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PSALM

CHAPTER 106

1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? 3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

None of us can adequately praise God. Neither can we give Him the praise and thanksgiving He deserves, because "His mercy endureth forever." God cares about people, and wants to give them ETERNAL life! His mercy includes creating us, allowing us to wander into sin, calling us back to His salvation, and THEN - giving us eternal glory!

Since none of us can give God the praise and thanksgiving He deserves, we should be CONTINUALLY praising Him and thanking Him!

4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; 5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

Here is a prayer that all of us should offer to God. It is a prayer for God to "remember" us and grant us His forgiveness and salvation.

Only through God's grace and mercy can we be "chosen" for eternal happiness with Him.

6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

Before we can be granted forgiveness, we need to confess our sins and ASK God to forgive us. Here the psalmist begins a section in which he confesses the sins of the nation of Israel. These are also the sins of all human beings.

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. 12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. 13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: 25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD. 26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: 27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. 30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. 32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: 33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: 35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, 38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. 40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: 45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. 46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

It seems as soon as we are saved, we sin again! Israel was saved from Egypt by many miracles. But when they came to the Red Sea, they forgot all those miracles and chastised Moses for bringing them to "drown" (verse 7).

But God's mercy, which "endureth forever" was upon His chosen children. And He showed them a way of escape (verses 8-11).

The Israelites sang praises to God after that Red Sea experience (verse 12), but they soon forgot even that miracle and were unhappy with God for not providing them water and food (verses 13-15).

They also committed the sin of envying Moses' authority (verse 16). And then they sinned even further by causing Aaron to make an idol while Moses was on the mountain with God (verse 19).

Each time, God's mercy was applied and He helped the people.

The sin of "murmuring" against God (verse 25) is mentioned also.

They Israelites began to partake of the prostitution offered by the Moabites (verse 28), and were drawn by the women into idolatry (Numbers 25:1-3).

God destroyed some of them. But again, God's MERCY was toward them and they were helped. (verse 30).

On and on, the psalmist goes confessing the sins of the nation. Each confession is indicative of the sins that Christians commit today.

There is the sin of disobedience (verse 34).
The sin of further idolatry (verse 35-39).

But God was merciful and kind. When they called to Him for deliverance, He gave it (verses 43-45).

Even when the nation was carried away into slavery again, God made sure they were kept alive (verse 46).

47 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. 48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

Therefore, the final petition is for God to CONTINUE being faithful and gather His people to safety.

One day, God is going to do just that. He will gather ALL His people to Him in the eternal safety of heaven!

Let us, then, praise the Lord for His faithfulness and the fact that His mercy includes eternal forgiveness!

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