John Calvin Commentary Psalms 106:47

"Save us, O Jehovah our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, And to triumph in thy praise." — Psalms 106:47 (ASV)

Save us, Jehovah our God! From the conclusion of the psalm, it is evident that it was composed during the sad and calamitous dispersion of the people. And although after the times of Haggai and Malachi, no famous prophets appeared among the people, it is nevertheless probable that some of the priests were endowed with the spirit of prophecy, to direct them to the source from which they might receive all necessary consolation.

It is my opinion that after they were dispersed by the tyranny of Antiochus, this form of prayer was adapted to the pressing needs of their existing circumstances. In this situation, the people, by reflecting on their former history, might acknowledge that their fathers had, in innumerable ways, provoked God to wrath since the time he had delivered them.

For it was necessary for them to be completely humbled to prevent them from murmuring against God’s dispensations.

And since God had extended pardon to their fathers, even though they were undeserving of it, that was intended to inspire them in the future with the hope of forgiveness, provided they carefully and sincerely sought to be reconciled to him. This is especially true because there is here a solemn remembrance of the covenant, through faith in which they might draw near to God, even though his anger was not yet turned away.

Besides, as God had chosen them to be his special people, they call upon him to collect into one body the severed and bleeding members, according to the prediction of Moses:

If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee (Deuteronomy 30:4).

This prediction was eventually accomplished when the widely separated multitude were gathered together and grew up in the unity of the faith.

For although those people never regained their earthly kingdom and polity, their being grafted into the body of Christ was a preferable gathering. Wherever they were, they were united to each other and also to the Gentile converts by the holy and spiritual bond of faith, so that they constituted one Church, extending over the whole earth.

They add the purpose intended by their redemption from captivity: namely, that they might celebrate the name of God, and continually engage in his praises.