Psalm 106 37

Psalm 106:37 kjv

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

Psalm 106:37 nkjv

They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons,

Psalm 106:37 niv

They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods.

Psalm 106:37 esv

They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

Psalm 106:37 nlt

They even sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 37 Meaning

Psalm 106:37 describes the horrific practice of child sacrifice committed by the Israelites, where they offered their own "sons and daughters" as ritual burnt offerings. The verse starkly reveals the ultimate recipients of these offerings as "demons," not true deities, highlighting the depth of Israel's spiritual depravity and rebellion against the Lord, their covenant God, who abhors such acts. This deeply contrasts with God's holy character and His commandments, representing the complete rejection of His ways in favor of pagan idolatry.

Psalm 106 37 Context

Psalm 106 is a confessional psalm recounting Israel's history of rebellion and unfaithfulness, despite the Lord's consistent faithfulness and patience. Verses 34-46 describe the consequences of Israel's failure to drive out the Canaanites, leading them to adopt pagan practices. Verse 37, specifically, pinpoints child sacrifice as a severe manifestation of this apostasy, portraying it as one of the ultimate sins that defiled the land and brought divine judgment. This was a direct violation of the Mosaic Covenant and God's holiness, an act particularly heinous given the sanctity of human life and the covenantal significance of offspring within Israel.

Psalm 106 37 Word analysis

• They: Refers to the Israelites, specifically identified through the recounting of their historical sins in the psalm. This collective pronoun emphasizes the national scope of their disobedience.
• sacrificed: From the Hebrew verb zavach (זָבַח), which typically refers to the slaughtering of animals for ritual offering to God. Its use here for human beings highlights the perversion and grotesque nature of the act. The context implies a deliberate, religious act, though completely defiled.
• their sons and their daughters: This specifies the victims, emphasizing the heinousness of the sin. It's not just "children" in general but "their own" sons and daughters, born of their bodies, symbolizing a rejection of their own future and legacy, as well as the covenant blessing of fertility. This indicates a profound moral decay and parental cruelty.
• to the demons: From the Hebrew word shedim (שֵׁדִים). This term identifies the malevolent spiritual forces behind the idols that demanded such sacrifices. It underscores that the recipients were not inanimate gods of wood and stone but demonic entities actively engaged in deceiving and oppressing humanity. This unveils the true, sinister nature of pagan worship as service to enemies of God. The use of shedim in other contexts (e.g., Deut 32:17) consistently links them to false gods that diminish God's glory.

• "They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons": This phrase condemns a specific cultic practice of offering human sacrifices, predominantly associated with Canaanite deities like Molech or Baal. The verse's polemic directly contrasts this abhorrent practice with the worship of the one true God, who unequivocally condemns such actions (Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31). By attributing these sacrifices to "demons," the psalmist strips pagan gods of any legitimacy, identifying them as expressions of cosmic evil rather than legitimate divine powers, exposing the spiritual reality behind idolatry.

Psalm 106 37 Bonus section

The term shedim (demons) used in Psalm 106:37 and Deuteronomy 32:17 carries significant theological weight. It distinguishes the false "gods" worshipped by pagan nations not merely as human constructs or psychological projections, but as genuine malevolent spiritual powers that deceive and enslave humanity. This perspective transforms what might seem like primitive superstitions into a matter of cosmic warfare, where humans actively engage with entities fundamentally opposed to God. This understanding reveals the spiritual nature of all idolatry, positing that any act of worship directed away from the Lord implicitly or explicitly aligns with the demonic realm. Thus, child sacrifice, in this view, was not merely an act of ritual killing but an act of homage to actual spiritual adversaries, making it an ultimate act of apostasy.

Psalm 106 37 Commentary

Psalm 106:37 captures a chilling moment in Israel's history, revealing the depth of their rebellion and spiritual prostitution. The act of sacrificing one's own children, a sacred trust from God, to malevolent spirits (shedim) masquerading as gods represents the ultimate betrayal of the covenant. This was not a misguided attempt to honor God, but a complete adoption of the surrounding Canaanite abominations. The Lord, who Himself offered the perfect Son for humanity's salvation (Heb 10:4-10), despises the horrific pagan practice of human sacrifice, particularly of one's offspring. This verse serves as a stark warning against syncretism and compromising with worldly practices, demonstrating how profound moral and spiritual degradation stems from worshipping anything other than the true God. The depravity shown here reminds believers of the constant need for vigilance against all forms of idolatry, whether overt or subtle, as giving anything priority over the Lord is a form of spiritual compromise that invites destructive consequences.