Midras Mazmur 106:21: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Midrash Tehillim, Midrash Tanchuma & Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

(Exodus 13:18) "And G–d led the people circuitously by way of the desert to the Red Sea": in order to perform miracles and mighty acts with the manna and the quail and the well. R. Eliezer says: "way" — in order to weary them, viz. (Psalms 102:24) "He drained my strength on the way; He shortened my days." "the desert" — in order to purify them, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "Who led you through the great and awesome desert." "the Red Sea" — in order to try them, viz. (Psalms 106:7) "Our fathers in Egypt did not absorb Your wonders. They did not remember the abundance of Your lovingkindness, and they rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea." R. Yehoshua says: "way" — in order to give them the Torah, of which it is written (Devarim 5:30) "In all the way that the L–rd your G–d has commanded you shall you go," and (Mishlei 6:23) "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light, and the way of life." "the desert" — in order to feed them the manna, viz. (Devarim 8:16) "who fed you manna in the desert, etc." "the Red Sea" — in order to perform for them miracles and wonders, as it is written (Psalms 106:21-22) "They forgot the G–d who saved them, who wrought great deeds in Egypt, wonders in the land of Cham, awesome acts at the Red Sea," and (Ibid. 9) "And He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up, and He led them through the depths as through a desert."

How long will you forget me forever? Rabbi Chanina said: The former Knesset Israel said to God: You fought our wars, as it is said: "For then the Lord went out before you" (2 Samuel 5:24). And even for future generations, you will do so, as it is said: "And the Lord will go out and fight against those nations" (Zechariah 14:3). We have adopted the attitude that "God will not go forth with our armies" (Psalms 60:12). How long, O Lord? God said to them: Have I forgotten you? You have forgotten me, as it is said: "They forgot their savior God" (Psalms 106:21). Have I hidden my face from you? You have hidden your face from me, as it is said: "And they turned their faces away from the Sanctuary of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 29:6) and "And they turned their backs, not their faces, to me" (Jeremiah 32:33). God said to them: In this world I have hidden my face from you, but in the future, as it is said: "For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord returns to Zion" (Isaiah 52:8)....

R. Jeremiah maintained that when they brought their earrings to him, Aaron raised his eyes heavenward and declared: Unto Thee I lift mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens (Ps. 123:1). You who know all thoughts are aware that I do this unwillingly. He tossed their earrings into the fire, and the magicians approached and performed magical feats. Some say that Micah ground the bricks that Moses had saved into the mixture, and that he took the tablet which Moses had written upon when he raised Joseph’s coffin out of the Nile and cast them into the smelting furnace amidst the earrings. Then the calf came forth leaping. As it leaped about, the people began to cry out: This is thy god, O Israel. The guardian angels then began to proclaim: They forgot God, their savior, who had done great things in Egypt (Ps. 106:21).