We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
Psalm 78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Leviticus 26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
Numbers 32:14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.
we have done wrong
The admission of wrongdoing is a personal and communal confession, emphasizing the moral and ethical failures of the people. This aligns with the biblical understanding of sin as missing the mark of God's standards, as outlined in the Law given to Moses. The phrase underscores the need for self-examination and humility before God, as seen in the penitential psalms like Psalm 51, where David confesses his sins and seeks God's mercy. The acknowledgment of wrongdoing is essential for seeking forgiveness and restoration, a theme echoed in the New Testament in 1 John 1:9.
and acted wickedly.
This phrase intensifies the confession by describing the actions as "wicked," indicating a deliberate and conscious choice to go against God's will. The term "wickedly" suggests actions that are morally corrupt and offensive to God, similar to the behaviors condemned by the prophets, such as idolatry, injustice, and oppression. This confession is a recognition of the depth of human depravity and the need for divine intervention. The concept of wickedness is addressed throughout Scripture, with calls to repentance and transformation, as seen in Isaiah 55:7, where the wicked are urged to forsake their ways and return to the Lord. This phrase also points to the need for a savior, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who offers redemption and the power to overcome sin.
The psalmist begins with an unvarnished confession—“We.” He is not pointing fingers; he’s standing in the gap with his own people.
• Personal ownership: Psalm 32:5 says, “I acknowledged my sin to You… and You forgave the guilt of my sin.” Confession opens the door to cleansing.
• Universal need: Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” None of us is exempt.
• Restored fellowship: 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The psalmist models exactly that honesty.
The confession widens to history. Israel’s failures weren’t isolated events; they formed a pattern.
• Generational patterns: Exodus 20:5–6 warns that sin’s consequences can visit “to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me,” but God also shows “kindness to a thousand generations of those who love Me.”
• Learning from the past: 1 Corinthians 10:6 states, “These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.” Acknowledging ancestral sin helps break the cycle.
• Shared responsibility: Daniel 9:5 echoes the same admission, “We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly and rebelled.” Solidarity deepens repentance.
The psalmist drills down from “sin” to specific wrongdoing.
• Active disobedience: Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.” Wrong isn’t merely a mistake; it’s offense against a holy God.
• Failure of duty: James 4:17 “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Omission can be as serious as commission.
• Call to turn: Isaiah 55:7 urges, “Let the wicked forsake his way… and He will abundantly pardon.” Admitting wrong is the first step toward forsaking it.
Here the language intensifies—wicked deeds flow from a hardened heart.
• Willful rebellion: Isaiah 53:6 “We all like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way.” Wickedness is choosing our own path over God’s.
• Destructive lifestyle: Titus 3:3 describes life before grace: “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray… living in malice and envy.” Wicked actions harm both self and others.
• Hope of transformation: Ezekiel 36:26 promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” Even entrenched wickedness can be overturned by God’s renewing work.
Psalm 106:6 is a collective, candid confession:
• “We have sinned” — no excuses, only ownership.
• “like our fathers” — recognizing patterns so they can be broken.
• “we have done wrong” — naming specific disobedience.
• “and acted wickedly” — facing the depth of willful rebellion.
The verse invites us to stand humbly with God’s people across generations, acknowledge our personal and corporate guilt, and experience the mercy He delights to give.
(6) We.--Regard must be paid to the fact that the confession includes the speaker and his generation, as well as the ancestors of the race. The psalm proceeds from the period of the Captivity, when the national conscience, or at all events that of the nobler part of the nation, was thoroughly alive to the sinfulness of idolatry.Verses 6-46. - The psalmist now enters on his main subject - the transgressions of Israel in the past, and God's manifold mercies vouchsafed to them. These he traces from the time of the Exodus (ver. 7) to that of the Babylonish captivity (ver. 46). Verse 6. - We have sinned with our fathers (comp. Leviticus 26:40; 1 Kings 8:47; Ezra 9:6, 7; Nehemiah 1:6, 7; Nehemiah 9:16-18, 26; Daniel 9:5-8). We have committed iniquity; or, "dealt perversely" (Kay). We have done wickedly. The confession is as broad and general as possible, including all under sin - the "fathers" from Moses downwards, the whole nation from the time of its settlement in Canaan, and even the afflicted exiles in Babylon. Their guilt is emphaized by the use of three verbs, each more forcible than the last.