Psalm 106 Tools for Worship

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Psalm 106
1 Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him half enough? 3 Happy are those who deal justly with others and always do what is right. 4 Remember me, too, LORD, when you show favor to your people; come to me with your salvation. 5 Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.

6 Both we and our ancestors have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! 7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the LORD's miracles. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. F85 8 Even so, he saved them – to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. 9 He commanded the Red Sea F86 to divide, and a dry path appeared. He led Israel across the sea bottom that was as dry as a desert. 10 So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes. 11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived. 12 Then at last his people believed his promises. Then they finally sang his praise.
13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel! 14 In the wilderness, their desires ran wild, testing God's patience in that dry land. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. 16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the LORD's holy priest. 17 Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels. 18 Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. 19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai F87 ; they bowed before an image made of gold. 20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating ox! 21 They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt – 22 such wonderful things in that land, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. 23 So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them. 24 The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them. 25 Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the LORD. 26 Therefore, he swore that he would kill them in the wilderness, 27 that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands. 28 Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead! 29 They angered the LORD with all these things, so a plague broke out among them. 30 But Phinehas had the courage to step in, and the plague was stopped. 31 So he has been regarded as a righteous man ever since that time. 32 At Meribah, too, they angered the LORD, causing Moses serious trouble. 33 They made Moses angry, F88 and he spoke foolishly.
34 Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the LORD had told them to. 35 Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. 36 They worshiped their idols, and this led to their downfall. 37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. 38 They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. 39 They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD's sight. 40 That is why the LORD's anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession. 41 He handed them over to pagan nations, and those who hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power. 43 Again and again he delivered them, but they continued to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin. 44 Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. 45 He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love. 46 He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness. 47 O LORD our God, save us! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you. 48 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!
FOOTNOTES:F85: Hebrew at the sea, the sea of reeds. F86: Hebrew sea of reeds; also in 106:22. F87: Hebrew at Horeb, another name for Sinai. F88: Hebrew They embittered his spirit.
The New Living Translation

~ Lena’s Journalin’~
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and come into His courts with Praise.
This is the basic approach in life, with God and it also works very well with people who are made in God’s image and likeness. It lays a good foundation for love and trust. It paves a roadway to travel on. It is a way of establishing value in relationships.
Second tool of success, to Thanks and praise, is repentance. It goes a Longgggg wayyyyy. Rather than throwing blame around, acknowledgement of shortcomings, possible misunderstandings, or miscommunication characterize a heart of humility. I may not have meant it, but if it offended you, it is worth it to God to be humble and responsible, extending our self life for others to make their value increase.
The acts of complaining, murmuring or criticizing are offensive to God. They contradict a humble heart of thanksgiving. When one is thankful, by faith, in what they possibly do not yet see, they are showing a level of trust in a God they do not see, for they are following after His character suggestions to please Him.
There’s always room for repentance and change for the betterment of others. That’s called growth. God loves to see His children grow!
Not believing God can anger Him, especially when He proves His love so outwardly over and over again. He is God and does not have any responsibility to serve us, acknowledge us, or bless us. Yet He does. He loves us. Being God, He expects a return, a response. The wrath of God is not becoming to those who do respond to His love.
1st command- Thou shalt love, the ONE who so loves you. Respond. Respond by loving back. Respond by acknowledgement of Him being the ONE, the ONE and only. Show that for you there is no other god, no other love, no other source, no other fellowship, that satisfies. When others take His place in our lives, it shows we do not believe Him enough to respond to Him. God desires and requires a response.
Yes and Amen, Lord.

Daily Thought to Ponder -
“Oh Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good!”