Reading: Psalms 106-107
Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all His praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour 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 gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance (Ps. 106:1-5).
The 106th Psalm is a testament to God's faithfulness in direct contrast to the faithlessness of mankind. In a very matter-of-fact manner, verse by verse, the psalmist lays out the history of the sins of the nation of Israel against the Lord. It does not make for comfortable reading even in the present day. The original Israelite audience most likely cringed in remembered shame as they listened. Yet the underlying message of the 106th Psalm is not one of condemnation and despair but rather joyous celebration.
Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Noah Webster defined mercy as “That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant.” This definition barely begins to describe the depth and breadth of what God showered upon His chosen people. Sin after deliberate sin, the people showed their indifference to God’s will, yet God responded with mercy and grace instead of judging them as they deserved. He provided for them, guided them, delivered them from their enemies, and comforted them in their distress. Even His corrections and discipline, though the Israelites likely deemed them painful in the moment, were built upon the foundation of love and grace. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south (Ps. 107:2-3).
The psalmist was entranced by the love God had shown and continued to show for His people. He longed to share in that love and, even more than that, to share it with others. He asked God for salvation so that he might glory with Thine inheritance, but also so that he might see his fellow man through the lens of God’s mercy and grace and allow the love that God had put into his heart to flow outwards in the same manner that it flowed outwards from God.
Through the body and blood of His Son, God has now made the psalmist's most fervent desire a reality for all who will receive Him. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Eph. 2:4-5). Those of us who have been washed clean in the blood of Christ and gathered into the family of God have been given new hearts that are uniquely suited to absorb and reflect His love. Now and forever more, we can rejoice in His presence and, with mercy and grace, share that rejoicing with everyone we meet.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:34).
Thought for Today: God’s mercy, like His love, can be emulated by our worldly hearts but never truly copied, but only by committing to the attempt can we grow closer to God.
Christ Revealed: As the true Shepherd (Ps. 80:1). Christ is the Good Shepherd and the Door through which one must enter to be saved. He alone is The Way to heaven (John 10:9,11; 14:6).
Word Studies: 106:20 similitude = likeness; 106:29 inventions = deeds, acts; 106:30 stayed = stopped, checked; 107:11 contemned = despised, spurned.
Pray for Staff: Judy McCrary • Government Official: Rep. Cory Mills (FL),Reo. Chris Deluzio (PA) • Country: Sweden (9,723,809) Northern Europe • Major Language: Swedish • Religious Freedom • 87% Lutheran; 13% Other (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist) • Prayer Suggestion: Ask the Lord to be merciful and to forgive your sins (Ps. 25:6-7).
Optional Reading:I Timothy 4