Psalms 106:44

Psa 106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

Ver. 44. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction] See for proof hereof the whole Book of Judges, and take notice of God’s philanthropy, who heareth men’s afflictions, as he did Hagar’s, Gen 16:11, and is oft found of them that seek him not, Isa 65:1. See 2Ki 14:26-27.

When he heard their cry] Heb. their shrill outcry; not for joy (as the word is mostly taken), but for grief.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44. (Psa 106:44) And he has looked at their distress when he heard them cry. The idiomatic form of the original may thus be represented by a bald translation, and he saw in the distress to them in his hearing their cry. As this follows the brief statement of their downfall, there is much probability in the opinion, that it relates to the "tokens for good," which were granted to the exiled Jews in Babylon long before their actual restoration. With the first clause compare Exo 2:25; Exo 4:31, Deu 4:30, Psa 18:7; Psa 102:3.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he remembered for them his covenant,.... At Sinai, according to Aben Ezra; rather that made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; see Psa 105:8, not their covenant who promised to hear and do all that the Lord commanded, and did it not; but his covenant, his promise of giving them the good land, and settling them in it: the Lord is ever mindful of the covenant of his grace for his people, for their good; he remembers the promises he has made, where they are in Christ; and so as to fulfil and apply them; he remembers the blessings of it, the sure mercies of David, and gives them; he remembers for whom it is made, and never forgets them; he remembers with whom it is made, with his Son, the surety, messenger, and Mediator of it; he remembers that he is their covenant God and Father, and will be so for evermore; he remembers his lovingkindness, which has been ever of old, which is the source and foundation of it.

And repented according to the multitude of his mercies; his mercies temporal and spiritual are many; and there is an abundance of mercy displayed especially in spiritual ones, in redemption, in regeneration, and in the forgiveness of sin. Or "according to the abundance of his grace", or "gracious benefits" (e); there is an abundance of grace in his heart, in his Son, in his covenant, in salvation by Christ, and in every part of it; and which appears at conversion, as superabundant; and by this multitude of mercy, and abundance of grace, he is moved to "repent". This is sometimes denied of him; and indeed he never repents so as to change his mind, to alter his purposes, to revoke his promises or his gifts, these are all without repentance; but he sometimes changes his ways and his works, his conduct in Providence, and the course of it; and then he may be said to repent of the evil he threatened to do, or was doing, when he puts a stop to it; and instead of that bestows favours and blessings.

(e) "secundum amplitudinem, seu multitudinem gratiarum suarum", Cocceius, Gejerus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Nevertheless, he regarded their affliction - literally, “And he looked upon the trouble that was upon them;” or, “and he saw in the distress to them.” The meaning is, that he did not turn away from it; he saw the need of interposition, and he came to them.

When he heard their cry - literally, “In his hearing their cry.” Their cry for help came before him, and he did not refuse to look upon their affliction. The idea is, that he was attracted to their case by their loud cry for help; and that when he heard the cry, he did not refuse to look upon their low and sad condition. God assists us when we cry to him. We ask his attention to our troubles; we pray for his help; and when he hears the cry, he comes and saves us. He does not turn away, or treat our case as unworthy of his notice.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 44-45. Sin in God's people.

1. Is very provoking to God.

2. Ensures chastisement.

3. Is to be sincerely mourned"their cry."

4. Will be graciously forgiven, and its effect removed. So the covenant promises.

Psalms 106:45*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Nevertheless he regarded their affliction; or, "he saw them in their trouble," i.e. he looked on them, and had regard to them. (see 2Ki_17:13 2Ch_36:15) When he heard their cry. As God "heard the cry" of his people, when they suffered oppression in Egypt, (Exo_2:23 Exo_3:7, Exo_3:9) so also in their other oppressions, (Jud_1:3:9, 15 4:3 6:6 10:10 1Sa_12:10, 1Sa_12:11, etc) if they did but humble themselves and "cry" to him, he always hearkened and gave them deliverance. (1Ch_5:20 2Ch_12:7 2Ch_14:11, 12 20:4-24 32:20, 21 33:11-13)

Vers. 44, 45. The hope of the exile.

Israel in exile had no hope at all, but in the mercy and the faithfulness of her redeeming God. (Lev_26:41, Lev_26:42) When a human soul is far away from God, and can sing no song of joy in the "strange land" of sinful alienation; when it is brought very low with a sense of Divine disapproval, and of a future which it dare not face; when it shrinks from the society of those with whom it once had sweet and sacred fellowship, and shuns the eye of human piety; there is one thing to remember, one refuge in which to hide the boundless mercy and the inviolable Word of God. That will not fail a human soul at its very worst. Up that pathway there is an escape from the "lowest hell" to the highest heaven.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The poet's range of vision here widens from the time of the judges to the history of the whole of the succeeding age down to the present; for the whole history of Israel has essentially the same fundamental character, viz., that Israel's unfaithfulness does not annul God's faithfulness. That verifies itself even now. That which Solomon in Kg1 8:50 prays for on behalf of his people when they may be betrayed into the hands of the enemy, has been fulfilled in the case of the dispersion of Israel in all countries (Psa 107:3), Babylonia, Egypt, etc.: God has turned the hearts of their oppressors towards them. On ראה ב, to regard compassionately, cf. Gen 29:32; Sa1 1:11. בּצּר לחם belong together, as in Psa 107:6, and frequently. רנּה is a cry of lamentation, as in Kg1 8:28 in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple. From this source comes Psa 106:6, and also from this source Psa 106:46, cf. Kg1 8:50 together with Neh 1:11. In ויּנּחם the drawing back of the tone does not take place, as in Gen 24:67. חסדו beside כּרב is not pointed by the Kerמ חסדּו, as in Psa 5:8; Psa 69:14, but as in Lam 3:32, according to Psa 106:7, Isa 63:7, חסדו: in accordance with the fulness (riches) of His manifold mercy or loving-kindness. The expression in Psa 106:46 is like Gen 43:14. Although the condition of the poet's fellow-countrymen in the dispersion may have been tolerable in itself, yet this involuntary scattering of the members of the nation is always a state of punishment. The poet prays in Psa 106:47 that God may be pleased to put an end to this.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Nevertheless, he

"Even though what I have just said is true, he." See how you translated this in Psalms 106:8.

their distress

"their affliction" or "their suffering"

called to mind

The phrase "call to mind" means to remember something. AT: "remembered" (See: Idiom)

He ... relented because of his steadfast love

"He ... decided that because he still loved them very much he would not punish them"

their conquerers

"their captors." This refers to the Isrealites' enemies who had taken them captive.

to have pity on them

"to be compassionate on them"

translationWords

call

mind

covenant faithfulness

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

But He looked upon their distress On account of prayer.

when He heard their cries On account of the merit of the Patriarchs.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.