the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Psalms 106:24-48
In Psalms 105:1-45 the verbs showed God’s sovereign intervention: "He sent (vv. 17, 26, 28), He spake (vv. 31, 34), He gave (v. 32), He smote (v. 36), He brought forth (vv. 37, 43). In this psalm, as we have seen, it is the thoughts and actions of man (and what actions!) which are presented to us: "They believed not . . . they murmured . . . they mingled among the heathen . . . served their idols . . . sacrificed unto devils . . . shed innocent blood . . . defiled themselves . . ." (vv. 24 to 39). What a heart-breaking story of this people who became more and more involved in evil and did everything to kindle the LORD’s wrath (v. 40)! As a result we would expect Him absolutely to reject them. Yet this terrible list of charges ends up with the victory of grace. Once again it is God who acts: "He regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry . . . he remembered . . . repented . . . made them to be pitied . . ." (vv. 44-46). There is everlasting praise in response to that unfathomable mercy (v. 48).
The sin in v. 24 was bound to sadden the heart of God. "They despised the pleasant land . . ." Dear Christian friends, we are on the way to a land infinitely more attractive than the earthly Canaan: the heavenly City, the House of the Father. Is it desirable or despicable in our eyes? Our whole way of life will depend on this.
