May 3

Psalm 106-107 (biblegateway.com)

From Rebellion to Redemption: The Unfailing Mercy of God

Following David’s anointing as king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11–12), the conquest of Jerusalem, the joyous return of the Ark of the Covenant to the city (2 Samuel 6), and a celebration of unity among God’s people (Psalm 133)—emphasizing the national harmony under David’s leadership— Psalm 106 serves as a reflective and sobering contrast. It rehearses Israel’s long history of unfaithfulness, from Egypt to the Promised Land, confessing how often the people rebelled despite God’s repeated acts of mercy. The placement of this psalm here in the reading plan may help remind worshipers that even in moments of national triumph and spiritual renewal, there is a need for humility and honest remembrance of past failures.

Psalm 107 then shifts tone dramatically, offering a song of thanksgiving for God’s steadfast love and redeeming power. It highlights various scenarios of distress and divine rescue, some of which echo Israel’s wilderness journey and others that resonate with themes of exile and return. In this reading plan, placing this psalm after the political and spiritual consolidation of the kingdom under David invites worshipers to recognize God as the true deliverer and sustainer, not only in dramatic miracles but also in the everyday restoration of scattered people.

Together, these two psalms form a theological and liturgical bridge. Psalm 106 looks back with confession over Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness, while Psalm 107 looks forward with gratitude for God’s steadfast love and redeeming acts. Though thematically situated during the early monarchy in a chronological Bible reading plan, most scholars believe these psalms were shaped or finalized during or after the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC.

During this period, the Jewish people were grappling with the devastating loss of their land, the destruction of the temple, and a fractured national identity. Against that backdrop, Psalm 106 serves as a national confession, recounting Israel’s persistent rebellion despite God’s mercy, while Psalm 107 offers a song of thanksgiving, celebrating God’s deliverance of various groups from trouble. Viewed through the lens of exile and return, these psalms root Israel’s worship in both historical truth and hope-filled praise, emphasizing God’s faithfulness even in the face of human failure.

Psalm 106 – Confession and Covenant Mercy

Psalm 106 is a national lament that closes Book IV of the Psalms, complementing the praise of Psalm 105 with a sobering recount of Israel’s sins. These collective memories would have struck a deep chord with the exiled community, who were living proof of what happens when a nation forgets God. It begins with a familiar call to praise: “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (v. 1). This opening frames the psalm as both a testimony and a plea, rooting the hope of the people in God’s unchanging love.

The psalmist quickly moves to a personal and communal confession in verse 6: “Both we and our fathers have sinned.” He includes himself in the nation’s guilt, underlining the generational nature of rebellion. The recounting of Israel’s unfaithfulness begins with their lack of understanding at the Red Sea (v. 7–12). Although God miraculously parted the waters, the people quickly forgot His works. Yet God saved them “for His name’s sake” (v. 8), underscoring that His deliverance was based on His glory and covenant, not their faithfulness, a critical theological truth about grace and divine initiative.

Following their deliverance, they soon “forgot his works” (v. 13), grew greedy in the wilderness (v. 14), and tested God repeatedly. In verses 16-18, we are reminded of their jealousy against Moses and Aaron, which leads to divine judgment. Verse 19 recounts their creation of the golden calf as an act of deep idolatry. “They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox” (v. 20). Yet God, in His covenant mercy, refrained from destroying them completely, largely because of Moses’ intercession (v. 23).

The rebellion continues throughout verses 24–39: disbelief in the promise of the land (v. 24), idolatrous worship at Baal-peor (v. 28), and even sacrificing their own children to false gods (v. 37). Each instance reveals how far God’s people strayed, despite repeated deliverances. The theological truth is clear. Sin is not only an action but a pattern rooted in forgetfulness, ingratitude, and misplaced trust.

Verses 40–46 describe the consequences: exile, oppression, and suffering. Yet even then, God “looked upon their distress when He heard their cry” (v. 44). He remembered His covenant and showed compassion (v. 45). The psalm ends with a final plea for God to gather His people again (v. 47) and a closing doxology (v. 48), anchoring the entire psalm in praise despite painful reflection.

This psalm reminds us to acknowledge both personal and communal sin honestly. It warns against spiritual amnesia, forgetting what God has done, and invites us to return to Him. Are there patterns in your life where you’ve ignored God’s voice or grace? Confession, even of long-standing habits, invites mercy. Like Israel, we’re called not to perfection but to dependence. Let this psalm lead you to repentance and fresh gratitude for God’s covenant faithfulness.

Psalm 107 – A Song of Redemption from Many Distresses

Psalm 107, by contrast, is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise that celebrates God’s steadfast love in redeeming His people from diverse and desperate situations, such as wandering in desert wastelands, sitting in darkness, suffering affliction, and enduring storms. These images are deeply rooted in Israel’s history and metaphorically describe the nation’s spiritual exile and restoration. The repeated refrain, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love” (v. 8, 15, 21, 31), serves as a communal call to worship in response to divine deliverance.

Psalm 107 opens Book V of the Psalms and is a rich tapestry of God’s redeeming work among His people. It begins with the same refrain as Psalm 106: “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (v. 1). Immediately, it calls the redeemed to give testimony, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story” (v. 2). This sets the stage for four powerful redemption stories, all illustrating different kinds of distress and divine rescue.

The first scene (v. 4-9) pictures wanderers in the desert, lost and hungry, crying out to the Lord. He leads them to a settled place, satisfying their hunger (v. 9). This mirrors the Exodus and symbolizes our spiritual aimlessness without God. The second group (v. 10-16) are prisoners in darkness, chained because of rebellion. The passage indicates that these people suffered as captives and forced laborers (v. 12) because they had rebelled against the words of God. But even though they rejected God’s covenant by their rebellion, God still heard them when they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death (v. 14). They, too, should thank the Lord for his steadfast love.

The third group (v. 17–22) represents the sick, afflicted due to foolishness. They draw near death, but God sends His word and heals them (v. 20). The theological truth here is striking: God not only heals physically but restores life through His Word, pointing ultimately to Christ, the living Word (John 1:1). The fourth group (v. 23–32) are sailors caught in a violent storm, symbolic of life’s chaos. When they cry out, God calms the sea and brings them safely to harbor (v. 30), echoing Jesus’ stilling of the storm in Mark 4.

Each group’s story follows the same pattern: distress, a cry for help, divine deliverance, and a call to give thanks (v. 8, 15, 21, 31). This structure emphasizes that God is ready to respond to any cry, no matter the cause or condition.

In verses 33–42, we see God’s sovereignty over the earth and society: He turns rivers into deserts and deserts into springs, humbles the mighty, and raises the poor. This reminds us that the Lord is actively involved in both natural and human affairs. The psalm concludes with a challenge in verse 43: “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.”

Psalms 106 and 107 together form a powerful conclusion and new beginning. Psalm 106 ends Book IV with confession and a plea for restoration, acknowledging Israel’s long history of rebellion and God’s persistent mercy. Psalm 107 opens Book V with praise for God’s steadfast love, celebrating His redemption in every kind of trouble, wandering, captivity, sickness, and storms. These psalms invite us to remember our spiritual history honestly and respond to God’s grace with gratitude and trust. They teach us that while sin leads to suffering, repentance opens the way for God’s deliverance. Whether we find ourselves in the wilderness or the storm, the pattern remains: cry out to the Lord, and He delivers.

These songs, likely shaped by the return from exile, still speak to today’s exiles—those longing for restoration, renewal, and a home in God. May we learn from Israel’s past, trust in God’s covenant love, and boldly proclaim His goodness to every generation.

Will you take time to remember the Lord’s works in your life, repent where needed, and give thanks publicly for His mercy? Your story of redemption may lead others to cry out to Him, too.