Psalms 106:38
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Psalms 106:38
Verse 38 continues the grim motif: “And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.” The focus on “innocent blood” emphasizes the moral rot that accompanies idolatry. Blood represents life and sacred creation in Scripture, and its shedding contaminates the land, creating an atmosphere of judgment. The verse ties the people’s actions to environmental and spiritual pollution, illustrating that sin not only harms individuals but defiles communities and places. The reference to the idols of Canaan anchors the sin in a specific historical and cultural frame, showing how inherited practices from surrounding cultures corrupted Israel’s worship and social order.
Theologically, this verse underscores the gravity of blood guilt and ritual purity in the biblical conscience. It reveals how idolatry and child sacrifice defile the land and provoke divine judgment. It also sets up a thematic arc in which God’s holiness and judgment respond to communal sin, while still moving toward redemption and restoration through repentance and divine mercy. The verse is a stark reminder that choices have consequences beyond the individual, affecting the land, the community, and the covenant relationship with God.
In today’s terms, the call is to protect life and oppose any systems that profit from or promote violence against the vulnerable. It invites readers to examine how societal structures—like certain policies, practices, or entertainment—can desensitize or normalize harm. Practical responses include supporting justice initiatives, advocating for policies that protect life, and engaging in faithful, truth-telling advocacy that confronts cultural practices that demean or endanger others. It also invites personal conversion: renounce complicit attitudes or consumer choices that contribute to “blood guilt” in modern guises and pursue avenues that promote peace, life, and healing.
Cross-References: Deuteronomy 12:31, Leviticus 18:25, Isaiah 1:15-17, Jeremiah 7:9-11, Romans 3:25-26