Lust Never Satisfied—Grace Always Does ~ Bob Caldwell

Psalm 106:1-48 13-15 They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul. The thanksgiving and praise that we are exhorted to lift up to God in this psalm is centered upon His enduring mercies. To prove the point, we read a brief history of Israel that recounts the amazing extent to which God's mercy had endured the extreme sins of Israel that so utterly violated their relationship with Him. The essence of Israel's history with sin and their resulting need for God's abundant mercy is captured in verses 13-15 -- a history, in some way, we all likely duplicate. Like Israel, God has done many things to make Himself known to us, from the observation of His glory revealed in creation to personal encounters with Him that in the moment are so real and deeply meaningful. Yet, like Israel, we soon forget what these encounters revealed to us about God. Our faith is replaced with what many call a practical skepticism. Rather than turn to God in faith, we turn to ourselves and the "logic" that is guided by unbelief. This often leads to a convenient justification as we fulfill our sinful appetites. God will often allow our lusts to be played out when it becomes the only thing left to prove to us the tragic end of a life ruled by sinful lust. But we are left with leanness within our souls. This is sometimes the only way to discover God's mercy. God's love and mercy extend beyond our failure. It is in this that we discover things about God that draw love and worship toward Him like nothing else can. We discover mercy as an undeniable fact when we discover that God still hears our cry, even though we have sinned against His love so callously (v. 44). Although we deserve severe judgment, He gives an abundance of mercy multiplied (v. 45). It is a mercy not simply to be rescued from the mess sin has left us in but mercy to walk a path of righteousness. As it was with Israel, so it is for each one of us in the Body of Christ. We are living examples of why God is worthy to be praised for His abundant mercy and grace. And although we are worthy of rejection and judgment, He has made us fully accepted in love through Christ (Eph. 1:6).
Psalm 106:1-48 Joy in Forgiveness of Israel's Sins 1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise? 3 Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times! 4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance. 6 We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly. 7 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. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, That He might make His mighty power known. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; So He led them through the depths, As through the wilderness. 10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 The waters covered their enemies; There was not one of them left. 12 Then they believed His words; They sang His praise. 13 They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. 15 And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul. 16 When they envied Moses in the camp, And Aaron the saint of the LORD, 17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, And covered the faction of Abiram. 18 A fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped the molded image. 20 Thus they changed their glory Into the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, Awesome things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe His word, 25 But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the LORD. 26 Therefore He raised His hand in an oath against them, To overthrow them in the wilderness, 27 To overthrow their descendants among the nations, And to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, And ate sacrifices made to the dead. 29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. 31 And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore. 32 They angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; 33 Because they rebelled against His Spirit, So that he spoke rashly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the peoples, Concerning whom the LORD had commanded them, 35 But they mingled with the Gentiles And learned their works; 36 They served their idols, Which became a snare to them. 37 They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons, 38 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. 39 Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. 40 Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people, So that He abhorred His own inheritance. 41 And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, And those who hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times He delivered them; But they rebelled in their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry; 45 And for their sake He remembered His covenant, And relented according to the multitude of His mercies. 46 He also made them to be pitied By all those who carried them away captive. 47 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. 48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!
Psalm 106:1-48 Throughout history, Bible scholars have usually seen this psalm in tandem with its predecessor. It may have been placed together with Psalm 105 because both songs recount in poetic fashion the events recorded in Exodus. At any rate, Psalm 106 presents the "other side" of Israel's history. While Psalm 105 celebrates the glorious works of God, Psalm 106 is an inexorable retelling of Israel's rebellion against God, not only during the Exodus but in the land of promise, ultimately leading to exile in a foreign land. But even there, God's faithfulness to His covenant and His willingness to forgive their sin never ended (v. 44-48). v. 1 His mercy endures forever – A very frequent phrase in psalms of praise (cf. Psa. 118). v. 2 the mighty acts of the LORD – See comments for Psalm 105. v. 3 Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times! – The psalm will make clear that this is exactly what Israel failed to do throughout her history! v. 4 Remember me, O LORD…visit me with Your salvation – Probably a plea by the poet for God to fulfill His promise and bring His people out of exile back to their land (see conclusion of the poem, v. 46-47). v. 5 Your chosen ones…Your nation…Your inheritance – All synonyms for Israel. v. 6 We have sinned…committed iniquity…done wickedly – The psalmist is fond of piling up synonyms to emphasize his point. Note also the connection between the generations: "with our fathers". v. 7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand…they did not remember… – The Bible links rebellion very closely with "not remembering" God's grace and merciful work on behalf of His people. rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea – Backed up to the sea and facing Pharaoh's chariots thundering down on them, the people protested to Moses that God should never have led them out of Egypt! v. 8 – The verse shifts from 2nd person in the previous verse ("You", addressing God) to 3rd person ("He"…). This happens frequently in Biblical Hebrew and marks the beginning of the poet's recounting of God's acts. v. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea – God addresses the sea as if it were a servant to be corrected. v. 11 There was not one of them left – A direct quotation of Ex. 14:28. v. 12-13 – As the old saints used to say: it's easy to go from the "Hallelujah Highlands" to the "Valley of Complaint"! v. 15 He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. – One of the most sobering warnings in the Bible, also for the people of God's "New Covenant". See: Gal. 6:7-9. v. 16 When they envied Moses in the camp… – Refers to the rebellion against Moses and Aaron recorded in Num. 16. v. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molded image. – The psalmist is not following the historical narrative but backtracks to the incident at the foot of Mt. Sinai recorded in Ex. 32. v. 20 the image of an ox that eats grass – Images of bulls were used as idols by the surrounding cultures. Note the implied irony: the animal they worshiped ate the humblest of fare…grass, while God's people, who were sinning by worshipping its image, ate "angel's food" (Psa. 78:25)! v. 21 They forgot… – Note again the importance of not "forgetting" what God has done for us! v. 23 – See the report of the incident in Ex. 32:9-14. v. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land - they did not believe His word – Probably a reference to the incident when Israel accepted the report of the ten frightened spies (Num. 14) rather than heeding Joshua and Caleb's challenge to trust God and move into the land. v. 25 complained – "Muttered". v. 27 To overthrow their descendants among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands – A reference to God's warnings in Deut. 28:36ff that He would send His people into exile for their disobedience; foreshadows the plea of the psalmist seen at the end of the poem (v. 47) that God would end the judgment of exile. v. 28 – reports an incident of idolatry and sexual sin on a huge scale during the journey through the wilderness (see Num. 25); God's plague of judgment against the people was stopped by the commitment and actions of the priest Phinehas (v. 31). v. 31 And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore. – When surrounded by rebellion, the individual man or woman of God always has a choice to follow His ways…and God rewards that with unimaginable blessings! v. 32 – See Ex. 17 and Num. 20. In the second incident, Moses' actions brought him the penalty of never being allowed to enter the Promised Land. v. 33 He [Moses] spoke rashly with his lips – Implied by the phrase in Num. 20:10: "Must we [i.e. Moses and Aaron] bring water for you out of this rock?" God shares His glory with no man or any other creature, not even an archangel! v. 34 – begins an account of the disobedience of Israel after entering the land of promise. Israel was ordered to wipe out the unimaginably polluted Canaanite cultures; instead she mingled with them and was corrupted. v. 37-38 – Child sacrifice is one example of the vile practices of Canaanite religion. v. 38 the land was polluted with blood – The idea of a land being stained with "blood guilt" is particularly troubling in light of the evil practices of abortion and sexual corruption so common in our own culture. Billy Graham once said: "If God doesn't judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!" v. 39 – Israel's attraction to idolatry and the evil religious practices of the surrounding nations was often described by the prophets of God as "whoring after other gods"; see the book of Hosea. v. 40 His own inheritance – i.e. the people of God; see v. 5. v. 41-43 – tell of the repeated failures of Israel. v. 44 Nevertheless… – In spite of their sin, God never forgot His mercy and love for His people. v. 45 He remembered His covenant – Again, the basis of the relationship to His people is not their goodness, but His promise and commitment to them. v. 46 He also made them to be pitied by all those who carried them away captive – An enormous mercy for the captive Israelites in exile, who had no legal recourse or way to defend themselves (cf. the Book of Esther). v. 47 Save us…and gather us from among the Gentiles – the poet visualizes God's intervention and His acting to bring His people out of exile back to their land, a process that began under the Persian ruler Cyrus. To give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise – Israel is reminded that her return will not be for her own glory but to proclaim God's greatness to all nations. v. 48 – Probably not part of the psalm proper but the concluding praise song marking the end of the fourth book of Psalms. "Amen!" was the liturgical response of the congregation at the end of the final reading that finished this section.
"They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul." –Psalm 106:13-15 Amid our busyness, Lord, remind us to continually seek Your ways. Remind us that the only way we can know You more is to read Your Word.
Keepers of the Home We have been so blessed by those who have volunteered their time during the week greeting people at the receptionist desk. Their faithful service has been priceless. Prayer Points that God would continue to bless and give the volunteers wisdom as they serve those who come in daily. for God's provision of enough volunteers to cover the times needed.