Rejoicing in God’s faithfulness
Psalm 105 (Selected verses)
1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice….
7 He is the Lord our God;
his judgements are in all the earth.
8 He is mindful of his covenant for ever,
of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance.’
12 When they were few in number,
of little account, and strangers in it,
13 wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another people,
14 he allowed no one to oppress them…
16 When he summoned famine against the land,
and broke every staff of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave….
23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham….
26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them,
and miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
they rebelled against his words….
36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the first issue of all their strength.
37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it….
42 For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing….
45 that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!
The reading has been shortened due to the length of the psalm.
This psalm of praise builds on Psalm 104 – which praised God for making creation and providing for creation – this psalm (105) celebrates God’s actions in the life of the people of Israel. God’s faithfulness to God’s covenant.
God made promises to Abraham, which were continued in Isaac, Jacob and on to Joseph. As the people left the promised land to find food, food that God provided in continuation of the Covenant. Then God brought the people back to the Promised Land in Moses – having kept the promise to Abraham.
God keeps promises, God is faithful.
While we may not connect to the promises made to Abraham and fulfilled in the Exodus – God made promises in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. Promises to be with us, promises to lead and guide us, promises to bring us forgiveness and salvation – and God has been faithful to those promises. And so we can join with the people of God through to ages in praising God for God’s faithfulness.
Such praise and thanksgiving involves songs of joy and obeying the commands of God. The faithful God invites us to faithfulness to him. Our thankful response includes both shouts of praise and a heart turned to living God’s way in the world.
PRAYER:
Faithful God, you made a Covenant with Abraham, and through the twists and turns of the story of your people, you kept the promise you made in the Covenant. You, O Lord, are faithful and true above all others. In your faithfulness you have drawn us into your promise, adopting us as your children. Shape us that we would live as your children, rejoicing in your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.