They forsook the Lord’s blessings and fell into the darkness of child sacrifice, yet God offered redemption for their repentance.
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons (v.37) depicts a heartbreaking moment of Israel’s spiritual decline. The psalmist recounts how God’s chosen people forsook His commands and embraced the horrific practice of child sacrifice borrowed from the idols and pagan worshippers in Canaan. Such an act was a stark violation of His holiness, directly contradicting His law forbidding child sacrifice, as described elsewhere in scripture. In participating in these rituals, the Israelites gave themselves over to foreign gods and demonic influences, abandoning the protective covenant God intended for their blessing and flourishing.
Child sacrifice was a practice of the Canaanites, who sometimes offered their children to pagan deities by passing them through the fire or laying them on burning altars. By adopting these abominable customs, the people blatantly turned away from their true Deliverer. Rather than seeking the Lord’s lovingkindness, they placed their trust in man-made rituals of violence. This pattern of evil and betrayal underscores Psalm 106 as a record of Israel’s repeated waywardness contrasted with God’s unwavering faithfulness. Even in the face of such grievous sin, the Lord’s overarching desire was that His people return to Him in humble and sincere repentance.
In the greater context of scripture, Jesus in the New Testament overcame the powers of darkness by His own sacrifice, calling humanity to reject evil practices and walk in the light (John 8:12). His work invites us to abandon idolatry, cruelty, and all forms of demonic opposition, and instead find our purpose in God’s mercy and truth. The awful practice of sacrificing children remains a sobering reminder that turning from God always leads to spiritual and moral decay, yet His grace remains available for those who earnestly seek Him.
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Psalms 106:37 meaning
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons (v.37) depicts a heartbreaking moment of Israel’s spiritual decline. The psalmist recounts how God’s chosen people forsook His commands and embraced the horrific practice of child sacrifice borrowed from the idols and pagan worshippers in Canaan. Such an act was a stark violation of His holiness, directly contradicting His law forbidding child sacrifice, as described elsewhere in scripture. In participating in these rituals, the Israelites gave themselves over to foreign gods and demonic influences, abandoning the protective covenant God intended for their blessing and flourishing.
Child sacrifice was a practice of the Canaanites, who sometimes offered their children to pagan deities by passing them through the fire or laying them on burning altars. By adopting these abominable customs, the people blatantly turned away from their true Deliverer. Rather than seeking the Lord’s lovingkindness, they placed their trust in man-made rituals of violence. This pattern of evil and betrayal underscores Psalm 106 as a record of Israel’s repeated waywardness contrasted with God’s unwavering faithfulness. Even in the face of such grievous sin, the Lord’s overarching desire was that His people return to Him in humble and sincere repentance.
In the greater context of scripture, Jesus in the New Testament overcame the powers of darkness by His own sacrifice, calling humanity to reject evil practices and walk in the light (John 8:12). His work invites us to abandon idolatry, cruelty, and all forms of demonic opposition, and instead find our purpose in God’s mercy and truth. The awful practice of sacrificing children remains a sobering reminder that turning from God always leads to spiritual and moral decay, yet His grace remains available for those who earnestly seek Him.