Psalms 106:7

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Our fathers {H1} understood {H7919} not thy wonders {H6381} in Egypt {H4714}; they remembered {H2142} not the multitude {H7230} of thy mercies {H2617}; but provoked {H4784} him at the sea {H3220}, even at the Red {H5488} sea {H3220}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Our ancestors in Egypt failed to grasp the meaning of your wonders. They didn't keep in mind your great deeds of grace but rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Suf.

Berean Standard Bible

Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wonders or remember Your abundant kindness; but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea.

American Standard Version

Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of thy lovingkindnesses, But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 106:7 serves as a poignant confession and lament, capturing a critical moment in Israel's history where the generation delivered from Egypt failed to comprehend God's miraculous interventions and forgot His abundant mercies. Despite witnessing divine wonders, their hearts remained hardened, leading them to provoke God at the Red Sea, thereby highlighting a recurring pattern of human spiritual amnesia and rebellion against divine grace.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, forming a significant part of the fourth book of the Psalter. It functions as a national confession of sin, recounting Israel's tumultuous relationship with Yahweh from the Exodus to the Babylonian exile. Unlike many psalms that focus on individual lament or praise, Psalm 106 provides a sweeping historical overview, repeatedly emphasizing Israel's unfaithfulness and God's enduring patience. Verse 7 specifically initiates the detailed recounting of Israel's provocations, immediately following the introductory call to praise and acknowledgment of God's righteousness in [Psalms 106:1-6](/psalms/106-1 "Psalms 106:1-6 - Call to Praise and Confession"). This verse sets the stage for the subsequent litany of rebellions in the wilderness, establishing a pattern of forgetfulness and disobedience that permeates the nation's history, a theme deeply explored in books like [Numbers](/numbers/1 "The Book of Numbers - Wilderness Wanderings") and [Deuteronomy](/deuteronomy/1 "The Book of Deuteronomy - Moses' Farewell Speeches").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting for Psalms 106:7 is the immediate aftermath of the Exodus from Egypt, specifically the pivotal moment at the Red Sea. The "wonders in Egypt" refer to the ten devastating plagues God unleashed upon Pharaoh and Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn ([Exodus 12:29](/exodus/12-29 "Exodus 12:29 - The Tenth Plague")). These were not mere natural disasters but supernatural displays of Yahweh's power, intended to demonstrate His sovereignty over all creation and false gods. The "Red Sea" (Yam Suph, likely the Reed Sea) was the site of Israel's miraculous deliverance, where God parted the waters for them to cross on dry ground, then closed them upon the pursuing Egyptian army ([Exodus 14:21-31](/exodus/14-21 "Exodus 14:21-31 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")). Culturally, the memory of these foundational events was central to Israel's identity and faith, commemorated annually through festivals like Passover. The psalmist's lament highlights the profound tragedy of a generation that, despite being direct witnesses to such unparalleled divine intervention, quickly succumbed to fear and doubt, provoking the very God who had just delivered them.
* **Key Themes:** This verse encapsulates several profound themes central to the Old Testament narrative. First, it underscores **Human Forgetfulness and Spiritual Amnesia**, revealing a deep-seated human tendency to quickly disregard divine acts of mercy and power. The "fathers understood not" and "remembered not" speaks to a spiritual blindness and a failure to internalize the lessons of God's faithfulness, a theme echoed in [Deuteronomy 8:11-14](/deuteronomy/8-11 "Deuteronomy 8:11-14 - Warning Against Forgetting God"). Second, it highlights **Rebellion and Provocation**, as the people's immediate response to the pursuing Egyptians was not trust but complaint and defiance, directly challenging God's ability and willingness to save them ([Exodus 14:11-12](/exodus/14-11 "Exodus 14:11-12 - Israel's Complaints at the Red Sea")). This "provoking" signifies a deliberate act of challenging God's authority and character. Third, implicitly, the verse points to **God's Enduring Mercy Amidst Human Failure**. Though not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of Psalm 106 and the Exodus narrative itself reveals that despite Israel's rebellion, God still performed the miracle of the Red Sea, demonstrating His steadfast love and commitment to His covenant people, even when they were undeserving. This divine patience is a recurring motif, for instance, in [Nehemiah 9:16-17](/nehemiah/9-16 "Nehemiah 9:16-17 - Israel's Rebellion and God's Mercy").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Understood (Hebrew, _biyn_):** This verb signifies more than mere intellectual apprehension; it implies a deep, discerning comprehension, an ability to perceive the true nature and implications of something. Here, it suggests that the "fathers" failed to grasp the profound theological significance of God's wonders—that these acts revealed His power, sovereignty, and covenant faithfulness. Their failure was not intellectual deficit but spiritual blindness, an inability to connect God's actions with His character and their own identity as His chosen people.
* **Remembered (Hebrew, _zakhar_):** This word is crucial in biblical theology, meaning not just to recall information, but to act upon it, to live in light of it, and to keep it alive through communal practice. To "remember not" God's mercies is therefore a profound indictment, indicating a failure to internalize His goodness and allow it to shape their faith and behavior. It implies a spiritual amnesia that led to practical unfaithfulness, contrasting sharply with God's own covenant faithfulness, as seen in His promise to "remember His covenant" ([Genesis 9:15](/genesis/9-15 "Genesis 9:15 - God Remembers His Covenant")).
* **Provoked (Hebrew, _marah_):** This verb carries a strong connotation of rebellion, bitterness, or being contentious. It describes a defiant attitude, an act of open opposition or resistance to authority. When applied to God, as here, it signifies a direct challenge to His sovereignty, His commands, and His character. It's not a passive oversight but an active, willful act of disobedience and lack of trust, stemming from a hardened heart.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt;":** This initial clause sets a somber tone, immediately identifying the core issue: a profound lack of spiritual discernment. Despite witnessing the ten plagues, which were undeniable demonstrations of God's power over creation and the gods of Egypt, the generation that experienced these miracles failed to truly grasp their meaning. They saw the events but did not internalize the identity and character of the God performing them, leading to a superficial and transient faith.
* **"they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies;":** This clause deepens the indictment, moving from a lack of understanding to a failure of memory. "Multitude" (Hebrew, _rob_) emphasizes the overwhelming abundance of God's steadfast love and kindness (Hebrew, _chesed_) displayed in delivering them. To "remember not" is to disregard God's past faithfulness, to allow fear and present circumstances to overshadow the undeniable evidence of His compassionate care. This spiritual amnesia is a root cause of their subsequent rebellion.
* **"but provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea.":** This final clause presents the immediate consequence of their spiritual blindness and forgetfulness. Despite being on the cusp of miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh's army, they grumbled, doubted, and challenged Moses and, by extension, God Himself. The repetition of "at the sea, even at the Red sea" emphasizes the specific, critical juncture where their faith faltered most dramatically. Their "provocation" was an active act of rebellion, a direct affront to God's power and promises, even as He was about to perform one of the greatest miracles in their history.

#### Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. **Contrast** is paramount, juxtaposing God's "wonders" and "multitude of mercies" with Israel's failure to "understand" and "remember." This highlights the profound disconnect between divine action and human response. The phrase "provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea" utilizes **Repetition** (specifically, **Parallelism** with slight variation) to emphasize the precise location and critical nature of their rebellion, underscoring the immediate and undeniable context of God's recent deliverance. The entire verse functions as a **Lament** and **Confession**, expressing sorrow over past failures and acknowledging national sin. Furthermore, there's an element of **Irony** in that the very people who had just witnessed God's unparalleled power against Egypt would so quickly doubt His ability to save them from Pharaoh's army, demonstrating a tragic spiritual blindness.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 106:7 serves as a stark reminder of the human propensity for spiritual amnesia and rebellion, even in the face of overwhelming divine revelation. It underscores the biblical truth that seeing God's works does not automatically equate to knowing God's heart or trusting His character. This verse highlights the danger of a superficial faith that fails to internalize God's past faithfulness, leading to doubt and disobedience in present trials. It speaks to the ongoing need for humanity to remember God's covenant mercies and to respond with gratitude and trust, rather than provocation. The psalmist's recounting of this historical failure serves as a warning against repeating the mistakes of the past, emphasizing the continuous call to a deep, abiding faith that is rooted in remembrance and understanding of God's character.

* [Deuteronomy 6:12](/deuteronomy/6-12 "Deuteronomy 6:12 - Do Not Forget the Lord")
* [Hebrews 3:7-11](/hebrews/3-7 "Hebrews 3:7-11 - Warning Against Hardening Hearts")
* [1 Corinthians 10:1-5](/1_corinthians/10-1 "1 Corinthians 10:1-5 - Israel's Examples for Us")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 106:7 offers a timeless mirror for self-examination, challenging us to consider our own spiritual memory and responsiveness to God's grace. Just as the Israelites forgot God's wonders, we too can become desensitized to His daily mercies and past interventions in our lives. This verse calls us to cultivate a deliberate practice of remembrance, recalling specific instances of God's faithfulness to strengthen our trust in His character during current trials. It warns against the spiritual blindness that prevents us from truly understanding the deeper meaning of God's actions, urging us to pray for discernment to perceive His hand at work around us. Ultimately, the provocation at the Red Sea stemmed from a lack of trust; in moments of fear or uncertainty, we are called to lean on God's unchanging character and His promises, rather than succumbing to doubt and complaint. This verse encourages us to learn from history, fostering a spirit of gratitude, unwavering trust, and active obedience in response to God's unfailing love.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "wonders" has God performed in my life or in the world that I have failed to truly "understand" or appreciate?**
* **In what ways have I forgotten "the multitude of God's mercies" when faced with challenges or uncertainties?**
* **Have there been moments when I "provoked" God through doubt, complaint, or disobedience, even after experiencing His deliverance?**
* **How can I cultivate a more intentional practice of remembering God's faithfulness to strengthen my faith in the present?**

### FAQ
**Why did the "fathers" not understand or remember God's wonders and mercies?**

Answer: The text suggests a spiritual rather than intellectual failure. They witnessed the events but failed to grasp their profound theological significance—that these acts revealed God's power, sovereignty, and covenant faithfulness. Their "not understanding" implies a lack of discerning comprehension, while "not remembering" indicates a failure to internalize God's goodness and allow it to shape their faith and behavior. This spiritual amnesia led to practical unfaithfulness, as seen in their immediate complaints at the Red Sea despite just being delivered from Egypt ([Exodus 14:11](/exodus/14-11 "Exodus 14:11 - Israel's Complaints")). It highlights a recurring human tendency to quickly forget divine acts when faced with new challenges, often due to fear, impatience, or a hardened heart.

**What does it mean to "provoke" God at the Red Sea?**

Answer: To "provoke" God (Hebrew: _marah_) signifies an act of rebellion, defiance, or open opposition to His authority and character. At the Red Sea, after witnessing the plagues and the beginning of their exodus, the Israelites saw Pharaoh's army approaching and immediately despaired, complaining bitterly to Moses and questioning God's ability to save them ([Exodus 14:10-12](/exodus/14-10 "Exodus 14:10-12 - Israel's Fear and Complaint")). This was not a simple mistake but a direct challenge to God's power and faithfulness, demonstrating a profound lack of trust despite His recent, overwhelming displays of mercy. Their provocation was an act of willful disobedience rooted in fear and unbelief, even as God was about to perform one of the greatest miracles in their history.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 106:7, with its lament over Israel's spiritual amnesia and rebellion, finds its ultimate answer and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "wonders" and "multitude of mercies" that Israel failed to understand and remember were but shadows pointing to the ultimate wonder and mercy embodied in the person and work of Christ. While Israel provoked God at the Red Sea, demonstrating their inability to maintain faith even after miraculous deliverance, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the covenant, living a life of unwavering obedience and trust, never provoking the Father. He is the true Israel, the faithful Son, who perfectly understood and remembered the Father's will. The recurring cycle of human failure and divine patience, so evident in this psalm, is decisively broken in Christ, who, through His sacrificial death, 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")). His resurrection then offers a new and living way, not based on human remembrance or performance, but on His perfect work and the new covenant established in His blood ([Hebrews 8:6-13](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6-13 - A Superior Covenant")). Through faith in Him, believers are granted a new heart and the Spirit, enabling them to truly understand God's wonders and remember His mercies, no longer defined by the cycle of forgetfulness and rebellion, but by grace and new life ([Ezekiel 36:26-27](/ezekiel/36-26 "Ezekiel 36:26-27 - A New Heart and Spirit")).

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

Exodus 14:11

And they said unto Moses, Because [there were] no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

Exodus 14:12

[Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Psalms 78:42

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

Psalms 78:11

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

2 Thessalonians 2:10

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:12

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Proverbs 1:22

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?