Psalms 106:20 Meaning: Exchanging Glory for a Bull That Eats Grass
Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.
Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Thus they changed their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.
And change their Honour Into the form of an ox eating herbs.
And they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 106:20 shows Israel trading God their glory for the image of a grass-eating bull.
Context
Psalm 106 is a long confession. The psalmist leads God's people through their history, naming each rebellion and asking for mercy. By the time we reach verse 20, he has arrived at the golden calf at Mount Horeb. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the law, the people grew impatient. They took their gold and shaped a calf, then bowed down to it. The psalmist does not just report the event. He points to the terrible trade that took place. They exchanged the God who had saved them, the God who split the Red Sea and fed them in the wilderness, for the likeness of an ox that has to eat grass to stay alive. The detail is meant to sting. It is a community looking back at their own foolishness and saying: we traded the one who needs nothing for something that depends on the ground beneath its feet.
Key Words
The verb behind "exchanged" (mur) carries the sense of a barter trade. You hand over one thing and take another in return. The psalmist names what they gave away: their kavod, glory, weight, honor. In the Old Testament, God himself is the glory of Israel. He is the one who makes them significant. What did they take in exchange? A tavnit (pattern or image) of a shor (ox). That Hebrew word for ox is the same used for a work animal, something that plows and carries loads. Then comes the final slash of the verse: an ox that eats esev, green grass. Esev is the lowliest of plants, what grows in the field and withers by evening. The God of infinite riches was swapped for a creature that must put its head down and chew every day to survive. The word study leaves us with one question: would we ever make a trade that absurd? And yet we do, every time we trust anything other than God to give us what only he can give.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions agree that this verse cuts to the heart of idolatry. Reformers like Calvin saw it as part of the church's honest confession: we have no excuse, yet we keep turning away. Anglican commentators note the scribal tradition that originally read "his glory" (God's own glory) before being changed to "their glory" out of reverence, a small detail that only deepens the tragedy. Paul directly echoes this verse in Romans 1:23, where he describes all humanity trading the glory of the incorruptible God for images of corruptible creatures. Throughout the history of interpretation, the grass-eating bull remains a symbol of the sheer foolishness of exchanging the Creator for anything he made. No tradition tries to soften it. All invite the reader to see their own heart in Israel's mistake.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This week, you will face small exchanges. You will be tempted to trade trust in God for trust in your savings account, your reputation, your ability to control things. The grass-eating bull is a picture of every lesser thing we rely on. It cannot sustain itself; it must be fed, and even then it dies. The God you are invited to trust needs nothing. He does not need your performance or your frantic efforts. He is the one who gives grass to the bull and bread to you. When you catch yourself making a trade this week, worrying instead of praying, grasping instead of thanking, stop and look at what you are holding. Ask yourself: does this need grass? Then quietly turn back to the one who doesn't.
Main takeaway: Trading the Creator, who needs nothing, for any created thing that depends on grass is the essence of every sin.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The people of God made a statue of a cow that eats grass. They bowed down to it and forgot about the real God. That was a very silly trade. God is so great that He doesn't need anything. We can love and trust Him instead of things that need us to feed them.
For ages 9, 12
When the Israelites made the golden calf, they were trading the real God for an image of a bull that had to eat grass to stay alive. God doesn't need grass or anything else, He made everything. But they chose something weak and needy over the all-powerful God. That's a warning for us. Anything we put in God's place, like popularity, video games, or always being right, is like that bull. It cannot really satisfy us. Only God can.
Questions People Ask
What does 'their glory' mean in Psalm 106:20?
It refers to God himself. In the Old Testament, God is often called the glory of Israel (see Deuteronomy 10:21). He is what makes them significant and set apart. So when they exchanged their glory, they traded God for an idol.
Why does the verse mention that the bull eats grass?
The detail highlights the absurdity of the exchange. God is self-sufficient, He needs nothing. But a bull must eat grass every day just to survive. The psalmist is showing how foolish it is to worship a dependent creature instead of the all-providing Creator. It makes the sin look as ridiculous as it really is.
How does Paul use this verse in Romans 1:23?
Paul quotes the idea directly: 'traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.' He applies it to all humanity, not just Israel, showing that everyone is tempted to worship the creation rather than the Creator.
What is the 'Tiqqune Sopherim' correction mentioned by the Cambridge Bible?
Ancient Jewish scribes noted that the original text probably said 'his glory' (God's glory) but they changed it to 'their glory' out of reverence, to avoid saying that God's glory was exchanged. It is one of eighteen known scribal adjustments. Some manuscripts of the Septuagint still read 'his glory'.
Is this verse only about the golden calf incident?
It directly refers to the golden calf at Horeb (Exodus 32), but the psalm uses it as a pattern for all of Israel's history of idolatry. The point is broader: any time we put something in God's place, we are making the same foolish trade.
For pastors & researchers
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