Psalms 106:39

KJV

Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thus were they defiled {H2930} with their own works {H4639}, and went a whoring {H2181} with their own inventions {H4611}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Thus they were defiled by their deeds; they prostituted themselves by their actions,

Berean Standard Bible

They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.

American Standard Version

Thus were they defiled with their works, And played the harlot in their doings.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 106:39 serves as a poignant summary of Israel's profound spiritual decline, encapsulating the devastating consequences of their persistent disobedience and deep-seated idolatry. This verse vividly portrays how the chosen people, through their own deliberate choices and self-conceived religious practices, became ritually and morally defiled, engaging in spiritual adultery against the God who had faithfully covenanted with them. It underscores the self-inflicted nature of their corruption and the tragic outcome of forsaking divine revelation for human "inventions."

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, functioning as a communal confession of sin that meticulously recounts Israel's rebellious history from the Exodus through their settlement in Canaan and subsequent exiles. It serves as a lament and a prayer, acknowledging God's enduring faithfulness despite His people's chronic unfaithfulness. Verses [34-38](/psalms/106-34-38 "Psalm 106:34-38 - Israel's Failure to Dispossess Nations and Adopt Idolatry") specifically detail Israel's failure to obey God's command to utterly destroy the pagan nations in the land. Instead, they "mingled with the heathen, and learned their works" ([Psalm 106:35](/psalms/106-35 "Psalm 106:35 - Mingling with the Heathen")), adopting their detestable practices, including the horrific sacrifice of their own sons and daughters to idols ([Psalm 106:37-38](/psalms/106-37-38 "Psalm 106:37-38 - Child Sacrifice to Idols")). Verse 39, therefore, functions as a powerful summary statement, encapsulating the profound spiritual state—deep defilement and spiritual unfaithfulness—that resulted from these actions, setting the stage for the subsequent divine judgment and mercy described in the psalm.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop is the period following Israel's entry into the Promised Land, where they were commanded to dispossess the Canaanite inhabitants and eradicate their idolatrous practices. However, as recounted in books like [Judges](/judges/1 "The Book of Judges - Cycles of Disobedience"), Israel repeatedly failed to do so. The "inventions" refer to the pagan religious practices and idols of the surrounding nations (e.g., Baal, Asherah, Molech), which often involved fertility cults, ritual prostitution, and child sacrifice. These practices were anathema to Yahweh, who had established a unique covenant with Israel at Sinai, demanding exclusive worship and holiness. The metaphor of "whoring" or spiritual adultery was a common prophetic idiom to describe Israel's breaking of this covenant, likening God to a faithful husband and Israel to an unfaithful wife. This context highlights the stark contrast between God's holiness and Israel's descent into the moral depravity of the surrounding cultures.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within [Psalm 106](/psalms/106 "Psalm 106 - Israel's Rebellious History") and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Idolatry and Spiritual Unfaithfulness**, portraying Israel's turning to other gods as a profound act of infidelity against their covenant God, Yahweh. This spiritual "whoring" is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing God's exclusive claim on His people's worship (e.g., [Exodus 20:3](/exodus/20-3 "Exodus 20:3 - No Other Gods Before Me")). Secondly, it highlights **Self-Inflicted Defilement**, emphasizing that Israel's impurity was not externally imposed but was a direct result of their own choices and actions. Their "works" and "inventions"—their adopted pagan practices and human-made religious systems—rendered them spiritually unclean and separated from God's holiness, illustrating the internal corruption that arises from disobedience. Finally, the verse powerfully illustrates the **Consequences of Disobedience**, demonstrating that rejecting God's commands and substituting human wisdom or desires for divine revelation inevitably leads to moral and spiritual corruption, ultimately incurring divine judgment, as seen in Israel's repeated cycles of oppression and exile (e.g., [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses for Obedience and Disobedience")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Defiled (Hebrew, _ṭâmêʼ_):** A primitive root meaning "to be foul," especially in a ceremonial or moral sense, indicating contamination. It signifies being made unclean, polluted, or rendered unfit, reflecting a deep spiritual impurity that separates one from God's holiness.
* **Went a whoring (Hebrew, _zânâh_):** A primitive root meaning "to commit adultery" or "to be a harlot." Figuratively and predominantly used in the context of Israel, it means to commit idolatry, portraying the Jewish people as the spouse of Jehovah who has been unfaithful by pursuing other gods. It implies a deliberate act of spiritual infidelity.
* **Inventions (Hebrew, _maʻălâl_):** Derived from the root `ʻālal`, this noun refers to an act, doing, endeavor, or invention. In this context, it points to human-conceived practices, idols, or religious systems that are not divinely ordained, highlighting the self-originated nature of Israel's unfaithfulness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thus were they defiled with their own works":** This clause highlights the direct causal link between Israel's actions and their spiritual state. Their "works"—their deeds, their rituals, their adopted pagan practices, and their failure to obey God's commands—were the very source of their defilement. It underscores the principle that sin, particularly idolatry, inherently corrupts and renders one unclean in the sight of a holy God. The defilement was not an external punishment but an internal consequence of their choices.
* **"and went a whoring with their own inventions":** This second clause intensifies the imagery, using the vivid metaphor of spiritual adultery. "Whoring" emphasizes the illicit and unfaithful nature of their turning away from Yahweh, their covenant husband. The phrase "their own inventions" further specifies the nature of their unfaithfulness: it was not merely adopting existing paganism but actively creating or embracing human-devised religious practices and idols that stood in opposition to God's revealed will. This highlights the deliberate and self-initiated nature of their rebellion.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 106:39 employs several potent **Literary Devices** to convey its message. The most prominent is **Metaphor**, specifically the vivid portrayal of Israel "going a whoring" with their "inventions." This powerful imagery likens Israel's idolatry to spiritual adultery, drawing on the covenant relationship between God and Israel as a marriage. This **Anthropomorphism** (attributing human characteristics to God, here as a husband) underscores the deep personal betrayal inherent in their unfaithfulness. The phrase "defiled with their own works" demonstrates **Cause and Effect**, directly linking Israel's actions (their "works") to their spiritual state ("defiled"). There is also an element of **Irony** in that Israel, chosen to be a holy nation set apart for God, actively chose to defile themselves through practices that were meant to bring them closer to false deities. The conciseness of the verse, summarizing a long history of rebellion, also makes it a powerful **Summary Statement**.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 106:39 powerfully articulates the profound theological truth that sin, particularly idolatry, is a self-defiling act that breaks covenant relationship with God. It reveals God's absolute demand for exclusive worship and holiness from His people, viewing any deviation as spiritual adultery. The verse underscores humanity's propensity to create "inventions"—human-centered religious systems, philosophies, or idols—that ultimately lead to spiritual corruption and separation from the living God. It serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of syncretism and the substitution of human wisdom for divine revelation, demonstrating that true purity and communion with God are found only in steadfast faithfulness and obedience to His commands.

* [Exodus 34:15-16](/exodus/34-15-16 "Exodus 34:15-16 - Warning Against Covenant with Inhabitants of the Land")
* [Jeremiah 3:8-9](/jeremiah/3-8-9 "Jeremiah 3:8-9 - Israel's Spiritual Harlotry")
* [Romans 1:21-23](/romans/1-21-23 "Romans 1:21-23 - Suppressing the Truth in Unrighteousness")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 106:39 serves as a profound and sobering mirror for believers today, urging us to deeply examine our own lives for "inventions"—anything we create, embrace, or prioritize that subtly or overtly draws our devotion away from God. This isn't merely about physical idols; it encompasses any object of ultimate trust, value, or desire that competes with our allegiance to Christ. This could manifest as placing ultimate security in financial success, career achievements, personal relationships, social media validation, or even self-righteous religious practices that are devoid of true spiritual devotion. The verse challenges us to consider how easily we can become "defiled with our own works" when we rely on human traditions, cultural norms, or personal philosophies instead of the clear, unchanging truth of God's Word. It calls us to a radical commitment to spiritual purity, reminding us that true faithfulness involves guarding our hearts against compromise with worldly values and diligently pursuing exclusive devotion to God alone, lest we, like Israel, "go a whoring" with our own modern "inventions."

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "inventions" or self-devised practices in my life might be subtly drawing my devotion away from God?**
* **In what areas might I be relying on human wisdom or cultural norms instead of the clear teachings of Scripture, leading to spiritual defilement?**
* **How does my daily life demonstrate exclusive faithfulness to God, or are there areas where I am compromising or "whoring" after other gods?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a deeper, more singular devotion to Christ and guard against modern forms of idolatry?**

### FAQ

**What does "went a whoring" mean in a spiritual context, and how does it apply to believers today?**

Answer: In the biblical context, particularly in the Old Testament prophets, "going a whoring" (from the Hebrew _zânâh_) is a powerful metaphor for spiritual infidelity. It describes Israel's unfaithfulness to Yahweh, their covenant God, by turning to worship other gods or adopting pagan practices. Just as a wife commits adultery by being unfaithful to her husband, Israel committed spiritual adultery by breaking their covenant vows to God and pursuing false deities. For believers today, this metaphor extends beyond literal idol worship to encompass anything that takes the place of God as the supreme object of our devotion, trust, and affection. This could include materialism, career ambition, self-reliance, relationships, or even good works done without a heart for God. [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "Matthew 6:24 - Cannot Serve Two Masters") warns that we "cannot serve God and money," illustrating this principle of exclusive devotion. Therefore, "going a whoring" today means allowing anything to usurp God's rightful place in our lives, compromising our spiritual purity and covenant relationship with Him.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 106:39, with its stark depiction of Israel's self-inflicted defilement and spiritual whoredom, powerfully sets the stage for the necessity of Christ. Israel's inability to maintain covenant faithfulness, their constant turning to "their own works" and "inventions," underscores humanity's inherent sinfulness and desperate need for a perfect deliverer. The Old Covenant, though righteous, could not cleanse the heart from this deep-seated propensity for spiritual adultery. Jesus Christ, however, is the ultimate fulfillment and solution to this problem. He is the perfectly obedient Son who never "went a whoring" with human "inventions" but perfectly fulfilled the Father's will ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Does What Pleases the Father")). More profoundly, Christ became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), offering His life as the ultimate sacrifice to cleanse us from our defilement. Through His atoning work, believers are no longer "defiled with their own works" but are made righteous and holy in Him ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Made Sin for Us")). The New Covenant, established in His blood, provides not a law to be broken, but a new heart and spirit that enables true faithfulness and worship in spirit and truth, freeing us from the bondage of our "inventions" and leading us into pure devotion to God ([Hebrews 8:10](/hebrews/8-10 "Hebrews 8:10 - The New Covenant Written on Hearts")).

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

Ezekiel 20:18

But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

Numbers 15:39

And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Leviticus 17:7

And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

Revelation 17:1

¶ And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Ezekiel 20:30

Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?

Ezekiel 20:31

For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.