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)