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Praise the Lord!

Wayne Galloway
07/25/21 - Sunday Evening Worship

Series: Study of Historical Psalms

3 Study of Historical Psalms

 

Praise the Lord!

Psa. 106:1-3

 

Introduction:

 

1.  The historical Psalms (78, 105, 106, 135, 136) remind us of God’s activity among our forefathers.

2.  Different elements of the history are rehearsed to remind us to NOT be like them.  N.T. students are reminded of the same in passages like 1 Cor. 10:6:  “These things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things like they did” and Rom. 15:4:  “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction.” 

3.  The remembrances in the historical Psalms are often peppered with names like Moses and Aaron and place names like Egypt, the Red Sea, Horeb and Meribah.

4.  In each Psalm there is the reminder of God’s everlasting lovingkindness, compassion and everlasting covenant.

5.  Even though they sinned, rebelled and tested the Lord over and over again, still He remained true and loyal because His lovingkindness is everlasting.

6.  Psa. 106 involves a communal confession:  “We have sinned like our fathers.  We have committed iniquity.  We have behaved wickedly” (v. 6).

 

Discussion:

 

I.  The Psalm opens with worship (1-3).

 

    A.  Hallelujah! is the first word (1a).  “Praise the Lord!” in the NASB.

    B.  There is a call to give thanks to the Lord, for His goodness, for His lovingkindness is

          everlasting (1b).

    C.  The Psalm will speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord and show forth reasons for Him to

          be praised (2).

    D.  Acknowledgement is made that those who keep His justice an practice His

         righteousness are blessed (cf. Deut. 6, 3, 24).  This stands in contrast to those who

         defect to serve other gods (Deut. 17:1ff; 18:9ff; 27:1ff; 28:1ff).

 

II.  Verses 4-5 seem to take a rather personal approach.

 

     A.  “Remember me . . . visit me . . ..”

     B.  “That I may see . . . that I may rejoice . . . that I may glory . . ..”

 

III.  Verse 6 is a communal confession.  This is a penitential Psalm, a Psalm of confession.

 

     A.  The Psalmist identifies himself with “our fathers.”

     B.  He confesses not just for himself but uses the pronoun “we.”  “We have sinned like our

          fathers.”

      C.  There is an acceptance of personal responsibility.  “We have committed iniquity, we

            have behaved wickedly.”

      D.  He is not personally accepting the guilt of our fathers, but he is accepting guilt for

            having sinned “like they did.”

            1.  Everyone has to accept his or her own guilt.  A racist slave owner must accept

                 his/her own guilt.  If his/her descendants keep laws on the books or make laws that

                 reflect their personal racism then they are guilty like their fathers.  But each bears

                 his/her own guilt.

            2.  When we commit the same sins as our fathers we are just as guilty as they.  There

                 can be no legitimate blaming of others for our behavior.

 

IV.  Remembrances of the history of God’s interaction with our fathers and our father’s response from Egypt and on-ward (7ff).

 

      A.  In Egypt and at the Red Sea (7-12).  Cf. Psa. 78:12-13.

           1.  The fathers.

                a.  Did not understand God’s wonders.

                b.  Did not remember His kindnesses.

                c.  Rebelled.

            2.  What God did.

                 a.  He saved them for the sake of His name.  He proved Himself both powerful and

                      kind to save them.

                 b.  He saved/redeemed them from their enemy.

            3.  Then they believed (Ex. 4:31) and sang His praise.  At least one song is recorded in

                 Ex. 15:1ff.

      B.  In the wilderness after they left Egypt (13-15).

           1.  They quickly forgot.

           2.  Did not wait for His counsel.

           3.  Tempted God.

                 a.  They grumbled for water (Ex. 15:24).

                 b.  They grumbled for meat (Ex. 16:2).

                 c.  Grumbled for water again at Rephidim (Ex. 17:2).

           4.  He gave them their request.  Ex. Quail (Num. 11:31ff).

           5.  Sent a wasting disease among them (Num. 11:33; cf. Isa. 40:16).

      C.  Then there was a time when they became envious of Moses and Aaron (16-18).  The

            historical event is described in detail in Num. 16:1ff.

            1.  God was using Moses and Aaron to bless them.

            2.  Their response was to be envious, to discredit the promise of a land flowing with

                 milk and honey and to discredit the leadership of God’s servants.

            3.  The consequence was death as the earth opened up and swallowed them.

            4.  Fire consumed the 250 who had allied themselves with Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

      D.  They made a calf in Horeb (19-23).  The historical event is described in detail Ex. 32.

            1.  The event (Ex. 32:1-6).

            2.  Moses’ entreaty (Ex. 32:11-14).

            3.  The Lord changed His mind and did not destroy them.

       E.  Then they despised the pleasant land (24-27).  This historical event is described in

            Num. 14. 

            1.  The people rebelled (Num. 14:1-10).

            2.  Moses pleaded (11-12).

            3.  The Lord pardoned (20-25).

       F.  Then there was the matter of Baal-peor (106:28-31).  This historical event is described

             in Num. 25:1ff.

             1.  The people joined themselves with the people of Moab and began worshiping

                  Baal.

             2.  This incident was intensified by one of the sons of Israel bringing a Midianite

                  woman into his tent, even as some were grieving over the idolatry and the slaying

                  of some leaders of Israel who had joined themselves to Baal of Peor.

            3.  Phinehas stopped the plague by slaying the man and the woman.

            4.  But not before 24,000 died. 

      G.  Then there was the incident at Meribah (32-33).  This incident is described in Num. 20.

            There was no water at Meribah and the people complained (2-5).  Moses out of his

            frustration with the people failed to treat the Lord as holy and stood condemned.

      H.  Then there was the matter of their not destroying the people of Canaan and so

            engaging in the idolatry of the Canaanites.

            1.  This was a general problem from the days of Joshua.

            2.  The Book of Judges is illustrative.

            3.  The rest of the history of the nation of Israel testifies to their unfaithfulness, their

                  idolatry and their rebellion.

      

V.  While the Lord was angry with them, very angry and allowed their enemies to oppress them, nevertheless He responded by remembering His covenant, relented and made known His lovingkindness and compassion (40-46).

 

VI.  And so the Psalm concludes with a plea for salvation and praise for the God of Israel (47-48).

 

Conclusion:

 

1.  So what is the take away from this history?

2.  God is always faithful.  There are consequences for our unfaithfulness.  While He is a God of lovingkindness and compassion we should not make it cheap by distrust, testing Him, provoking Him, and rebelling against Him.

3.  Instead, like the Psalmist we should come penitently, confessing our guilt and depending on His lovingkindness and do so with thanksgiving and praise in humility humbled by the greatness of His compassion.

4.  Let us not be like our fathers, but let us love the Lord with all of our heart and praise Him for all that He has done for us!