Monthly Archives: May 2016

Singing with the King (76) – How Merciful is God?

goldencalfThat is why the Lord’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession. He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them. Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power.  Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin.  Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. (Psalm 106:40-44)

Let me list off a few of Israel’s disobedient actions is found in Psalm 106, that brought the wrath of God upon them:

  • They became envious of God’s chosen leaders.
  • They made a graven image, and worshiped it.
  • They forgot how God saved them from Egypt, and the miracles He did on their behalf.
  • They despised the promised land.
  • They do not believe His Word.
  • They joined themselves to false God, and offered sacrifices to the dead.
  • They served other idols.
  • They co-mingled with other nations.
  • They even sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.

Now remember, this is just some of the abominable acts done by Israel, just mentioned in ONE Psalm. And that is why He handed them over, to the pagan nations. Yet, even after Israel doing all those things, you read the above few verses, how He rescued them again and again, He pitied them, and heard their cries.

Have you ever felt abandoned; or maybe been suffering some pretty serious consequences of your sins. And you wonder if God will ever hear you again. But even in this dark time in Israel’s history, it says that He listened to their cries. And He will listen to you—He did listen to you. Why? Because Jesus died for your sins. In fact He heard you, long before you even spoke: He paid for you with the precious life blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him for this purpose long before the world began, but now in these final days, He was sent to the earth for all to see. And He did this for you. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Let me be even more plain, borrowing from the words of the apostle Paul: For I’m convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Take a line from the psalmist who wrote Psalm 106: Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. (v.47) Call upon him. He will hear you, and he will save you.

Singing with the King (75) – How Quickly We Forget

Then His people believed His promises. Then they sang His praise. Yet how quickly they forgot what He had done! They wouldn’t wait for His counsel! (Psalm 106:12-13)

Ears PluggedYou can see a drastic, neck-wrenching conversion between these two verses. And it’s a conversion in the wrong direction. Before these passages, the Psalmist was recounting the beginning of the Exodus, how the people rebelled, even from the start.

But God did something remarkable. He didn’t strike them down, nor did He allow their enemy to catch up and destroy them. No, instead, He saved them for the sake of His name, that He might make His power known. (v. 8) Yet how quickly they forgot what He had done! They wouldn’t wait for His counsel!

So what can we learn from this passage? That our faith and obedience is fleeting. That His nature is unchanging and eternal. If God has made a promise to you, He will keep it. That’s Who He is.

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. (Psalm 145:13)

God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. (Psalm 18:30)

For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

The Hebrew word for quickly speaks of liquid, and flows easily. That is our nature.

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.   When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer. (Psalm 103:14-16)

For He remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns. (Psalm 78:39)

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (James 4:14)

The good news is found following those verses in Psalm 103: But the lovingkindness of the Child listeningLORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children,   to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. God gives a new and eternal nature when we love and obey Him.

If you want your life to mean something more than just grass, draw near to God–He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)