Psalm 106:8

Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 106:8-12. Nevertheless, he saved them for his name’s sake — That he might glorify his name, and vindicate it from the blasphemous reproaches which the Egyptians and others would have cast upon it if the Israelites had been destroyed. He rebuked the sea also — For standing in their way, and retarding their march; and it was dried up — Immediately; as, in the creation, at God’s rebuke the waters fled, Psalm 104:7. He led them through the depths as through the wilderness — As securely as if they had walked upon the dry land. He saved them from him that hated them — From Pharaoh, who pursued them with cruel rage and hatred. The waters covered their enemies — So as to slay them, but not so as to conceal their shame; for, the next tide, they were thrown up dead upon the shore. There was not one of them left — To carry tidings what was become of the rest. Then believed they his words — The Israelites acknowledged that God was with them of a truth, and had, in mercy to them, brought them out of Egypt, and not with any design to slay them in the wilderness. Then they feared the Lord, and his servant Moses, Exodus 14:31. They sang his praise — In that song of Moses, penned on this great occasion, Exodus 15:1. Observe, reader, in what a gracious and merciful way God sometimes silences the unbelief of his people, and turns their fears into praises!

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

106:6-12 Here begins a confession of sin; for we must acknowledge that the Lord has done right, and we have done wickedly. We are encouraged to hope that though justly corrected, yet we shall not be utterly forsaken. God's afflicted people own themselves guilty before him. God is distrusted because his favours are not remembered. If he did not save us for his own name's sake, and to the praise of his power and grace, we should all perish.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake - For the promotion of his own honor and glory; that it might be seen that he is powerful and merciful. This is constantly given as the reason why God saves people; why he forgives sin; why he redeems the soul; why he delivers from danger and from death. Compare Ezekiel 36:22, Ezekiel 36:32; Isaiah 37:35; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 48:9; Jeremiah 14:7; Psalm 6:4; Psalm 23:3; Psalm 25:11; Psalm 31:16; Psalm 44:26. This is the highest reason which can be assigned for pardoning and saving sinners.

That he might make his mighty power to be known - Exodus 9:16. Compare the notes at Romans 9:17.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. for his name's sake—(Eze 20:14).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

For his name’s sake; that he might glorify his name, and vindicate it from the blasphemous reproaches which the Egyptians and others would have cast upon it, if they had been destroyed. This argument was urged by Moses, Numbers 14:13, &c.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake,.... Not for any worth or worthiness in them; not for their righteousness sake, for they were a rebellious and disobedient people; but for his name's sake, because his name was called upon them, and he was called the God of the Hebrews, as Aben Ezra observes; and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their ancestors; to whom he had promised the land of Canaan, and was their covenant God; and because of his covenant, and of his divine perfections, and the glory of them, which were engaged to make it good; therefore he saved them, see Ezekiel 20:9. And so the spiritual Israel of God are saved, not for any superior excellencies in them, for they are in no wise better than others; nor for their righteousness sake; but to display the wisdom and faithfulness of God, his grace and mercy, his justice and holiness, power, goodness, and truth. And so here it follows;

that he might make his mighty power to be known; not only among the Israelites, but among the nations of the world; who, had he not saved them, might have thought, and said, that it was for want of power, and that he could not do it; see Deuteronomy 9:28.

Geneva Study Bible

Nevertheless he {e} saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

(e) The inestimable goodness of God appears in this, that he would rather change the order of nature than have his people not be delivered, even though they were wicked.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. Their conduct would have justified Jehovah in taking them at their word, and leaving them to return to Egypt, but for His name’s sake, in order to uphold His character as a God of mercy, and to make known His might to the nations of the earth (Psalm 77:14), He delivered them. Cp. Ezekiel 20:9; Ezekiel 20:14, a chapter evidently in the Psalmist’s mind: see Psalm 106:26-27.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - Nevertheless he saved them for his Name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. (On this motive for the mighty works done in Egypt, see Exodus 7:5; Exodus 14:4, 18; Exodus 15:11-16.) Psalm 106:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The key-note of the vidduj, which is a settled expression since 1 Kings 8:47 (Daniel 9:5, cf. Bar. 2:12), makes itself heard here in Psalm 106:6; Israel is bearing at this time the punishment of its sins, by which it has made itself like its forefathers. In this needy and helpless condition the poet, who all along speaks as a member of the assembly, takes the way of the confession of sin, which leads to the forgiveness of sin and to the removal of the punishment of sin. רשׁע, 1 Kings 8:47, signifies to be, and the Hiph. to prove one's self to be, a רשׁע. עם in Psalm 106:6 is equivalent to aeque ac, as in Ecclesiastes 2:16; Job 9:26. With Psalm 106:7 the retrospect begins. The fathers contended with Moses and Aaron in Egypt (Exodus 5:21), and gave no heed to the prospect of redemption (Exodus 6:9). The miraculous judgments which Moses executed (Exodus 3:20) had no more effect in bringing them to a right state of mind, and the abundant tokens of loving-kindness (Isaiah 63:7) amidst which God redeemed them made so little impression on their memories that they began to despair and to murmur even at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:11.). With על, Psalm 106:7, alternates בּ (as in Ezekiel 10:15, בּנהר); cf. the alternation of prepositions in Joel 3:8. When they behaved thus, Jahve might have left their redemption unaccomplished, but out of unmerited mercy He nevertheless redeemed them. Psalm 106:8-11 are closely dependent upon Exodus 14. Psalm 106:11 is a transposition (cf. Psalm 34:21; Isaiah 34:16) from Exodus 14:28. On the other hand, Psalm 106:9 is taken out of Isaiah 63:13 (cf. Wisd. 19:9); Isaiah 63:7-64:12 is a prayer for redemption which has a similar ground-colouring. The sea through which they passed is called, as in the Tפra, ים־סוּף, which seems, according to Exodus 2:3; Isaiah 19:3, to signify the sea of reed or sedge, although the sedge does not grow in the Red Sea itself, but only on the marshy places of the coast; but it can also signify the sea of sea-weed, mare algosum, after the Egyptian sippe, wool and sea-weed (just as Arab. ṣûf also signifies both these). The word is certainly Egyptian, whether it is to be referred back to the Egyptian word sippe (sea-weed) or seebe (sedge), and is therefore used after the manner of a proper name; so that the inference drawn by Knobel on Exodus 8:18 from the absence of the article, that סוּף is the name of a town on the northern point of the gulf, is groundless. The miracle at the sea of sedge or sea-weed - as Psalm 106:12 says - also was not without effect. Exodus 14:31 tells us that they believed on Jahve and Moses His servant, and the song which they sang follows in Exodus 15. But they then only too quickly added sins of ingratitude.