:12 - Do Not Forget the Lord")
* [Hebrews 3:7-12](/hebrews/3-7-12 "Hebrews 3:7-12 - Warning Against Unbelief")
* [Romans 1:21](/romans/1-21 "Romans 1:21 - Suppressing the Truth")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 106:21 offers a profound and challenging mirror for all believers, urging us to deeply examine the state of our own spiritual memory. Just as ancient Israel quickly forgot God's monumental acts of deliverance, we too can easily fall into the insidious trap of spiritual amnesia, allowing the relentless pressures, anxieties, and distractions of daily life to obscure our remembrance of God's past faithfulness, His unchanging character, and His ongoing saving work in our lives. This forgetfulness is far from benign; it is a dangerous and deceptive pathway that can lead to murmuring, debilitating anxiety, subtle idolatry (placing other things before God), and ultimately, a weakening of our faith and a departure from joyful obedience. To combat this pervasive spiritual malady, we are called to intentionally cultivate a habit of active remembrance, diligently recalling and meditating on the "great things" God has done for us—from the transformative experience of our personal salvation to His daily provisions, unwavering guidance, and countless acts of grace. This active and deliberate recollection fosters a heart overflowing with gratitude, strengthens our trust in His sovereignty, and provides profound resilience against the temptations to doubt, despair, or drift away from Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of my life have I recently forgotten God's past faithfulness and His "great things" done for me, allowing present challenges to overshadow His past mercies?**
* **What practical and consistent steps can I implement daily or weekly to intentionally remember God's character, His covenant promises, and His saving acts in my life?**
* **How does my current level of gratitude, trust, and obedience reflect my active remembrance of God as my "Saviour" and faithful provider?**

### FAQ
**Why is "forgetting" God such a serious offense in this context?**

In the biblical sense, "forgetting" God is far more than a simple lapse of memory; it signifies a deliberate turning away, a profound spiritual apathy, or a willful failure to live in light of His revealed character and monumental acts of salvation. For Israel, it was an egregious breach of their covenant relationship with God, who had just delivered them from centuries of brutal slavery and established them as His chosen people. Forgetting the "great things" God did in Egypt meant denying His unique power, His unwavering love, and His absolute authority as their only true God. This spiritual amnesia directly led to idolatry (as seen with the golden calf in [Exodus 32](/exodus/32 "Exodus 32 - The Golden Calf")) and persistent disobedience, thereby undermining the very foundation of their national identity, purpose, and spiritual well-being. It represents a fundamental failure to acknowledge God's sovereignty and a rejection of His rightful place as the supreme Lord of their lives.

**What were some of the "great things" God did in Egypt that Israel forgot?**

The "great things" God did in Egypt refer primarily to the series of ten devastating plagues He unleashed upon Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn and the institution of the Passover. These plagues systematically dismantled the power of Pharaoh and the false gods of Egypt, demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty over all creation. Following this, the most dramatic "great thing" was the miraculous [parting of the Red Sea](/exodus/14-21 "Exodus 14:21 - The Parting of the Red Sea"), which allowed the Israelites to escape on dry ground while utterly destroying the pursuing Egyptian army. These acts were undeniable, public, and awe-inspiring displays of God's power, love, and unwavering commitment to His covenant people, designed to be remembered for generations as the foundational acts of their national redemption and the irrefutable proof of His divine identity.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 106:21, with its lament over Israel's profound spiritual amnesia regarding God their "saviour" and His "great things" in Egypt, powerfully foreshadows humanity's ultimate and desperate need for a perfect, unwavering Savior in the person of Jesus Christ. Israel's repeated failure to remember and remain faithful highlights humanity's inherent inability to sustain a right relationship with God through mere human effort, willpower, or fallible memory. This verse implicitly cries out for a new covenant, one not dependent on fickle human remembrance, but secured by an eternal, divine act. Jesus, as the true [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), embodies the ultimate "Saviour," performing "greater things" than the Exodus. His sacrificial death on the cross and triumphant resurrection are the supreme acts of deliverance, rescuing humanity not from physical slavery but from the far deeper and more pervasive bondage of sin and death (cf. [Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Wages of Sin")). Unlike ancient Israel, who repeatedly forgot their deliverer, those who are in Christ are given the indwelling [Holy Spirit, who teaches and reminds us of all that Jesus said](/john/14-26 "John 14:26 - The Holy Spirit as Teacher and Reminder"), thereby ensuring that the "great things" of God's ultimate salvation are not forgotten. Our remembrance is not left to our own fallible minds but is divinely enabled and sustained, particularly through the regular observance of the Lord's Supper, where we [proclaim the Lord's death until He comes](/1_corinthians/11-26 "1 Corinthians 11:26 - The Lord's Supper"). Thus, Christ fulfills the role of the perfect Savior, establishing a new covenant where God's faithfulness is eternally guaranteed, and our remembrance is secured by His Spirit, leading us into an everlasting and unbreakable relationship with Him (cf. [Hebrews 8:10-12](/hebrews/8-10-12 "Hebrews 8:10-12 - The New Covenant")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 78:42

They remembered not his hand, [nor] the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

Psalms 78:51

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

Jeremiah 2:32

Can a maid forget her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Psalms 106:13

¶ They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

Deuteronomy 10:21

He [is] thy praise, and he [is] thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

Psalms 78:11

And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

Psalms 78:12

Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan.