“Remember His Marvelous Works”
Introduction. Not all people enjoy
the study of history. For some it is an arduous task that is not relevant to
our modern day lives. Others are fascinated by the people, cultures and events
that went before us. While it is not necessary for the child of God to become
an expert in ancient history, the Holy Spirit teaches us in Psalm 105 that an
appreciation of God’s Marvelous works in the past should lead those who would
serve God to certain behavior in the present. This morning I’d like for us to
examine some points together about this Psalm.
I. Overview
of the Psalm.
A. Ten
admonitions (Psalm 105:1-6).
B.
God’s covenant with Abraham (Psalm 105:7-11).
C. How
God honored this covenant (Psalm 105:12-41).
D. The
result of God’s wondrous deeds (Psalm 105:42-44).
E. Why
God has done this (Psalm 105:45).
II. How God honored
His Covenant with Abraham.
A. He
has protected His people from their enemies (Psalm 105:12-15).
1.
Abimelech, king of Gerar (Genesis 20:3).
B. God
has put His own people in positions of power (Psalm105:16-22).
1.
Joseph’s misfortune became the salvation of the Israelites (Genesis 50:20).
C. God
allowed Israel to increase in number (Psalm 105:23-25).
1.
Israel flourished and grew in number even after Joseph (Exodus 1:7).
D. God
delivered Israel from Egyptian oppression (Psalm 105:26-36).
E. God
provided for the needs of His people (Psalm 105: 37-41).
III. Ten
Admonitions.
The ten admonitions
at the beginning of the Psalm are powerful commands that speak to the one who
would serve God about what God’s deeds in the past should produce in us. These
fall into three categories:
A.
Laudatory Instructions.
1. “Oh,
give thanks to the LORD!” (105:1a). Gratitude is so important for children of
God. It leads us to view things in perspective and prevents us from ignoring
blessing we have already received.
2. “Sing
to Him, sing psalms to Him” (105:2a). For God’s people music is more than
entertainment, it is a gesture of worship and a vehicle of praise.
3. “Glory
in His holy name” (105:3a). When God’s people witness, through the recounting
of Biblical events, the grandeur of God’s glory, they should themselves “glory”
in the realization that they serve such a glorious God. This can only happen
if His people...
4. “Remember
His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His
mouth” (105:5). The child of God should never view Biblical history as boring
or irrelevant, because it reveals to us the very things which should motivate
us to faith and inspire within us a longing for the promises of God in the
future.
B.
Exclamatory Instructions.
1. “Make
known His deeds among the peoples!” (105:1c). The one who truly believes and
understands what God has done will be compelled to declare such things to other
people.
2. “Talk
of all His wondrous works!” (105:2b). If followers of the the Lord finds it
difficult to talk to other people about the truth, it may be because they
either do not know themselves as much about what God’s deeds as they should or
they don’t fully believe in His “wondrous works.” The Holy Spirit shows us in
this Psalm that a true understanding of God’s works should create within us an
evangelistic zeal to tell other people about what God has done.
C.
Instructions to Seek the Lord. The child of God is one who has, and continues
to...
1. “Call
upon His name” (105:1b). From the time in which Seth, the third son of Adam
had his own son Enosh, human beings have “called” on the name of the Lord (Genesis
4:26). This is not prayer alone, but directing our trust and obedience towards
the Lord. It is seeking His guidance, His blessings and a willingness to
follow His way within our lives.
Three
statements about “seeking” God.
2. “Let
the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!” (105:3b). It is the purpose
and focus of our lives and all that God has done for us to seek Deity (Acts
17:26,27). This should not be a chore, but something about which we rejoice.
3. “Seek
the LORD and His strength” (105:4a). The great power of God that is
demonstrated in God’s great deeds in the past should lead His people to seek
for even greater wonders in the age to come.
4. “Seek
His face evermore!” (105:4b). While in this life we cannot see the face of the
Lord and live (Exodus 33:20), our hope is that in the age to come we may
eternally behold Him as He is (I John 3:2).
IV.
Conclusion.
A. The
result of what God has done (Psalm 105:42-44). When the Psalmist wrote, that
they could with confidence recognize that God kept His word (vs. 42). They had
been brought out of Egypt (vs. 43) and given a new land for which they had not
worked, but which was “the labour of the nations” (vs. 44). They should have
learned from that to trust the Lord and be faithful to Him. Sadly, Israel as a
whole did not.
B. Why
had God done these great deeds? (Psalm 105:45) God wants the obedience of His
people. This has been true in all ages and it remains true today. When
Christians looks back at God’s deeds in the past they should allow the
remembrance of God’s “Marvelous works” to move them to greater faith,
confidence and obedience to God in the present. After all, in Christ God has
done even more marvelous things for us.