Psalm 106:24-48



Psalm 106 is a historical psalm highlighting God's faithfulness despite Israel's frequent rebellion. Verses 24-43 continue the account of Israel forgetting God's promises about the Land resulting in their wandering forty years in the wilderness, Israel's Baal worship at Peor, Israel angering God at the waters of Meribah, and Israel's sin in Canaan resulting in captivity and exile.  YET, despite Israel's history of disobedience, verses 44-46 tell of God's faithfulness to His covenant. Verse 47 offers a prayer for salvation and restoration.  Then in verse 48, the psalm and Book IV ends with a doxology.

Following are some reflections that may be beneficial to consider when meditating on this psalm:
  • Verses 24-27
    • Israel chose not to listen to Joshua and Caleb's report but instead became fearful of the "giants" in the Land (Numbers 13-14).  Are there times in which my fears cause me to miss out on God's promises?
  • Verses 28-31
    • Israel's Baal worship at Peor had deadly consequences (Numbers 25). Are there enticing idols in our world today that I particularly need to be extra careful to avoid?   
  • Verses 32-33
    • Israel's quarreling at Meribah embittered the soul of Moses and provoked him to rashness, which excluded him from the Promised Land (Numbers 20:1-13).  Is there anything I need to change in my life to avoid causing others to stumble?  
    • What do these verses teach me about being faithful to the end?
  • Verses 34-39
    • In what ways might the church today need to be more set apart from the world?
  • Verses 40-47
    • How has God shown His love to me both through discipline as well as mercy?
  • Verse 48
    • As this doxology closes Book IV of the Psalms, what are some of the blessings we can praise God for from our meditations in Book IV?

If you would like to meditate on this psalm through music as well, following is a link to a YouTube video:
  • "Save Us O Lord" (Psalm 106:47) by Integrity Music:  Link


 

Comments

Grace said…
As we complete our meditations in Book IV, we are reminded of parallels to the Book of Numbers in the Pentateuch. Book IV appropriately starts with a psalm of Moses (Psalm 90) and closes with psalms that recount the history of Israel (Psalms 105-106). And in between, the Enthronement Psalms (Psalms 93-100) exhort His People to give thanks and praise God as King and Creator!
April 15, 2023 at 9:56 AM
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