Psalm 105

Remember, God Keeps His Promises

He is the Lord our God . . .

He remembers His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations.

~ Ps. 105:7-8

Psalm 105 is a hymn reviewing Israel’s history

1. Beginning with Abraham
2. Continuing with Joseph
3. The deliverance from Egypt
4. Provision in the wilderness
5. Concluding with the occupation of Canaan

 “His holy name” refers to God’s character; the very essence of His being

Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

~ Ps. 105:3

We’ve mentioned before that God’s faithful promises to His people are often seen through the generations.  Verses 9-10 are such an example:

The covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac,

And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute.

~ Ps. 105:9-10

 

What Does It Mean to Seek the Lord?

Seeking the Lord means seeking His presence. “Presence” is a common translation of the Hebrew word “face.” Literally, we are to seek His “face.” But this is the Hebraic way of having access to God. To be before His face is to be in His presence.  R.C. Sproul frequently uses the term “Coram deo” – before the face of God.

This happens through “seeking.” Continual seeking. But what does that mean practically? Both the Old and New Testaments say it is a “setting of the mind and heart” on God. It is the conscious fixing or focusing of our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection on God.

“Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.”

~ I Chron. 22:19

This setting of the mind is the opposite of mental coasting. It is a conscious choice to direct the heart toward God. It is a conscious effort on our part. But that effort to seek God is a gift from God.

1. The HEAVENS are telling the glory of God. So we can seek Him through that.
2. He reveals Himself in HIS WORD. So we can seek Him through that.
3. He shows Himself to us in the evidences of GRACE in other people. So we can seek Him through that.

The seeking is the conscious effort to constantly set our minds toward God in all our experiences, to direct our minds and hearts toward Him through the means of His revelation. This is what seeking God means.

And as we direct our minds and hearts Godward in all our experiences, we cry out to Him. This too is what seeking Him means.

The great obstacle to seeking the Lord is PRIDE.

“In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek Him”

~ Ps. 10:4

Therefore, humility is essential to seeking the Lord.

The great promise to those who seek the Lord is that He will be found.

“If you seek Him, He will be found by you”

~ I Chron. 28:9

And when He is found, there is great reward.  God Himself is our greatest reward. And when we have Him, we have everything.

 

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is faithful to His promises  - He remembers His covenant forever
• God’s works are marvelous & wondrous
• He is the Lord our God, and His judgments are in all the earth
• God turns men’s hearts
• God has a plan for His people – for His children of old. . . .and for me!

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord for His great faithfulness - to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob . . . and to me!
• I praise the Lord for His wondrous & marvelous works
• I bless God that He has the plan, knows the plan – for all creation, and for my life

PRAYER:

     O Lord, I call upon Your name, Your holy name – coming into Your presence to give thanks to You!   Your works on behalf of Your people are marvelous and wonderous, and I sing praise to You.  May I, and may the members of my family, seek You all the days of our lives, and may our hearts rejoice with the joy of knowing & following You. 

     You are the Lord our God – what joy & comfort fills my heart to acknowledge that wonderful truth!  How I bless You that You have made Yourself known to me – that You show Yourself through Your creation, through Your word, through Your grace & mercy, through Your faithfulness.  How I bless You that You remember Your covenant with Your people, You remember Your holy promise.  My faithfulness to You is so flawed, yet Yours endures forever.  Thank You for the Biblical accounts of Your faithfulness to the generations of Your people – how we see Your deliverance over and over through thousands of years.  We’ve seen Your plan revealed and carried out – from Your first promises to Abraham through the coming of the promised Messiah . . . to today, and we can with the apostle John, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)  Praise the Lord!

     ~  Amen and amen