And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion. He rememberedThe phrase "He remembered" signifies God's faithfulness and omniscience. In the Hebrew context, the word "remembered" (זָכַר, zakar) implies more than just recalling; it involves taking action based on a covenant relationship. This reflects God's unwavering commitment to His people, even when they stray. Throughout the Old Testament, God's remembrance is often linked to His mercy and intervention, as seen in the accounts of Noah, Abraham, and the Israelites in Egypt. It is a reminder that God is not forgetful of His promises, and His memory is active and purposeful. His covenant
The term "His covenant" refers to the solemn and binding agreement between God and His people. In the Hebrew Bible, the word for covenant is "בְּרִית" (berit), which denotes a deep, relational promise. This covenant is central to the narrative of the Bible, beginning with God's promises to Abraham and continuing through the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. It underscores God's initiative in establishing a relationship with humanity, characterized by His steadfast love and faithfulness. The covenant is a testament to God's unchanging nature and His desire for a people set apart for Himself. with them
The phrase "with them" highlights the personal and communal aspect of God's covenant. It is not just a general promise but one that is intimately connected to the people of Israel. This reflects the communal nature of God's dealings with His chosen people, emphasizing that His promises are not just to individuals but to a collective body. Historically, this has been seen in the way God led, protected, and provided for the nation of Israel, demonstrating His commitment to them as a people. and relented
The word "relented" in this context is derived from the Hebrew word "נָחַם" (nacham), which can mean to be sorry, to console oneself, or to change one's mind. In the biblical narrative, this does not imply that God changes His nature or His ultimate plans, but rather that He responds to human actions with compassion and mercy. It is a demonstration of His grace, showing that God is willing to withhold judgment and extend mercy when His people repent and turn back to Him. by the abundance of His loving devotion
This phrase captures the essence of God's character. The Hebrew word for "loving devotion" is "חֶסֶד" (chesed), which is often translated as lovingkindness, mercy, or steadfast love. It is a rich term that encompasses God's loyalty, faithfulness, and love that endures forever. The "abundance" of this loving devotion indicates that it is not limited or scarce but overflowing and generous. This is a central theme throughout Scripture, where God's chesed is the foundation of His relationship with His people, offering hope and assurance of His eternal love and mercy. Persons / Places / Events 1. GodThe central figure in this verse, God is portrayed as merciful and faithful to His covenant. 2. IsraelitesThe people with whom God made a covenant, often straying but continually recipients of His mercy. 3. CovenantThe solemn agreement between God and the Israelites, emphasizing His promises and their responsibilities. 4. Loving Devotion (Hebrew: "chesed")A key attribute of God, highlighting His steadfast love and mercy. 5. RelentingGod's decision to withhold deserved punishment due to His compassion and faithfulness. Teaching Points God's FaithfulnessGod's covenant is unbreakable, rooted in His character, not our actions. Reflect on how God’s faithfulness in the past assures us of His promises today. The Power of RepentanceGod’s relenting shows the power of genuine repentance and turning back to Him. Encourage personal and communal repentance as a pathway to experiencing God’s mercy. Understanding ChesedExplore the depth of God’s "chesed" as steadfast love, mercy, and loyalty. Challenge yourself to reflect God’s "chesed" in your relationships. The Role of Memory in FaithGod’s remembrance of His covenant is a model for us to remember His works and promises. Cultivate a habit of recalling God’s past faithfulness in times of doubt. Living in Covenant RelationshipOur relationship with God is based on His covenant, calling us to live in obedience and trust. Examine areas of life where you can better align with God’s covenantal expectations. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding God’s "chesed" influence your view of His character and your relationship with Him? 2. In what ways can you practice remembering God’s past faithfulness in your daily life? 3. How does the concept of God relenting challenge or affirm your understanding of His justice and mercy? 4. What are some practical steps you can take to live more faithfully in response to God’s covenant with you? 5. How can the examples of God’s mercy in the Old Testament encourage you in your current spiritual journey? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 32When God relented from destroying the Israelites after the golden calf incident, demonstrating His mercy. Lamentations 3Emphasizes God's faithfulness and mercies, which are new every morning. Nehemiah 9Recounts God's faithfulness and mercy despite Israel's repeated disobedience. 2 Chronicles 7God's promise to hear from heaven and forgive when His people repent. Romans 11Discusses God's faithfulness to His covenant people, Israel, despite their unbelief. People Aaron, Abiram, Baalpeor, Dathan, Ham, Phinehas, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Abundance, Agreement, Comforted, Covenant, Forgiveness, Greatness, Kept, Kindness, Kindnesses, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Lovingkindnesses, Loving-kindnesses, Mercies, Mercy, Mind, Multitude, Relented, Remembered, Remembereth, Repented, Sake, SteadfastDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 106:45 1085 God, love of
1120 God, repentance of
6733 repentance, nature of
8304 loyalty Psalm 106:33-48 3272 Holy Spirit, in OT Psalm 106:39-46 5246 captivity Psalm 106:44-45 5013 heart, divine Library June the Twelfth Waiting for the Spectacular
"The waves covered their enemies.... Then believed they His words." --PSALM cvi. 1-12. Their faith was born in a great emergency. A spectacular deliverance was needed to implant their trust in the Lord. They found no witness in the quiet daily providence; the unobtrusive miracle of daily mercy did not awake their song. They dwelt upon the "special" blessing, when all the time the really special blessing was to be found in the sleepless care which watched over them in their ordinary and commonplace …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling YearIsrael at the Red Sea
"A few more rolling years at most, Will land me on fair Canaan's coast.' And then I shall have no more warfare, no more fighting, no more disturbance; but I shall be at peace." "Not quite as thou desirest," says God. "Oh! thou little one; I have more to teach thee ere thou art prepared for my palace." Then he commences to lead us about, and bring us into straits and perils. The sins which we thought had utterly left us are hunting us behind, while impassible floods block up the way. Even trembling …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856 Why are Men Saved?
"The hand that made us is Divine." If we listen to the rippling of the freshet at the mountain side, to the tumbling of the avalanche, to the lowing of the cattle, to the singing of the birds, to every voice and sound of nature, we shall hear this answer to the question, "God is our maker; he hath made us, and not we ourselves." The next question, as to design--Why were these things made?--is not so easy to answer, apart from Scripture; but when we look at Scripture we discover this fact--that as …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 Sin: Its Spring-Head, Stream, and Sea
It may help us to escape out of the meshes of our natural depravity, if we look back and see the causes of our fathers' sins. To confess our personal sin will tend to keep us humble; and in view of the Lord's mercy, which has spared and pardoned us, a sense of our guilt will make us grateful. The less we think of ourselves the more we shall think of him whose "mercy endureth for ever"; and if we see where our fathers' sins began, and how they grew, and what they came to, we may hope that the Spirit …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891 The Waters of Meribah
'Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Fourteenth Day. The Holy one of God.
Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.'--Luke i. 35. 'We have believed and know that Thou art the Holy One of God.'--John vi. 69. 'The holy one of the Lord'--only once (Ps. cvi. 16) the expression is found in the Old Testament. It is spoken of Aaron, in whom holiness, as far as it could then be revealed, had found its most complete embodiment. The title waited for its fulfilment in Him who alone, in His own person, could perfectly show forth …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III Elucidations.
I. (Deadly Sins, cap. ix., p. 356.) To maintain a modern and wholly uncatholic system of Penitence, the schoolmen invented a technical scheme of sins mortal and sins venial, which must not be read into the Fathers, who had no such technicalities in mind. By "deadly sins" they meant all such as St. John recognizes (1 John v. 16-17) and none other; that is to say sins of surprise and infirmity, sins having in them no malice or wilful disobedience, such as an impatient word, or a momentary neglect of …
Tertullian—The Five Books Against Marcion Rest for the Weary
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. W hich shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply freely to him, with a promise of relief, fully answerable to their wants and wishes! But the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible. If millions and millions …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 106:45 NIVPsalm 106:45 NLTPsalm 106:45 ESVPsalm 106:45 NASBPsalm 106:45 KJV
Psalm 106:45 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
