Psalms 106:4

KJV

Remember me, O LORD, with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

KJV (with Strong's)

Remember {H2142} me, O LORD {H3068}, with the favour {H7522} that thou bearest unto thy people {H5971}: O visit {H6485} me with thy salvation {H3444};

Complete Jewish Bible

Remember me, ADONAI, when you show favor to your people, keep me in mind when you save them;

Berean Standard Bible

Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,

American Standard Version

Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people; Oh visit me with thy salvation,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 106:4 is a poignant personal plea embedded within a corporate psalm of national confession and remembrance. The psalmist, identifying with the failures of Israel, humbly requests God's active remembrance and benevolent intervention. He asks to be included in the special favor God consistently bestows upon His covenant people and to experience God's saving power, demonstrating a profound trust in God's character and covenant promises despite the nation's—and implicitly, his own—transgressions.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 106 is a historical psalm, the final installment of a trilogy (Psalms 105-107) that surveys Israel's history with God. While Psalm 105 recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, Psalm 106 serves as a national confession, detailing Israel's repeated rebellion, idolatry, and ingratitude from the Exodus through the wilderness wanderings and into the Promised Land. It highlights the stark contrast between God's enduring mercy and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness. Verse 4, though a personal petition, is strategically placed within this corporate narrative. It acts as a pivot, shifting from the lament over national sin to a hopeful appeal for divine grace, demonstrating that individual salvation is often intertwined with the destiny of God's people. The psalmist's plea is not for an isolated blessing but for inclusion in God's redemptive dealings with His chosen nation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The psalm likely reflects a post-exilic or exilic period, as it concludes with a prayer for gathering the dispersed (Psalms 106:47). The recounting of Israel's history, particularly the wilderness generation, served as a powerful reminder to a people who had experienced national judgment (the Babylonian exile) due to their continued disobedience. The cultural understanding of "remembering" (Hebrew: _zakhar_) in the ancient Near East was not merely cognitive recall but implied active, effective intervention. When God "remembers," He acts on behalf of those He remembers, fulfilling His promises or delivering from distress. Similarly, "visiting" (Hebrew: _paqad_) could mean to inspect, appoint, or intervene, either for blessing or judgment. Here, the psalmist clearly seeks a visitation of blessing and salvation. The concept of God's "favor" (Hebrew: _ratson_) was deeply tied to the covenant relationship, signifying God's benevolent disposition and delight in His chosen nation.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes prevalent in Psalm 106 and the broader Psalter. The overarching theme is the **contrast between God's steadfast love (חֶסֶד, _hesed_) and Israel's unfaithfulness**. Despite Israel's rebellion, God's mercy endures, a truth echoed throughout the psalm, particularly in [Psalms 106:1](/psalms/106-1 "Psalms 106:1 - God's Steadfast Love"). The verse also highlights the theme of **divine remembrance and intervention**, emphasizing that God's active care is essential for His people's well-being and deliverance. The psalmist's personal plea within a corporate lament underscores the **interconnectedness of individual and communal identity** within the covenant. Finally, the desire for "salvation" points to God's ultimate power and willingness to deliver His people from their enemies and their sins, a theme consistently found in passages like [Isaiah 12:2](/isaiah/12-2 "Isaiah 12:2 - God is My Salvation").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Remember (Hebrew, _zakhar'_):** This word signifies far more than a mere mental recollection. In biblical usage, particularly when applied to God, "remembering" implies an active, effective, and often redemptive intervention. It means to call to mind with the intent to act on behalf of someone or something, often in fulfillment of a covenant promise or in response to a plea. For the psalmist, it is a prayer for God to turn His attention and power towards him with a purpose of blessing and deliverance.
* **Favour (Hebrew, _ratson'_):** This term denotes goodwill, delight, acceptance, or pleasure. When used of God, it describes His benevolent disposition and active delight in His people, leading to blessings and prosperity. The psalmist is not asking for a generic blessing but specifically for the _kind_ of favor that God uniquely bestows upon His chosen covenant people, desiring to be included in that special relationship.
* **Visit (Hebrew, _paqad'_):** This verb carries a broad semantic range, from "to attend to," "to inspect," "to appoint," to "to muster." In the context of divine action, it often means to intervene or come to someone, either for blessing (as here) or for judgment. Here, the psalmist requests a positive, active, and beneficial visitation from God, implying a direct and powerful manifestation of God's presence and care.
* **Salvation (Hebrew, _yeshu'ah'_):** This is a comprehensive term for deliverance, rescue, welfare, and victory. It encompasses physical deliverance from enemies or distress, spiritual well-being, and ultimate liberation. It is the same root from which the name "Jesus" (Yeshua) is derived, pointing to God's ultimate and complete deliverance. The psalmist seeks God's active power to bring about wholeness and rescue.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Remember me, O LORD":** This is a direct, personal, and urgent appeal to God. The psalmist, despite the national confession of sin, dares to ask for individual attention and action from the sovereign God. It acknowledges God's power and His ability to intervene directly in one's life.
* **"with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people":** This clause defines the nature and basis of the requested remembrance. The psalmist does not appeal to his own merit, but to God's consistent, benevolent disposition towards His covenant people, Israel. He desires to be a recipient of the same special goodwill and blessings that God characteristically bestows upon the collective body of His chosen ones, demonstrating a desire for inclusion in the covenant community's blessings.
* **"O visit me with thy salvation;":** This is the specific outcome desired from God's remembrance and favor. The request for God to "visit" implies a direct, active, and powerful intervention. The goal of this visitation is "salvation," encompassing comprehensive deliverance from distress, spiritual well-being, and divine rescue. It is a plea for God to manifest His saving power in the psalmist's life, bringing about a state of wholeness and liberation.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. **Apostrophe** is prominently featured as the psalmist directly addresses God ("O LORD"), creating an intimate and immediate tone of supplication. The structure of the verse exhibits **parallelism**, specifically a form of synonymous or complementary parallelism. The first line, "Remember me, O LORD, with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people," is reinforced and expanded by the second, "O visit me with thy salvation." "Remembering with favor" is closely linked to "visiting with salvation," suggesting that God's active remembrance of His people's plight culminates in His saving intervention. The use of "favour" and "salvation" can also be seen as **metonymy**, where these abstract qualities represent the tangible blessings and acts of deliverance that flow from God's character and covenant relationship. The entire verse functions as a **supplication** or **prayer**, a direct and earnest plea to God for His benevolent action.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 106:4 profoundly connects to the broader biblical narrative of God's covenant faithfulness and His people's reliance on His grace. It underscores the truth that God's remembrance is not passive but active, leading to His saving intervention. The psalmist's plea to be included in the "favor" God shows His people highlights the corporate dimension of God's redemptive plan; individual blessing is often experienced within the context of the covenant community. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that even in times of national or personal failure, believers can appeal to God's character and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people, trusting that His salvation is available to those who seek Him.

* [Exodus 3:7-8](/exodus/3-7 "Exodus 3:7-8 - God Remembers Israel's Affliction")
* [Numbers 10:9](/numbers/10-9 "Numbers 10:9 - God Remembers His People in Battle")
* [Isaiah 49:15-16](/isaiah/49-15 "Isaiah 49:15-16 - God's Unwavering Remembrance")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse offers a profound model for personal prayer, especially when we are acutely aware of our own shortcomings or the failures of the community around us. It teaches us to anchor our petitions not in our worthiness, but in God's unchanging character and His covenant commitment to His people. We are invited to humbly ask for God's active remembrance, trusting that when God remembers, He acts. This means seeking His specific "favor"—the unique goodwill and blessing He pours out on those who are His—and His "salvation," which encompasses deliverance from all forms of bondage, spiritual renewal, and comprehensive well-being. It encourages us to identify with the larger body of believers, recognizing that our personal walk is deeply intertwined with the corporate experience of God's grace, and that we receive blessings as part of His family, the Church.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you most need God's active "remembrance" and "visitation" today?**
* **How does understanding God's "favor" towards His people encourage you to pray for yourself and for the Church?**
* **How does the psalmist's plea, made in the context of national sin, challenge your own approach to prayer when you are conscious of your failings?**
* **What does it mean for you personally to be "visited with God's salvation" in your daily life?**

### FAQ

**What does "remember me, O LORD" truly mean in this context?**

Answer: In biblical theology, particularly when applied to God, "remembering" (Hebrew: _zakhar_) is not merely a cognitive recall, as if God could forget. Instead, it signifies God's active, purposeful attention and intervention on behalf of someone or something. When the psalmist asks God to "remember" him, he is praying for God to turn His divine attention towards him with the intent to act, to fulfill His promises, or to deliver him from distress. It's a plea for God to bring His covenant faithfulness and power to bear on the psalmist's current situation, as seen in God's remembrance of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in [Exodus 2:24](/exodus/2-24 "Exodus 2:24 - God Remembers His Covenant").

**How does the psalmist's request for "favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people" apply to believers today?**

Answer: The psalmist's request to share in the "favor" (Hebrew: _ratson_) God shows His people highlights the corporate nature of God's blessings. He desires to be included in the unique goodwill, delight, and benevolent disposition that God consistently extends to His covenant community. For believers today, this applies to the Church, which is the new covenant people of God. We are called into a corporate body, and many of God's blessings, His favor, and His presence are experienced within this community. To pray for God's favor upon us "with the favor that you bear unto your people" is to ask to be fully included in the spiritual blessings, protection, and purposes God has for His Church, as outlined in passages like [Ephesians 1:3-6](/ephesians/1-3 "Ephesians 1:3-6 - Spiritual Blessings in Christ").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 106:4 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The psalmist's plea for God to "remember me... with thy salvation" is answered definitively in the person and work of Christ. Jesus is the very embodiment of God's "visitation" and "salvation" (Hebrew: _Yeshua_). In His incarnation, God actively "visited" humanity, not with judgment, but with grace and truth, as proclaimed by Zechariah in [Luke 1:68-79](/luke/1-68 "Luke 1:68-79 - Zechariah's Prophecy of Salvation"). Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, God remembers His covenant people, extending His "favor" (His _ratson_) not based on human merit or national performance, but on the perfect obedience and redemptive work of His Son. Believers, by faith in Christ, are grafted into the true people of God, the spiritual Israel, and thereby receive the full measure of God's favor and ultimate salvation. The "salvation" sought by the psalmist—deliverance from sin, distress, and enemies—is comprehensively secured in Christ, who delivers us from the domain of darkness and transfers us to the kingdom of His beloved Son ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13-14 - Deliverance and Redemption in Christ")). Thus, in Christ, God's remembrance is eternal, His favor is boundless, and His salvation is complete for all who believe.

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 119:132

¶ Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

Luke 23:42

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Nehemiah 13:31

And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Nehemiah 13:14

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

Psalms 25:7

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

Nehemiah 13:22

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and [that] they should come [and] keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, [concerning] this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

Acts 15:14

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.