Psalm 106 is a “Salvation History Psalm” – a retelling of God rescuing His people from slavery in Egypt. You know the story: God brought the Israelites out of bondage and led them to the edge of the Red Sea – impassable waters in front of them and their enemy close on their heels. He made a way through the sea and when the last Israelite foot cleared the dry sea bed, He closed in the walls of water on Pharoah and His army. The Scripture says, “Then [the Israelites] believed His promises and sang His praise” (v. 12). Wouldn’t you? If God had done a miraculous thing for you, wouldn’t you believe? Wouldn’t you sing a chorus of, “You’re a good, good, Father!”?
But wait. The next verse says: “But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His plan to unfold” (v. 13). And they grumbled. On the heels of the Red Sea miracle. Remember the celebration in verse 12? Check out verses 24-25: “They did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord.” Makes me want to shake my head. They failed to trust God – the same God who had rescued them in dramatic fashion just a few weeks before.
But, let’s be honest here, don’t you and I do the same thing? God works powerfully on our behalf and we celebrate and sing His praises and the next time we face a challenge, we worry. We forget what God did and focus on the new hardship as if God used it all up on the first one. Or maybe that’s just me.
I wrote in the margin: “Lord, I want to always believe Your promises and sing Your praises while I am still waiting.” I am there right now – waiting. And trusting. And reminding myself of His powerful acts of the past, how he made a way where I couldn’t see a way. How He softened hard hearts. How he rescued someone I love. And I know He will do it again. So I’m gonna sing His praises now, during the crisis, not just after.
Have you forgotten His goodness to you? The God who was faithful yesterday will not be unfaithful today. He is the same good Father who carried you through the last storm – and He will not abandon you now. Beloved, come sit here with me, and let’s praise the Lord while we wait.
Deeper Roots 