Psalm 105:1-11, 45
1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on [the Lord’s] name,
make known [the Lord’s] deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to [the Lord], sing praises to [the Lord];
tell of all [the Lord’s] wonderful works.
3 Glory in [the Lord’s] holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Seek the Lord and [the Lord‘s] strength;
seek [the Lord’s] presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works [the Lord] has done,
[the Lord’s] miracles, and the judgments [the Lord] has uttered,
6 O offspring of [the Lord’s] servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, [the Lord’s] chosen ones.
7 [The Lord] is the Lord our God;
[the Lord’s] judgments are in all the earth.
8 [The Lord] is mindful of [the Lord’s] covenant forever,
of the word that [the Lord] commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that [the Lord] made with Abraham,
[the Lord’s] sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which [the Lord] confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance.”
45 that they might keep [the Lord’s] statutes
and observe [the Lord’s] laws.
Praise the Lord!
Meditation
Psalm 105 opens up with unabashed praise and worship of the Lord. God’s deeds, works, and judgements are sung, retold, and remembered starting with the covenant with Abraham. Verses 12-44 (not posted here) recount Israel’s story from Abraham to entering the promise land. In that history, God did some amazing things that certainly are praiseworthy. From protecting Abraham as he journeyed in Canaan to placing Joseph in Egypt to feed Israel during a famine, then raising up Moses and Aaron to lead the people out of Egypt and providing water and meat in the wilderness. God’s deeds are truly amazing!
Today, I want to ponder the vocabulary of praise in these first 11 verses. The word “judgements” in particular. Judgement has the connotation of a hell-fire-and-brimstone situation where one is in court being tried for some wrong-doing. It triggers the idea of punishment. The psalmist, however, says that God “utters” judgements and they are “found in all the earth” (vss. 5 & 7). God’s judgements are being praised and even welcomed—not at all like an off-with-your-head situation. An utterance of something that is found in all the earth makes me consider the creation story. God speaks (utters) creation (all the earth) into existence (see Genesis 1). So, God uttering judgments is more about making a decision than about punishment. Deciding to make the duck float rather than the hippopotamus takes a bit of judgement. Consider the judgement needed to organize molecules and atoms; the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance; and the tides and gravitational pull. Creation is God’s utterance of how the world is intended to work together. Now, couple the word “judgements” with the words “covenants,” “promises,” and “statutes” (vss. 8-10) which emphasize decisions God makes about how relationships (with God and each other) are also going to work together. God’s judgements are definitely praiseworthy because they begin and build off of creation which is—God’s most amazing work!
Praise the Lord!