Psalms 105–107: Faithfulness & Faithlessness

Read the Bible in 2011 ◊ Week 36: Wednesday

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.”
Psalm 105:1–2

Wednesday’s Bible reading is Psalms 105–107. The first two psalms provide an overview of the history of Israel and the last two describe their rebellion against God and His judgment; their repentance and His deliverance.

M’Caw and Motyer comment on Psalm 105:

“This is the second of four great songs of Israel’s history (cf. also Pss. 78; 106; 136). It deals with Yahweh’s covenant with Abraham concerning the land of Canaan and rehearses the events which led to its occupation by the children of Jacob. The emphasis throughout this survey is upon the mercy and faithfulness of the Lord as declared in all his wonderful works (v. 2; cf. v. 5). Note the constant repetition of ‘he’. The pronouns ‘he’ and ‘his’ referring to the Lord occur more than 40 times in vv. 5–45.”¹

If you’ve been reading Numbers, you’ll recognize some of the events referred to in Psalm 106 as its describes of Israel’s rebellion. Events during the times of the conquest of Canaan and of the judges and kings of Israel and Judah are also outlined:

“They did not destroy the peoples,
As the LORD commanded them,
But they mingled with the nations
And learned their practices,
And served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with the blood.
Thus they became unclean in their practices,
And played the harlot in their deeds.”
Psalm 106:34–39

M’Caw and Motyer write:

“The same history, which in Ps. 105 was reviewed in order to display the grace of God, is here laid under consideration to show the unworthiness of the chosen people. In the former psalm we saw God’s faithfulness in the blessings of the covenant; here we see His faithfulness in its punishments.”²

Psalm 107 is a record of the repentance of God’s people brought about by His judgment and their deliverance by God when they cry out to Him in distress.

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary
And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.”
Psalm 107:1–3

As you read these records of God’s faithfulness despite Israel’s faithlessness, consider this:

“Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,
And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.”
Psalm 107:43

_________
Isaiah 42 Photograph: ChristianPhotos.net – Free High Resolution Photos for Christian Publications
^{1, 2}Leslie S. M’Caw, J. A. Motyer, “Psalms,” The New Bible Commentary: Revised, D. Guthrie, J. A. Motyer, eds., A. M. Stibbs, D. J. Wiseman, contributing eds., pp. 516, 517.