Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions - The word rendered "inventions" means properly "works; deeds;" then it is used in the sense of "evil" deeds, crimes.

And the plague brake in upon them - See Numbers 25:8-9. No less than twenty-four thousand fell in the plague. Numbers 25:9.

Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions,.... Sin is an invention of man's: when our first parents sinned, they found out many inventions; and their posterity ever since have been inventors of evil things; and man's invention is very quick at that work. All false doctrine and false worship are of men's finding out; all idolatrous practices are their inventions, and which are here intended; see Psalm 106:39. And these are very provoking to God, who is jealous of his glory, and which is taken from him hereby; and even when he forgives such sins of men, he takes vengeance on their inventions, as in this case, Psalm 99:8. For it follows:

and the plague brake in upon them: like an inundation of water, and carried off four and twenty thousand persons, Numbers 25:9.

Thus they {q} provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

(q) Signifying that whatever man invents of himself to serve God by, is detestable and provokes his anger.

29. provoked-excited grief and indignation (Ps 6:7; 78:58).

106:13-33 Those that will not wait for God's counsel, shall justly be given up to their own hearts' lusts, to walk in their own counsels. An undue desire, even for lawful things, becomes sinful. God showed his displeasure for this. He filled them with uneasiness of mind, terror of conscience, and self-reproach. Many that fare deliciously every day, and whose bodies are healthful, have leanness in their souls: no love to God, no thankfulness, no appetite for the Bread of life, and then the soul must be lean. Those wretchedly forget themselves, that feast their bodies and starve their souls. Even the true believer will see abundant cause to say, It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not consumed. Often have we set up idols in our hearts, cleaved to some forbidden object; so that if a greater than Moses had not stood to turn away the anger of the Lord, we should have been destroyed. If God dealt severely with Moses for unadvised words, what do those deserve who speak many proud and wicked words? It is just in God to remove those relations that are blessings to us, when we are peevish and provoking to them, and grieve their spirits.