Psalm 106:1-12

1 Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?
3 There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.
4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me.
5 Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.
6 Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!
7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.
8 Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.
9 He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert.
10 So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes.
11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived.
12 Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.

Psalm 106 deals primarily with God's faithfulness even when we are in the midst of sin. David tell us in the 8th verse that in spite of Israel's disobedience, "Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power."


When Israel migrated out of Egypt it didn't take long before they were complaining against God and living in disobedience. God could have chosen to destroy the entire nation right in the desert. He didn't, because history would record the fact that, although Yahweh was powerful enough to deliver His chosen people out of bondage, He was not able to get them out of the desert.

God takes the same position with the church today. Although we are often disobedient...and may be at this very moment...God understands that His reputation is established over the span of history. There will come a day when He will fully redeem His church from the temptations of sin and all history will record God is...an fact...who the Church claimed He is.


So David says "Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." We should take a moment to connect with this. It's a collective truth for the entire church, but it is a personal truth for each of us. God wants us to be victorious. He will make us so...most often in spite of us. But we shouldn't let it go to our heads. He's doing it to save His own reputation.

Why? Because if we are allowed to tarnish God's reputation, how will unbelievers recognize that He is the solution to their quest for purpose and meaning in their lives? And...that He solves the perils of eternity as well?

I'm not suggesting God isn't gracious because He doesn't love us. He does. But, He loves the unbeliever as well. Once we come to faith we are supposed to be tools God uses to bring others to faith. In the process...we get away with a lot. We shouldn't, but we do. "Who can ever praise him enough?
I, for one, I want to do my dead level best not to take advantage of this. How about you?


Live boldly out there today...