The Meaning of Psalms 106:33 Explained

Psalms 106:33

KJV: Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

YLT: For they have provoked his spirit, And he speaketh wrongfully with his lips.

Darby: For they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.

ASV: Because they were rebellious against his spirit, And he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because they provoked  his spirit,  so that he spake unadvisedly  with his lips. 

What does Psalms 106:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 106:16-33 - Judgment Restrained By Intercession
The strife between the ungodly and the servants of God has characterized all the centuries. These verses record some of its phases. Moses is called God's chosen, Aaron his saint, while Phinehas is held in honor as one to whom his noble deed was counted for righteousness. But such men are always envied, refused, resisted. Men hate them, but God loves and vindicates them for their loyalty and uncompromising righteousness.
It is beautiful to notice how, so far from human hatred inducing such leaders to turn from their persecutors, it seems to drive them to more intense and ceaseless intercession for them. They stand in the breach, to turn away deserved wrath. From the days of Abraham, who prayed for Sodom, right down the stream of time, the people of God have been his remembrancers, giving Him no rest. Let us cultivate the great art of intercession; and if there is need, let us, like Phinehas, not hesitate to strike strongly in the interests of purity. But while thus standing before men, we must cultivate the grace of humility. We are only servants at the most and must not arrogate more to ourselves. Our authority is only delegated. This is where Moses failed, Numbers 20:2-13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 106

1  The psalmist exhorts to praise God
4  He prays for pardon of sin, as God pardoned the fathers
7  The story of the people's rebellion, and God's mercy
47  He concludes with prayer and praise

What do the individual words in Psalms 106:33 mean?

because they rebelled against - His Spirit so that he spoke rashly with his lips
כִּֽי־ הִמְר֥וּ אֶת־ רוּח֑וֹ וַ֝יְבַטֵּ֗א בִּשְׂפָתָֽיו

כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הִמְר֥וּ  they  rebelled  against 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָרָה  
Sense: to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be disobedient towards, be rebellious against.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רוּח֑וֹ  His  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וַ֝יְבַטֵּ֗א  so  that  he  spoke  rashly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּטָא  
Sense: to speak rashly or angrily, speak thoughtlessly.
בִּשְׂפָתָֽיו  with  his  lips 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.