If you’re following this year’s reading program on the Wisdom books, you’ll know that we’re just starting Song of Solomon. Here’s the first paragraph of Eugene Peterson’s introduction as found in The Message bible:

We don’t read very far in the Song of Songs before we realize two things: one, it contains exquisite love lyrics, and two, it is very explicit sexually. The Song, in other words, makes a connection between conjugal love and sex—a very important and very biblical connection to make. There are some who would eliminate sex when they speak of love, supposing that they are making it more holy. Others, when they think of sex, never think of love. The Song proclaims an integrated wholeness that is at the center of Christian teaching on committed, wedded love for a world that seems to specialize in loveless sex. (Emphasis mine)

So the book begins:

The Song—best of all songs—Solomon’s song!

Kiss me—full on the mouth! Yes! For your love is better than wine, headier than your aromatic oils. (Song of Solomon 1.1, 2, MSG)

And off we go.

How’s this for she stands out to him, and he stands out to her?

The Woman

I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools.

The Man

A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds—that’s my dear friend among the girls in the village. (SOS 2.1, 2, MSG)

The Woman

As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! (SOS 2.3, 4, MSG)

A pastor once explained that “apricots and raisins” was sexually suggestive talk, which, if true, means that she wants to get on it!

Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly!

Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist! (SOS 2.5, 6, MSG)

The text even spells out one way to lie together. Sex was God’s idea! Give thanks.

Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex. (Hebrews 13.4, MSG)

Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, Is it a good thing to have sexual relations? Certainly—but only within a certain context. It’s good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. (1 Corinthians 7.1 – 3, MSG)

Let’s finish out Psalm 106, where the people of God are doing a fine job (unfortunately) forgetting the works of God. What are the other lowlights from the wilderness journey and after? Psalm 106 seems to capture a lot of those lowlights:

• Envy – Numbers 16

When they envied Moses in the camp, And Aaron the saint of the LORD, The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, And covered the faction of Abiram. (Psalm 106.16, 17)

• The Golden Calf – Exodus 32

They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped the molded image. Thus they changed their glory Into the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the land of Ham, Awesome things by the Red Sea. (Psalm 106.19 – 22, NKJV)

• Failure to enter the land – Numbers 13 and 14

Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe His word, But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the LORD. Therefore He raised up His hand in an oath against them, To overthrow them in the wilderness, To overthrow their descendants among the nations, And to scatter them in the lands. (Psalm 106.24 – 27, NKJV)

• Orgies – Numbers 25

They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, And ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore. (Psalm 106.28 – 31, NKJV)

• More grumbling and Moses’ disobedience – Numbers 20.2 – 13

They angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; Because they rebelled against His Spirit, So that he spoke rashly with his lips. (Psalm 107.32, 33, NKJV)

• Conforming to the nations – Judges 2

They did not destroy the peoples, Concerning whom the LORD had commanded them, But they mingled with the Gentiles And learned their works; They served their idols, Which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. (Psalm 106.34 – 39, NKJV)

• Judgment! (See the rest of Judges – 2 Chronicles!)

Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people, So that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, And those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times He delivered them; But they rebelled in their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity. (Psalm 106.40 – 43, NKJV)

Recall that the purpose for God’s miracles as recorded in Psalm 105 was simple:

He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations, That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 105.44, 45, NKJV)

“…that they might observe his statutes…” And they didn’t do it. Psalm 106 documents the failure and the resulting judgment. Yet how does Psalm 106 close? With a prayer and praise:

Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the Gentiles, To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD! (Psalm 106.47, 48, NKJV)

Psalm 106 is an amazing counterpoint to Psalm 105. Psalm 105 focused on good things God did in the exodus and wilderness journey. Psalm 106 focuses on Israel’s poor response. As with Psalm 105, I think we’ll need two blogs for Psalm 106. We start hearing about the problems in verse 6:

We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly. Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea. (Psalm 106.6, 7, NKJV)

There were the plagues followed by leaving Egypt but they didn’t get far before unbelief set in:

They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14.11, 12, ESV)

When God parted the Red Sea, let them through, and killed the Egyptians…

The waters covered their enemies; There was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; They sang His praise. They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. (Psalm 106.11 – 14, NKJV)

“Then they believed…they sang His praise (see Exodus 15)…They soon forgot…” We don’t even get out of Exodus 15 before they’re grumbling again.

When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15.23, 24, ESV)

Tomorrow we’ll look at the rest of the lowlights from the wilderness journey and after. For now, let’s consider the cure for these memory lapses. It’s at the beginning of Psalm 106:

Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise? (Psalm 106.1, 2, NKJV)

It takes intentionality to focus on God’s good works and not get drawn into complaining about current circumstances.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4.11 – 13, ESV)