Psalms 106:37 Commentary: Child Sacrifice to Demons in Israel's Confession

Psalm 106 is a national confession of sin, likely composed during the Babylonian exile (Lange, Keil & Delitzsch). It traces Israel’s rebellion from Egypt through the wilderness and into Canaan. The immediate context (vv. 34, 39) describes the failure to destroy the Canaanite nations as God had commanded (Exodus 23:32, 33; Deuteronomy 7:1, 5). Instead, Israel “mixed themselves with the nations” (v. 35), intermarrying and adopting their religious customs.

Child sacrifice was practiced among the Canaanites and their neighbors, especially to the god Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 16:3). The phrase “pass through the fire” appears in several cross-references (Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6), and some interpreters, including Clarke, think this did not always mean burning alive, but could involve a purification ritual that still constituted a form of child sacrifice. However, the language of Psalm 106:38, “shed innocent blood”, indicates that death was the result.

The Hebrew word shedim (שדים) appears only here and in Deuteronomy 32:17. Archaeologically, the Assyrian shêdu were guardian spirits, sometimes protective but in Israel’s context understood as malevolent (Cambridge Bible). Deuteronomy 32:17 explicitly identifies them as “not God,” gods recently come up. By sacrificing to shedim, Israel was not merely worshiping powerless idols; they were entering into communion with demonic forces that opposed Yahweh. The land was defiled by blood (Numbers 35:33), and the people became unclean through spiritual prostitution (v. 39).

The Psalmist’s purpose is not to explain why, that would justify the inexcusable, but to confess the depth of Israel’s sin, setting the stage for the mercy that follows (vv. 44, 46).

No significant textual variants are noted in the supplied sources for Psalm 106:37. The Hebrew text reads lashshedim (לשדים); the Septuagint renders it daimoniois (demons), the Vulgate daemoniis, and the Targum maziqia (harmful spirits). The consistency across versions suggests a stable textual tradition.

Early church writers cited this verse to demonstrate that those who worship idols enter communion with demons, a warning against participation in pagan feasts (1 Corinthians 10:20). Augustine and later medieval commentators used it to illustrate the cumulative nature of sin. The Reformers, especially Calvin, read the Psalm as a model of corporate confession: the sin is named clearly so that mercy may be sought. In modern evangelical and charismatic contexts, the verse is sometimes invoked in discussions of spiritual warfare and territorial spirits. Across traditions, the verse has consistently been understood as a historical confession of Israel’s deepest failure and a testament to God’s willingness to forgive.

Three-point outline

1. The progression of sin. Israel moved from mixing with the nations (v. 35) to serving their idols (v. 36), then to sacrificing children to demons (v. 37). Sin rarely stays small; it escalates. Every act of compromise with the world makes the next step easier.
2. The deception of idolatry. The Israelites probably thought they were worshiping gods of the land, fertility deities who demanded extreme devotion. But the Psalmist names the truth: these were demons. Human sacrifice is what demonic worship requires; the true God forbids it absolutely (Deuteronomy 12:31).
3. The hope in confession. This verse is part of a longer confession. The same Psalm that names this horror also records God’s mercy: “Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry” (v. 44). Naming sin honestly opens the door to forgiveness.

Five-point outline

1. Failure to obey God’s command to separate from the nations (v. 34).
2. Assimilation through marriage and friendship (v. 35).
3. Adoption of idolatrous practices (v. 36).
4. Sacrifice of children to demons (v. 37).
5. Pollution of the land with innocent blood (vv. 38, 39).

Illustration hooks

• A slow drift at sea. A ship that drifts a few degrees off course will end up miles away. Israel didn’t start by sacrificing children; they started by tolerating a few neighbors. The drift was gradual, but the destination was catastrophic.
• An abusive relationship. Just as victims are often drawn in slowly, with small compromises that escalate, Israel was seduced by the nations around them. What begins as curiosity about another culture’s worship ends in the ultimate betrayal of one’s own faith and family.
• The cost of “whatever it takes.” Many people today sacrifice their relationships, health, and integrity to achieve success or security. The idol of success demands its own kind of children. Israel’s literal sacrifice is a mirror for the spiritual sacrifices we make when we serve false gods.

Questions your congregation is asking

• How could God’s chosen people fall so low? (Answer: Slowly, through seemingly small compromises.)
• What does it mean that they sacrificed to “demons” and not just idols? (Answer: Idolatry opens a door to darker spiritual realities; see 1 Corinthians 10:20.)
• Does God forgive even this? (Answer: The same Psalm ends with God remembering His covenant and showing mercy, v. 45.)

This verse confronts us with one of the darkest moments in Israel’s history. But it is placed within a psalm of confession, a prayer that names sin not to wallow in guilt, but to lead God’s people back to His mercy. As you discuss, pay attention to both the sin and the hope that frames it.

Discussion questions

1. Read Psalm 106:34, 39. What steps led Israel from the failure to destroy the nations to sacrificing their children? Which step do you think was the hardest to recognize at the time?
2. The Hebrew word shedim is translated “demons.” Why does it matter that the worship objects of the Canaanites were not just false gods but actual demonic beings (Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:20)?
3. Gill and other commentators describe a “hardening” process in sin. Have you experienced a situation where a small compromise led to larger ones? What was that like?
4. Cross-reference Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31. Why would God so strongly forbid child sacrifice? What does this tell us about His character?
5. The psalm is a confession of national sin. How does public confession of sin, in church or small group, help protect against gradual idolatry?
6. What are some modern “idols” that demand high costs from us, time, integrity, even relationships? How can we identify them before they demand more than we want to give?
7. Psalm 106 ends with deliverance and praise (vv. 44, 48). How does the awareness of God’s mercy affect the way we read a verse like v. 37?