“He“Praise ye the Lord! O give thanks unto the Lord — for He is good! For His mercy endureth forever.” Ps.106:1
“Bless the Lord God of Israel — from everlasting — to everlasting! And, let all the people say — Amen! Praise ye the Lord!” Ps.106:48
This text comes to us as the first and last verses of this very revealing Psalm. For in it is declared a whole litany — of both — the perpetual defeat of the sinful rebellion of man’s fallen condition — and the continual victory — of almighty God’s faithfulness and grace. And, as it was with the weak and feeble fallen people of Israel of old — even so is it the same with us today. For — their prayer of verses 4 and 5 — needs to become our prayer also: “Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people! O visit me — with thy salvation — that I may see the good of thy chosen — that I may rejoice in the goodness of thy nation — that I may glory with thine inheritance!”
How often it is — that we, too, forget God — as vs.7 relates concerning the Israelites: “They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies — but provoked Him…”. And yet, we, too, earnestly plead — that He remember — us! You see, it was their affliction — brought upon themselves — by their forgetting Him and provoking Him — that, in turn, provoked them to pray and urgently cry out unto Him — for their deliverance. Then comes the wonderful and gracious words of verses 8 and 12: “Nevertheless [or, in other words, in spite of themselves] He saved them — for His Name’s sake — that He might make His mighty power — to be known!” [or, so that He might reveal unto them — His mighty sin-delivering power] Their sinful fallen affliction — provided the perfect backdrop for God’s gracious and mighty deliverance! Which, in turn, set the stage for the evidence and expression — of how our Lord’s grace of faith always appears: vs.12> “Then — believed they His words. They sang His praise.”
Verse 43 seems to be a mirror that reflects our lives in this world — for it says: “Many times — did He deliver them — but they provoked Him with their counsel — and were brought low for their iniquity.” Over and over — it seems — that even the true child of God — find themselves following the counsel of their own fallen fleshly understanding — which cannot ever be trusted! That’s a sure course — right into grievous affliction!
But, praise the Lord — He is in control — and ever so quick to forgive us — and respond so perfectly to our cry! They experience the grace and lovingkindness of verses 44 and 45: “Nevertheless — He regarded their affliction — when He heard their cry. (45) And He remembered for them — His Covenant — and repented [or, pitied and consoled them] according to the multitude of His mercies.” For all of God’s children — in every generation — even though we seem to fight an unending and an up hill battle with our yet fallen condition — He remembers us in accordance with — the gospel of His eternal New Covenant — and receives us in His mercy — and His way of truth!
“Save us, O Lord our God — and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy Name — and to triumph — in thy praise!” Ps.106:4
-For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
