Psalm 106:1-23
Q.1. What draws out the boundless praise from the Psalmist in the light of Israel’s history? – (Ps.106:1-5)
The Psalmist introduced this lesson from history with a summary statement – Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting (Ps.106:1). This was his conclusion as he considered the history of God’s dealings with His people (c.f. Ps.106:7-12, 43-46). He then asked that the Lord might treat him with similar faithfulness – 4 Remember me, O Lord, in Your favour toward Your people; Visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance (ps.106:4-5). This is a wonderful way to approach God in prayer.
Q.2. What is the pattern in the history of God and His people that marks out His grace? – (Ps.106:6-23)
As with the pattern revealed in the book of Judges – The Lord blessed His people … they sinned and took God for granted and turned away from Him … The Lord chastised them to bring them back … Then they repented and returned to Him …. God once more lavished His bounty on them. To sum up. Men are forever forgetting and forsaking God, and God is forever seeking, disciplining, and bringing restoration. This was the experience of Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness (Ps.106:6-14). God also provided Israel with godly leaders who interceded for the people and turned away His wrath – Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them (Ps.106:23). Mostly, God relents because that is the kind of God He is – He saved them for the sake of His name, that He might make His power known (Ps.106:8).
Q.3. Why is it crucial to pray in accordance with the revealed will of God? – (Ps.106:13-15)
The Psalm gives us insights into how prayer works … and how we can short-circuit effective praying. Israel cried out to God, but unfortunately – They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel (Ps.106:13). We must get to know God’s principles, and how He operates. More than that, we must wait upon the Lord, because there is something much worse than God not giving us our requests. God may actually give us what we are asking for, but along with it may come a painful lesson, as with Israel – 14 They craved intensely in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 So He gave them their request but sent a wasting disease among them Ps.106:14-15). Sometimes God may need to do this, to teach us that our Heavenly Father knows best.