The Tale of Two Pasts
Daily Old Testament Reading: 1 Chronicles 13-14; Psalm 105-106
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 105-106
Psalms 105 and 106 read together as a tale of two pasts. In Psalm 105, the Psalmist declares the greatness of God in the past and the faithfulness of God’s people. In Psalm 106, we find that the Psalmist addresses the same history declaring the greatness of God despite the sinful and rebellious nature of the people of God. The tale of two pasts teaches us the faithfulness of God to his promises and reminds us that as his children, he continues to be with us and offer us forgiveness and reconciliation though we do not deserve it.
THE PRAISING OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD
Psalm 105 centers on the goodness of God and his work in the lives of his people. The Psalmist declares the promise given to Abraham and upheld by the Patriarchs. He speaks of God’s work through Moses to deliver the people from the moment of slavery in Egypt and how the Lord guided the people toward the Promise Land. The declaration of this past focuses on God’s work in the lives of faithful people.
God’s goodness continues to extend to his people. The good work of the Lord offers opportunities to share the goodness of God for the nations to hear and have the opportunity to respond to the Lord. We must speak of his wonderful works and his holiness. The response to the goodness of God must be to praise his name and to make him known to the world. As a result, we must seek to respond to God’s goodness by always seeking his face and trusting in his strength.
THE PRAISING OF THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD
In Psalm 106, the Psalmist reveals that the goodness of God toward his children does not depend on the faithfulness of his children. Yes, the children of Israel faced moments of punishment because of their disobedience, but God’s steadfast love continued to extend to them. The Lord brought the people into the Promise Land despite their best efforts of rebellion. The unfaithfulness of people would not stall the mighty works of the Lord. Instead, the Lord fulfilled his promises because of his steadfast love for his people.
The presence of steadfast love gives a reason to celebrate and worship. God’s love for us does not rest on our faithfulness or unfaithfulness. He loves us despite our rebellious nature. He offers us redemption in Christ though we do not deserve it because of his steadfast love. The Lord’s character of love and a promise keeper promotes his steadfastness and prompts a response of praise from us.
A LIFE OF TWO PASTS
Coupling Psalms 105-106 allows us to recognize the nature of our spiritual journey. Psalm 105 reflects the moments of God’s goodness and our faithfulness in following the Lord. Psalm 106 demonstrates God’s goodness and our moments of rebellion and unfaithfulness. These two Psalms reveal two different pasts in the life of Israel that occurred during the same moments. One depiction noted the moments of faithfulness, while the others detailed unfaithfulness.
When considering our lives with the Lord, we must conclude that he alone is worthy of all praise. We must praise him for his goodness, and this praise must never be dependent upon our faithfulness or unfaithfulness. We must remember that God never abandons his promise, but we are the ones who travel wayward. We all live with the reality of these two pasts. When we come to our senses about our moments of unfaithfulness, we must seek repentance and reconciliation. When living in moments of faithfulness, we must continue to declare the goodness of God.
