The Meaning of Psalms 106:32 Explained

Psalms 106:32

KJV: They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

YLT: And they cause wrath by the waters of Meribah, And it is evil to Moses for their sakes,

Darby: And they moved him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account;

ASV: They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They angered  [him] also at the waters  of strife,  so that it went ill  with Moses  for their sakes: 

What does Psalms 106:32 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 106:32 mean?

And they angered [Him] at the waters of Meribah so that it went ill with Moses on account of them
וַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּ עַל־ מֵ֥י מְרִיבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥רַע לְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗ה בַּעֲבוּרָֽם

וַ֭יַּקְצִיפוּ  And  they  angered  [Him] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָצַף  
Sense: to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth.
עַל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מֵ֥י  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
מְרִיבָ֑ה  of  Meribah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְרִיבָה  
Sense: strife, contention.
וַיֵּ֥רַע  so  that  it  went  ill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַע  
Sense: (Qal) to tremble, quiver.
לְ֝מֹשֶׁ֗ה  with  Moses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בַּעֲבוּרָֽם  on  account  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֲבוּר  
Sense: for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to conj.