What does Psalms 106:24 mean?

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: Psalms 106:24

Explanation

Psalm 106:24 talks about a moment of disbelief and rebellion by the Israelites against God’s promise. The “pleasant land” refers to the land of Canaan, which God had promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their inheritance. The verse reveals that the Israelites “despised” the land, which means they did not value it or trust that it was the fertile and prosperous land that God had promised. Instead of trusting in God’s word and His promise of blessing, the Israelites doubted, allowing fear and cynicism to overcome their faith. This distrust led to significant consequences for them, including wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and not being able to enter the land themselves.

Historical Context

This verse is situated within the wider context of the Psalm that recounts Israel’s history and its recurrent unfaithfulness to God. The historical background it specifically references is the incident of the spies sent into Canaan, found in Numbers 13-14. While twelve spies were sent to survey the land, ten returned with a fearful report focusing on the challenges and dangers, which spread fear among the people and led to a lack of trust in God’s promise. Their reaction showed ingratitude and a lack of faith toward God, who had led them out of slavery in Egypt with powerful signs and wonders.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse highlights God’s faithfulness in contrast to human unfaithfulness. The pleasant land represents not only a physical territory but also the spiritual promises and blessings of God. The Israelites’ disbelief is a warning against the human tendency to distrust God’s promises when faced with obstacles or challenges. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of faith and the dangers of taking God’s blessings for granted.

Different theological perspectives might emphasize varying aspects of this verse:

• Calvinist theology might interpret the resistance and punishment of the Israelites as evidence of the doctrine of total depravity, which suggests that sin affects all aspects of humanity’s existence.
• Arminian theology could argue that the verse demonstrates humanity’s free will and the consequent responsibility for their actions and faith.
• Liberation theology might understand the narrative as illustrative of the constant struggle for a promised land, metaphorically representing justice and peace for the oppressed.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Psalm 106:24 can serve as a reminder to:

• Appreciate and value the blessings and promises that God has given.
• Exercise faith, even when circumstances seem daunting or contradict what God has promised.
• Learn from the past, acknowledging the consequences of distrust and disobedience, and striving to live a life of faith and obedience.
• Encourage others to trust in God’s promises and to view challenges as opportunities for God’s power to be demonstrated rather than as obstacles.

Cross-References

• Numbers 14:11 – “And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?”
• Hebrews 3:19 – “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
• Deuteronomy 1:32 – “Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God,”
• Numbers 13:32 – “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.”

Language Study

The phrase “they despised the pleasant land” uses the Hebrew word “na’ats,” which means to scorn, disdain, or despise. “Pleasant” translates the Hebrew “chemdah,” which implies something desirable or delightful. “They believed not” is from the Hebrew “aman,” meaning to confirm, support, or believe. Studying these key words indicates a strong emotional response from the Israelites – not just indifference, but active contempt for what was deemed highly desirable, and a decisive lack of trust in God’s word.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively in other ancient cultures, the concept of a “promised land” or an ideal realm is often found. For instance, the Greeks had Elysium, and the Norse had Valhalla. However, in these myths, the promised land was typically reserved for the heroic or the dead, contrasting with the biblical narrative where the land is given to a living nation through faith and obedience.

In other religious interpretations, such as in Islam, the importance of belief in God’s words and promises is similarly emphasized but within the framework of Islamic theology and the teachings of the Qur’an. In Hinduism, the attachment to the physical land is often transcended, focusing instead on spiritual practice and detachment.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the concepts of disbelief or faith do not readily align with empirical analysis since they deal with subjective human experience rather than objective observation. However, cognitive science does study why people believe or disbelieve certain propositions, including the psychological mechanisms behind trust and skepticism. Furthermore, archaeological studies have tried to corroborate the historical narratives found in the Bible, including the habitation and conditions of ancient Canaan.

commentaries

Commentators through the ages have offered various perspectives on Psalm 106:24:

• Matthew Henry’s Commentary emphasizes that the Israelites’ contempt for the Promised Land was ultimately a refusal to take God at his word, demonstrating a lack of faith.
• The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon underlines the gravity of their sin by contrasting the fertility and richness of Canaan with Egypt, from which they had been delivered.
• John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible discusses how disbelief in God’s promise was a rejection of entrance into “rest”, indicative of the rest found in Christ and the eternal rest in heaven.