Weekly Devotional 6th September, 2024
by Bruce Billington
Weekly Devotional 6th September, 2024
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we will look at Psalm 105 by an unknown author.
This Psalm was written to a group of people living in extremely challenging times. It was the remnant group of Israelites who returned to Jerusalem after the 70–year Babylonian captivity. They came home to a heart-sickening mess, facing the overwhelming task of rebuilding the city and society God had judged.
As they struggled and desperately needed encouragement, an unnamed psalmist was moved by God’s Spirit to write a song reminding them of God’s faithfulness. In this song (Psalm 105) he covers the highlights of Israel’s history from Abraham to Canaan, emphasizing God’s demonstration of His unfailing love to the people of His covenant.
The whole Psalm will reward an in-depth reading, so we can only pick out a few key points here. Today this Psalm is a great encouragement for those who are overwhelmed and exhausted from building and battling for God’s kingdom.
POSB commentary says this,
It is for those who fight for the souls of their loved ones to no avail. It is for the weary and discouraged laborers in the Lord’s vineyard who see little fruit for their tireless efforts. It is for those who feel they can go on no longer. It is for those who have been beaten up by the world. It is for those who cannot find the strength to face another day. It is for the persecuted. It is for those who are left to pick up the pieces of their unfaithful nation once God has passed judgment on their beloved land. It is for those who question whether God has forsaken them. It is for those who are ready to quit.
Wow! Most of us may well find ourselves in that place several times in our journey with the Lord – and this Psalm speaks life and truth to us as we feel the weight of the world upon us. It makes the statement that trouble and trials are an inevitable part of life. Those who read this will acknowledge how we live in a fallen world and that we have an enemy (Satan) who is raising fierce opposition to all that we do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet Scripture encourages us not to become weary in serving the Lord. To accomplish this, we need to constantly be on guard and renew our spirits (Galatians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 4:16).
Several scholars point out that there are ten commandments in this passage (V 1–7). POSB commentary calls them “The Ten Commandments for Fighting Discouragement:” They are
- Give thanks to God (V1a).
- Call on God’s name for everything you need (V1b).
- Make God’s great works known to the lost (V1c).
- Sing praises to God at all times (V2a).
- Testify of the wonderful things God has done for you (V2b).
- Glory in God’s holy name (V3a).
- Rejoice in the Lord always (V3b).
- Look to the Lord for strength (V4a).
- Seek and enter the Lord’s presence through prayer and worship (V4b).
- Remember the Lord’s miracles and judgments in His people’s behalf throughout history (V5).
As we remind ourselves and those around us of all God has done for us, we must also remember that we rule and reign in Christ. The victory has already been won for us. We must put on our redeemed nature, overcome any discouragement, and rise up to embrace all that God has done for us. If we allow Him to, God will lift us up
We must not allow Satan to defeat us through discouragement. When we follow these commandments faithfully—even when we do not feel like it—God will lift us up, restore our joy, and strengthen us to labour on for Him. Remembering God’s marvellous works and faithfully praising Him will lead us to victory.
V8 – He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,
The psalmist again encouraged the remnant by reminding them of the Lord’s covenant with Israel. What we must embrace here is that the stress on this verse means that the onus is on God’s initiative and authority to act. He assures us that He would be faithful to His great promise to His people, even for a thousand generations, that is to say, forever and ever.
May God bless you.
Bruce Billington.