Psalm 106:48

Psalm 106:48

Amen! Praise the Lord!

What a journey we have been on in this Psalm! From verse 6 onwards we have studied the recalcitrant attitudes of the Israelites as opposed to the tender compassion of their God. Time and again they rebelled and brought punishments upon themselves. Time and again the Lord felt righteous anger towards them. Time and again they cried out in despair, and time and again the Lord responded in mercy and grace. This is a parable, played out in real time with real people at its heart; a parable that spans the centuries of human history when one tiny nation has been revealing to the whole world the depth of God’s love and His mercy towards those whom He has chosen. It’s a parable that is not just about people but about a land that He also loves; it tells us as much about the heart and character of God towards Israel, as the Gospels tell us about His heart and character towards all peoples. It’s a lesson we should never forget, especially when we feel unworthy, or we believe our actions to be unforgiveable, or we dare to point the finger at others and condemn them as being beyond the mercy and compassion of our God. The truth is, if He can forgive and restore Israel, if He can remain true to His covenants with them, He can do it for anyone!

That is why the Psalm must end on a note of praise, “Praise to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” This is not just a fanciful, fitting end to another addition to the psalter, this song has proved that God’s covenant love is everlasting, despite all human attempts to break it. Our God is true to His word, He will never renege on His promises. So this day, I ask you to join with me and say, “Amen! Praise the Lord.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insisted
Read more

Psalm 51:4

Psalm 51:4 Deliberate sin In Genesis 20 we read the story of Abimelek and Abraham. The latter had passed off his wife Sarah as his sister and Abimelek had taken her with a view to her becoming his wife. The relationship was not consummated, and the Lord used a dream to reveal to Abimelek just what was going on. The insulted king pleaded innocence,  “I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands ” he said, to the Lord. And God agreed,  “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.”  This is a big subject but there is clearly a difference between sinful intentions and deeds where the participant knows that he/she is doing wrong, and those occasions where an action is carried out in innocence.  David knew all along that every detail of his relationship with Bathsheba was sinful, as were his actions in the cover-up. Therefore, he sinned against the Lord God and broke the commandments which said that  “You shall not commit adul
Read more

Psalm 57:8

Psalm 57:8 Awake my soul! This verse calls on three different elements to wake up! It follows on from the previous statement that David intends to sing and make music. We can imagine him opening his eyes one morning and all is silent and dark. The first birds have not yet started to sing, and the eastern sky is not yet pink. In contrast to the days of despair and defeat David is ready for this day and he is going to celebrate. He may be living in a gloomy, dank cave but hope is at hand, God is with him and he will triumph over his enemies. Maybe some of his companions got a shock that morning as their leader launched his early morning praise assault on the kingdoms of darkness! ·        Awake my soul. ·        Awake, harp and lyre. ·        Awake – the dawn. Sometimes we have to address the inner man and let our minds take control of our emotions and our desires. The negatives can be defeated, the whispering doubts can be silenced, the tide of fear and trepidation can be driven back. A
Read more