Psalm 106:1, 2 Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures for ever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?
Like other psalms, this one begins and ends with a hallelujah. It also catalogues some of the LORD's mighty acts of judgement. First, however, there is this exhortation to praise the LORD and give thanks because he is good and his love endures for ever, something demonstrated in the rest of the psalm. After the exhortation, the psalmist sounds a note of realism. He knows that he has set himself and us an impossible task. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? The implied answer is no-one. Part of the problem is our sinful and rebellious attitude. The psalmist gives several instances of how it has been down the centuries - at the Red Sea and at other times in the desert, especially in the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, at Sinai, in the case of the Baal of Peor and at Meribah. Such rebelliousness continued even after the people entered the Promised Land and indeed until they were eventually driven out. Besides this undoubted disinclination to proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise on our part, there is God's persistence in loving his people and forgiving them. It is so great that it is almost impossible to proclaim it completley or fully declare all that God has done. Our priase is always inadequate. We must try, nevertheless, as this man has. We must seek to do what is right, often rehearsing the story of God's goodness and our rebellion, seeking him for salvation, giving him thanks and praise and confessing our sins. Such an approach will at least begin to proclaim his mighty acts and bring him the praise he is due.
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