PSALM 106 - GOD’S LOVE VS. ISRAEL’S DISOBEDIENCE

Introduction

This psalm is a historical psalm in that it recounts events from Israel’s history to show the contrast between the steadfast love of God with the sinful rebellion of his people. It is also shows God’s incredible patience with his people. 

Call To Praise

106:1-2

It is always good to begin worship and prayer with praise and thanksgiving. 

The psalm begins with a call to praise in three parts. First is the imperative to praise the Lord. He is to be praised because he is worthy of praise.

Second is the call to give thanks to God because he is good in that his steadfast love endures forever. The psalmist was undoubtedly thinking of God’s covenantal love for Israel. In light of all of the sins and rebellions he will list in this psalm, God’s steadfast love is the only thing that can give him hope for the future. It certainly could not be based on Israel’s faithfulness or obedience.

Similarly, the New Covenant believer may bask in God’s love. 1 John 3:1 (ESV) says “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are.” God is love. And his love for us is steadfast and eternal. 

Third, verse 2 elicits praise for God’s mighty deeds using a rhetorical question (Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord), meaning human beings are not capable of expressing all of God’s mighty deeds. (2)

Fourth and finally, the psalmist refers to worship in obeying God’s commands, observing justice and acting righteously at all times. (3) Micah 6:8 says: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Prayer For Restoration

106:4-5

The psalmist believes God will one day restore Israel. He does not say “if”, but “when”. He asked that God will remember him on that day. He wants to live to see it and rejoice with the people of the nation. 

This verse tells us that the psalm was written either when Israel was in exile or under oppression from another country.

Confession of Sin

106:6

The psalmist confessed the sins of the nation. In verse 6 it is a general confession, then verses 7-43 list specific times of sin and rebellion. 

Confession - Rebellion During the Exodus At The Red Sea

106:7-12

The psalmist confessed that Israel did not consider God’s wondrous works when they came to the Red Sea on their way out of Egypt. They had seen God bring great plagues on Egypt to convince Pharaoh to let them leave. But, when they came to the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army approached, they “feared greatly” and complained that Moses had brought them there to die. 

Despite their complaining, God remained faithful and parted the sea for them to escape, then closed it over the Egyptian army. (Exodus 14) In response, Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise to God. (12) (Exodus 15) This is the only event among those listed where the Israelites did this. 

Confession -Israel Complained About Food

106:13-15

Despite seeing miracles from the hand of God, the Israelites began to complain about the lack of food instead of simply asking God for it. He then sent bread from heaven, called manna, everyday except the Sabbath. They never went hungry. (Exodus 16) 

In Numbers 11, we see the Israelites crying out because they had no meat. They only had the manna from heaven. In response, God sent them quail for meat for one month. But, they had incurred the wrath of the Lord, and he sent a “very great plague”. (Numbers 11:33) 

Confession - Rebellion Against Moses & Aaron

106:16-18

After the Israelites rebelled and refused to go into Canaan, Korah led a rebellion against the leadership of Moses. Dathan and Abiram, of the tribe of Reuben, joined the rebellion upon being chosen by Israel to do so. Moses summoned them to the tabernacle, but they refused to come. So God caused the earth to open around them and swallowed them. (Numbers 16) 

Confession - Idolatry With The Golden Calf

106:19-23

This was an incredible rebellion against God. While Moses was on the mountain, receiving the law from God, Aaron led the Israelites to build an idol, a golden calf. God would have destroyed the nation but for the intercession of Moses. 

Confession - Refusal To Enter Canaan 

106:24-27

After receiving a scary report from 10 of the 12 spies, Israel refused to enter Canaan. They refused to accept the benefits of God’s covenant with Abraham. Therefore, God made them wander in the wilderness for another 40 years, until that generation of Israel had died off. Then the people were allowed to go in - God kept his promise even though Israel rebelled.

Confession - Idolatry With Baal At Peor

106:28-31

At one point in the wilderness, the men of Israel began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. These women led the Israelite men to engage in worship of Baal. God imposed a lethal plague upon Israel. Then, one Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into his tent in plain sight of the rest of the congregation. Phineas, grandson of Aaron the High Priest, killed the man and woman. God counted it as an act of righteousness. He stopped the plague and made Phineas’s line priests forever. (Numbers 25)

Confession - Rebellion Causing Moses To Have A Bitter Spirit 

106:32 - 33

In the wilderness of Zin, the Israelites again complained to Moses about the lack of water. God told Moses to speak to the rock and it would cause water to flow. But, because Moses was angry at the Israelites, he struck the rock with his staff. God gave the Israelites water, but prevented Moses from going into the promised land because he did not revere the Lord before the Israelites. (Numbers 20:2–13)

Confession - Failing To Destroy the Pagan Nations

106:34-46

The Israelites never took over all the land God gave them and never destroyed all the pagan nations living there even though God commanded it. As he said would happen, the Israelites were often corrupted by the religions of those people and committed idolatry with their gods. 

As a result, God periodically allowed other nations to oppress them or conquer them. But, when they called out to him, God delivered them. He did this out of his steadfast love for them, not because they deserved it. This cycle covers most of the Old Testament. 

Prayer For Deliverance & Praise

106:47-48

The psalmist asked God to deliver Israel again so they might worship him and thank him for it. 

The psalm closes with a doxology, a praise to God who is eternal. 

This also concludes Book Four of the Psalms. 

Takeaways

God is faithful and loves his people even when they sin against him. 

God may discipline his people, but he still keeps his promises. 

God desires love, obedience, and worship from his people. 

 “Justification by grace through faith” is the theologian’s learned phrase for what Chesterton once called “the furious love of God.” He is not moody or capricious; He knows no seasons of change. He has a single relentless stance toward us: He loves us. He is the only God man has ever heard of who loves sinners. False gods—the gods of human manufacturing—despise sinners, but the Father of Jesus loves all, no matter what they do. But of course, this is almost too incredible for us to accept. Nevertheless, the central affirmation of the Reformation stands: Through no merit of ours, but by His mercy, we have been restored to a right relationship with God through the life, death, and resurrection of His beloved Son.

Brennan Manning, Ragamuffin Gospel

Praising God

 “there is no man who has ever endeavored to concentrate all his energies, both physical and mental, in the praising of God, but will find himself inadequate for so lofty a subject, the transcendent grandeur of which overpowers all our senses.” John Calvin, Commentaries.

PSALM 105 - REMEMBERING GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

 PSALM 105

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

This psalm is a call to worship God for his faithfulness, being thankful for the great deeds he has done in the past. The psalmist lists these deeds in the history of Israel to so that his people will remember his covenantal love and faithfulness. 

Psalms 105 and 106 are a pair, both calling on Israel to praise the Lord, but with different emphasis. Psalm 105 emphasizes God’s faithfulness and 106 emphasizes Israel's sin. 

The last part of Psalm 105 is included in the thanksgiving song of David placed in 1 Chronicles 16. David composed and sang the song with the Levites upon bringing the ark to Jerusalem. 

The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) places the last line of Psalm 104 as the first line of Psalm 105 which makes both 105 and 106 begin with “praise the Lord”. This makes sense since the psalms are paired together. 

The Call To Give Thanks

105:1-6

The psalmist calls Israel to give thanks to God for his great deeds. He gives different ways to do this: to tell others of God’s wondrous deeds, to sing praises, to glory in his name, to rejoice, to seek his presence, and to remember what he has done. 

This is a microcosm of the believer’s life. We continually come into God’s presence to worship. We rejoice and we sing. All of this we do with an attitude of thankfulness. Then, we go out and tell others about God.

This psalm is directed to the Israelites (children of Abraham and Jacob), whom he calls his chosen ones. But it applies to New Testament believers too, as we now are chosen members of God’s household. Peter called us a chosen race and a holy nation. (1 Peter 2:9) 

The Covenant God of Abraham 

105:6-15

The psalmist begins his history of God’s works with Israel at the beginning, the covenant with Abraham. (8) He made a covenant with Abraham, reaffirmed it to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob, whose name he changed to “Israel”. He would make him a great nation and give them the land of Canaan as a home. (11)

God protected Israel even when it was a small group of people. (12)

They had no home and moved about the land. He protected them even when they sinned. Abraham passed his wife off as his sister to a king. Yet, God intervened and saved them. (Genesis 14:1-6) Jacob lied to his father and took his brother’s blessing. (Genesis 27) Yet, God blessed him and continued the covenant through him. 

God Provided For Israel In Egypt

105:16-38

God provided for Israel’s needs in advance. Before the famine began, God sent Joseph to Egypt as his brothers sold him into slavery. But, God had him released and set up as a ruler in Egypt. (16) When Jacob and his family came to Egypt, God, through Joseph, provided for him. He also made them very fruitful and they grew in number. (24)

When Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites, God sent Moses and Aaron to deliver them. (26) God imposed plagues on Egypt through Moses. The psalmist listed them. Darkness, water into blood, frogs, flies, hail, pestilence and locust to kill crops and, finally, the death of all the firstborn. (36)

God did not forget his covenant with Abraham and his descendants, but brought them out of Egypt and back to Canaan. He also provided for them with the silver and gold of the Egyptians, given to the Israelites to make them leave the country. (37-38) He had promised these riches to Abraham. (Genesis 15:45)

God Provided For Israel During the Exodus

105:39-45

As they crossed the wilderness, God led them by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. (39) It showed them the way. And it showed them God was present with them. 

He provided them food with quail and with manna from heaven. (40) He gave them water from a rock in the desert. 

All of this was God remembering and keeping his covenant with Abraham.

The Purpose of God 

105:45

God’s purpose in all of this, in keeping his covenant, was to create a people who would obey him and worship him. 

Takeaways

We, as believers, can consider God’s faithfulness to Israel as a part of our history; it is our spiritual history.

We should also remember God’s faithfulness to the church over the centuries and to us as individuals and thank him for it. 

God preserved Israel because he is faithful, not because they deserved it. It is the same for us. 

God’s promise to Abraham of a land is a type of his promise of eternal life for the believer; Abraham himself desired a better, heavenly country and a city prepared for us by God. (Hebrews 11:16)

Beauty And The Glory Of God

 I’ve been blessed to spend the last few days in the mountains of Colorado. I love the mountains. They are big! They are majestic and beautiful. 

I hiked some trails and took in some views. It gave me such a peaceful appreciation for the greatness of God. 

Paul says:

 “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made.”

That verse speaks to me loudly when I see the beauty and variety of the flowers and trees, the vastness of the ocean, and, yes, the majesty of the mountains. 

What a glorious creator is our God! He gave us beauty, variety, and vastness. All of it speaks to us, reveals to us, his glory, majesty, and power. He is indeed worthy of our worship.

 All creatures of our God and King,

Lift up your voice and with us sing

Alleluia, alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam,

Thou silver moon with softer gleam,

O praise him, O praise him,

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

PSALM 104: PRAISE GOD THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE

 Psalm 104

Introduction

• Psalm 104 is often called the “Creation Psalm” because it parallels Genesis 1 in describing God’s creative work.
• Theme: God’s greatness is displayed in His creation and providential care.
• Purpose: To cultivate awe, gratitude, and trust in the Creator.

1. God Of Majesty And Glory (v. 1-2a)

The psalm opens as Psalm 103 does, praising God with all the soul, with all the psalmist’s being. He acknowledges God’s majesty, picturing him as clothed with splendor and majesty as the great king. He is covered with light as a garment, radiating his glory. As 1 Timothy 6:16 says, God dwells in inapproachable light. 

As God the Father has glory, Jesus, God the Son, also has glory in heaven. (John 17:5) He demonstrated this to Peter, James, and John as he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:1-9) Jesus also wanted us to see his glory in heaven. (John 17:24)

II. God The Creator of Heaven and Earth (vv. 2b-9)

The psalmist acknowledges God as the creator of all things. He created the heavens, stretching this out like a tent. (2) Isaiah used this same language: “…who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in…”. (Isaiah 40:22) 

It is reflective of Genesis 1:1: “God created the heavens and the earth.”  He “separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven.” (Genesis 1:7-8) And he is sovereign over heaven, signified by his building of his abode on the waters and making the clouds his chariot.

God created the angels and they serve as messengers. (4) The writer of Hebrews quoted this verse to show that Jesus is greater than the angels. They worship him. (Hebrews 1:6-7)

God created the earth with its oceans. He separated the oceans from the land. (7) (Genesis 1:9) The psalmist calls this rebuking the waters. Mark used this same language when Jesus calmed the storm by rebuking it. (Mark 4:39) God set boundaries for the oceans so they cannot cover the earth again. 

II. God the Provider for All Creatures (vv. 10–23)

God created the animals and birds. (Genesis 1:21, 24) He takes care of them. (Matthew 10:29) He provided water for them. (11) He provided food for them. He made places for them to live, trees, mountains, and rocks. (16-18) 

God created man. (Genesis 1:26) He provided food for him. (Genesis 2:9) He gave him livestock and plants to eat, wine to make him glad, oil for anointing, and bread to strengthen him. (14-15) (Genesis 9:3)

God made the seasons and marked them with the phases of the moon. (19) God made day and night and each has its use. Man sleeps at night and works during the day. Animals hunt at night and rest during the day. (19-23) God’s plan was provision for both man and beast. It was also protection for man, as he was not out and about when the animals hunted. 

III. God’s Wisdom and Glory in Creation (vv. 24–30)

God’s creation is a revelation of himself. He created them (his works in creation) in his wisdom. (24) The great variety (“manifold”) of living things of all sizes and varieties show that God is creative and powerful. Scientists estimate that even today there are 8.7 species of animals on the earth. 

Paul wrote: 

“For his invisible attributes, manly, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”(Romans 1:20)

God is sovereign over all of these creatures, including man. He gives them their food. When he turns away his favor, they are dismayed. They suffer when they turn from God. He controls their very life and death. (29) He gives life to men and women and he gives life to the earth. (30) All things are dependent on him. Christ upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3)

IV. Praise to the Eternal Creator (vv. 31–35)

God’s glory and power are revealed to mankind in his creation and provision. The psalmist glorifies, praises, God for these works. He sings to God and meditates on him. And he calls on us to do so. 

The psalmist also knows there are wicked people, those who reject God and mar the creation. He calls for God to remove them, consume them. We do the same as we long for the return of the Lord to make all things new. 

And so the psalmist ends as he began, praising God with all of his soul. May we do likewise. 

Takeaways

• Psalm 104 teaches us:
  
1. God is the majestic Creator.
2. God is the faithful Provider.
3. God is the wise Sustainer.
4. Our right response is lifelong worship.