"Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!" (Ps. 105:1).
The writer of Psalm 105 wanted to remind Israel of the many promises God had given. He wanted the people to remember God’s covenant with Abraham, and the benefit of that promise extending to all the heirs of the promise. The psalmist reminded a forgetful people that God chose them to be His people, not because of anything worthy in themselves, but out of His free grace. Abraham had done nothing to deserve God’s choosing Him as the father of a nation. Clod gave him the promise and the grace to believe in that promise. Because God’s covenant with Abraham and his seed was based on God’s free favor, the continuance of that promise would not be dependent on man, but on God’s faithfulness. “He remembers His covenant forever” (v. 8) and “He remembered His holy promise and Abraham His servant” (v. 42).
Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, God remained faithful. We see this illustrated in the book of Hosea. The Lord directed Hosea to take Gomer as his wife, but she was unfaithful to him. God commanded Hosea to forgive her, to keep her as his wife despite her adultery. How often does the bride of Christ commit spiritual adultery in her sins? How often have you sinned against the Lord, proving to be unfaithful despite His many mercies and promises? Yet God remains faithful. He gives His people the grace to repent and forgives them of their many transgressions because He has promised them eternal life.
Just as God brought Israel out of slavery. He has brought every believer out of sin’s bondage. He has sustained us through the wilderness, upheld us in every trial, provided for us when we were hungry—just as He sent manna to the people of Israel. He has also disciplined us as He disciplined the Jewish nation. He is our father, and a father disciplines those He loves.
“Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced” (v. 5 NIV). Do not forget all God has done, all the promises He has given, and all the ways He has proved His faithfulness. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20).
Does Satan tempt you with despair when you sin, causing you to doubt God’s faithfulness? Do you unwittingly make God’s grace dependent on your performance? Because God is faithful, does this give you license to sin? Think about God’s enduring promises and how dependence on Him brings peace.
