Psa 106:4 | KingComments | STEP | This psalm is a contrast to the previous psalm. In Psalm 105 the psalmist speaks of the faithfulness of God to His promises. There he shows how God has always been with His people, protecting them, providing everything they needed, and bringing them into the land of promise. The response He had reason to expect is in the last verse of the previous psalm ( ). The response He received is in this psalm. Psalm 106 gives the story of taunting God, despising the land, forgetting God’s promises. It is a story of unbelief, disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry. That God continued with them in spite of these reactions of His people only makes His grace all the more admirable. He does have a righteous basis for this and that is the intercession of His Son, of which we see a picture in the intercession of Moses ( ). Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 give us the history of Israel, not as an arid enumeration of facts, but as words of prayer and praise. The occasion is the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God on the one hand and the failure of the people on the other. Prophetically we find this already in Solomon’s prayer to God in 1 Kings 8. In Psalm 106 we find the history of the journey of the people of Israel, now not seen as under the grace of God, but under the law of Sinai. Without self-knowledge, they said to God three times: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” ( ). In response to this overconfident statement, the LORD gave His law: “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD” ( ). However, the law proved to be powerless to bless the people because the blessing depended on the ability of the flesh to do the will of God ( ). We see the impossibility of this illustrated in this psalm. Division of the psalm Thanksgiving. The failure in Egypt. The failure in the wilderness. The failure in conquering the land. The failure in the promised land. Conclusion and again thanksgiving. The psalmist begins with the exclamation “hallelujah!”, or “praise the LORD!” ( ). With this he also ends the psalm. It is an exhortation to others to join the psalmist in praising the LORD, as in Psalm 104, where this word appears the first time ( ). This psalm is the first psalm to both begin and end with the call “hallelujah!”, or “praise the LORD!” This occurs from Psalm 111 to the end of the book in nine more psalms. The reason is that God’s lovingkindness, demonstrated in His goodness, is able to save Israel, despite its failures. The condition is that Israel first acknowledges its failure. That is what we find in Psalm 106. It is not possible to discuss God’s history of salvation, viewed from any side, without giving thanks to Him for His great lovingkindness and faithfulness. The psalmist says “give thanks to the LORD”, after which the occasion is then given: “For He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” He is good, that is His Being. Therefore, His lovingkindness is forever, for He never changes. This will be seen and enjoyed publicly in the realm of peace. The psalmist wonders where the people are “who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD” ( ). Are there even people who can and will do that? No one can do it according to its value and to the fullest. But many don’t even want to begin to do so because they are busy with their own affairs, which they consider more important. And who is able to “show forth all His praises”? The showing forth of His praise can never be done to the fullest by believers, for He is exalted above all thanksgiving and praise ( ). But who will not want to do it according to the measure of what is seen of it? To speak of the mighty deeds and show forth the praises remains imperfect because of the limited understanding of them. The whole of it cannot be encompassed, let alone described. What can be done, and what God expects of His own, is that they keep to the law and do righteousness at all times ( ). The believing remnant can only do that by virtue of the LORD’s lovingkindness and faithfulness, in contrast to what the people are by nature ( ). If they do, they are “blessed”. To oppose or disregard this is not a matter of weakness, but of unwillingness. After his thanksgiving, the psalmist utters a prayer ( ). He asks the LORD to think of him and to do so according to the good pleasure He has for His people. In doing so, he is asking that the LORD allows him to share in the blessing He has for His people in the realm of peace, when the Messiah reigns. This is evident in his asking if the LORD will visit him with His salvation, that is, will give him a share in it. When the LORD does that, it means to him that he will receive much blessing. That blessing is first of all that he may “see the prosperity of Your chosen ones” ( ). God’s people are the object of His election. Those who belong to it are especially privileged, for they are not worthy in themselves. This also applies to us as New Testament believers. We are also chosen, and also exclusively by grace, and in Christ. The second blessing is that he may “rejoice in the gladness of Your nation”. When God’s people are in the blessing of the realm of peace, they will rejoice with gladness. When the psalmist sees that, it will also make him rejoice. To share in the salvation of the realm of peace is to share in the joy. The third blessing is that he may “glory with Your inheritance”. This includes the people of God, for they are the “own possession” or “special treasure” of the LORD ( ). The psalmist looks forward to glorying with God’s people about the great privileges associated with being the inheritance of God. For us, what we personally possess, we may share together with all the saints (cf. ).

‏ Psalms 106:4

Introduction

This psalm is a contrast to the previous psalm. In Psalm 105 the psalmist speaks of the faithfulness of God to His promises. There he shows how God has always been with His people, protecting them, providing everything they needed, and bringing them into the land of promise.

The response He had reason to expect is in the last verse of the previous psalm (Psa 105:45). The response He received is in this psalm. Psalm 106 gives the story of taunting God, despising the land, forgetting God’s promises. It is a story of unbelief, disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry.

That God continued with them in spite of these reactions of His people only makes His grace all the more admirable. He does have a righteous basis for this and that is the intercession of His Son, of which we see a picture in the intercession of Moses (Psa 106:23).

Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 give us the history of Israel, not as an arid enumeration of facts, but as words of prayer and praise. The occasion is the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God on the one hand and the failure of the people on the other. Prophetically we find this already in Solomon’s prayer to God in 1 Kings 8.

In Psalm 106 we find the history of the journey of the people of Israel, now not seen as under the grace of God, but under the law of Sinai. Without self-knowledge, they said to God three times: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” (Exo 19:8 ; Exo 24:3 ; 7). In response to this overconfident statement, the LORD gave His law: “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD” (Lev 18:5).

However, the law proved to be powerless to bless the people because the blessing depended on the ability of the flesh to do the will of God (Rom 8:3). We see the impossibility of this illustrated in this psalm.

Division of the psalm

Psa 106:1-5 Thanksgiving.

Psa 106:6-12 The failure in Egypt.

Psa 106:13-23 The failure in the wilderness.

Psa 106:24-33 The failure in conquering the land.

Psa 106:34-42 The failure in the promised land.

Psa 106:43-48 Conclusion and again thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

The psalmist begins with the exclamation “hallelujah!”, or “praise the LORD!” (Psa 106:1). With this he also ends the psalm. It is an exhortation to others to join the psalmist in praising the LORD, as in Psalm 104, where this word appears the first time (Psa 104:35). This psalm is the first psalm to both begin and end with the call “hallelujah!”, or “praise the LORD!” This occurs from Psalm 111 to the end of the book in nine more psalms. The reason is that God’s lovingkindness, demonstrated in His goodness, is able to save Israel, despite its failures. The condition is that Israel first acknowledges its failure. That is what we find in Psalm 106.

It is not possible to discuss God’s history of salvation, viewed from any side, without giving thanks to Him for His great lovingkindness and faithfulness. The psalmist says “give thanks to the LORD”, after which the occasion is then given: “For He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” He is good, that is His Being. Therefore, His lovingkindness is forever, for He never changes. This will be seen and enjoyed publicly in the realm of peace.

The psalmist wonders where the people are “who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD” (Psa 106:2). Are there even people who can and will do that? No one can do it according to its value and to the fullest. But many don’t even want to begin to do so because they are busy with their own affairs, which they consider more important. And who is able to “show forth all His praises”? The showing forth of His praise can never be done to the fullest by believers, for He is exalted above all thanksgiving and praise (Neh 9:5). But who will not want to do it according to the measure of what is seen of it?

To speak of the mighty deeds and show forth the praises remains imperfect because of the limited understanding of them. The whole of it cannot be encompassed, let alone described. What can be done, and what God expects of His own, is that they keep to the law and do righteousness at all times (Psa 106:3). The believing remnant can only do that by virtue of the LORD’s lovingkindness and faithfulness, in contrast to what the people are by nature (Psa 106:6-43). If they do, they are “blessed”. To oppose or disregard this is not a matter of weakness, but of unwillingness.

After his thanksgiving, the psalmist utters a prayer (Psa 106:4). He asks the LORD to think of him and to do so according to the good pleasure He has for His people. In doing so, he is asking that the LORD allows him to share in the blessing He has for His people in the realm of peace, when the Messiah reigns. This is evident in his asking if the LORD will visit him with His salvation, that is, will give him a share in it.

When the LORD does that, it means to him that he will receive much blessing. That blessing is first of all that he may “see the prosperity of Your chosen ones” (Psa 106:5). God’s people are the object of His election. Those who belong to it are especially privileged, for they are not worthy in themselves. This also applies to us as New Testament believers. We are also chosen, and also exclusively by grace, and in Christ.

The second blessing is that he may “rejoice in the gladness of Your nation”. When God’s people are in the blessing of the realm of peace, they will rejoice with gladness. When the psalmist sees that, it will also make him rejoice. To share in the salvation of the realm of peace is to share in the joy.

The third blessing is that he may “glory with Your inheritance”. This includes the people of God, for they are the “own possession” or “special treasure” of the LORD (Deu 7:6). The psalmist looks forward to glorying with God’s people about the great privileges associated with being the inheritance of God. For us, what we personally possess, we may share together with all the saints (cf. Eph 3:16-18).