John Gill Commentary Psalms 106:43

"Many times did he deliver them; But they were rebellious in their counsel, And were brought low in their iniquity." — Psalms 106:43 (ASV)

Many times did he deliver them
By means of the judges, Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and others.

But they provoked him with their counsel ;
in asking a king, whom he gave in his anger, and took away in his wrath, (Hosea 13:11), and with their idolatries which they devised, setting up the calves at Dan and Bethel; and by taking counsel of others, and not of the Lord; seeking for help from the Assyrians and Egyptians, and trusting in them, (Isaiah 30:1Isaiah 30:2), all which was very provoking, and showed great ingratitude, after so many deliverances: or, "though they provoked him with their counsels" ^F2 ; with their inventions, as in (Psalms 106:29), yet such were his grace and goodness, that he frequently wrought salvation for them.

And were brought low for their iniquity :
or "when they were weakened", or "impoverished by their iniquity" ^F3 so that they could not help themselves; as they were particularly by the Midianites, (Judges 6:1–6). Unless this should rather refer to some later times, as the times of Ahaz, when Judah was brought low for their transgressions, (2 Chronicles 28:19) as also the time of the Babylonish captivity.

Sin is of a weakening and impoverishing nature; it has weakened all mankind, and took from them their moral strength to do good; and has brought them to poverty and want; to be beggars on the dunghill; to a pit wherein is no water; and left them in a hopeless and helpless condition:

yea, it brings the people of God oftentimes after conversion into a low estate, when God hides his face because of it; temptations are strong, grace is weak, and they become lukewarm and indifferent to spiritual things.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F2: (hmxw) "quamvis ipsi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
• F3: (wkmyw) "et attenuati essent", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Cocceius, Michaellis, Gejerus; "et in paupertatem devenerunt per suam iniquitatem", Tigurine version.