This psalm reminds us of the importance of continually remembering God in our daily lives. Sadly, many of us tend to think of Him only on Sundays or during designated “prayer times.” Some even assume that God’s presence is manifested only when there is a large gathering of people. But the truth is, His presence is always with us—it is we who often approach Him only when it suits our convenience.
Always Seek God
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
Psalms 105:1-4 (NIV)
When the ark of the covenant was brought back, David carefully reminded the people that seeking God should not be limited to joyful occasions like this, but must be a continual practice in every circumstance. He also stressed the importance of proclaiming God and His mighty works to all people and nations. In our present context, this means making known the message of forgiveness of sins offered freely to all, without attaching any ritual requirements.
In those days, God’s marvelous acts for His people were seen in giving them victory over their enemies. But today, His greatest act is granting us victory over sin. When the Psalmist glorified God’s Holy name, he did so with deep joy, and from that joy he proclaimed: Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. The question for us is this: Are we declaring this joy to those who do not know God, or are we discouraging them by implying that we are merely struggling along in the same hopeless boat?
God Judges All People
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
Psalms 105:5-7 (NIV)
It is a misunderstanding when believers call themselves “the chosen” while expecting judgment to fall on those they assume are not chosen. The genetic descendants of Abraham—both Jews and Arabs—were the starting point through whom God’s promises began to reach other nations. Yet the promise of God ultimately embraces all people on earth, for all are counted as Abraham’s spiritual descendants.
Everyone is chosen by God—that is why He sent His Son, so that none should perish but all might be saved. Since God has chosen all, it is up to us to choose to proclaim the message of forgiveness of sins to everyone. While it is valuable to testify to our personal relationship with Him—calling Him our God—we must also remember that He is the God of all.
God’s Covenant Stands For Generations
He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
“To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
Psalms 105:8-11 (NIV)
The psalmist recognizes God’s faithfulness and marvels at how He keeps His promises for a thousand generations. We often long to see the fulfillment of His promises within our own short lifetime, but for the eternal God, time has no limits. Many of His promises were fulfilled in the generations that followed those to whom they were first given.
Therefore, we must learn to trust God even if His promises are not fulfilled in our days, for surely they will come to pass—none of His prophecies will fail. One reason we struggle to understand this is the gap between generations. Another is that we sometimes interpret His promises in light of fleeting worldly blessings, thereby missing their true and deeper meaning.
Secured In The Hands Of God
When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
“Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”
Psalms 105:12-15
It is truly amazing to consider how God protects His people, even when they are few in number and strangers in the world. Yet many fail to recognize how He protects our souls. Because of their unbelief, they become vulnerable to the attacks of the devil, often mistaking them as if they were from God.
From the very beginning, God warned people not to harm His anointed ones. But instead of obeying, people became angry when His Word exposed their sins. They rejected His message and killed His messengers. Ultimately, they did the same to the Son of God, crucifying Him.
Therefore, it is unnecessary for God’s servants to seek a special covering for their lives, for God’s concern is not merely preserving our physical existence but protecting our souls from perishing. Our lives are secured in eternity, and our souls are promised true rest. This is why Jesus said:
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”
Matthew 10:28 (NIV)
The Word Of God Proves Us
He called down famine on the land
and destroyed all their supplies of food;
and he sent a man before them—
Joseph, sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet with shackles,
his neck was put in irons,
till what he foretold came to pass,
till the word of the LORD proved him true.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of peoples set him free.
He made him master of his household,
ruler over all he possessed,
to instruct his princes as he pleased
and teach his elders wisdom.
Psalms 105:16-22 (NIV)
God disciplines us just as an earthly father corrects his son (Hebrews 12:10). Joseph rejoiced when he received a vision about his future, where his family bowed down before him. But when he shared this vision with his brothers, they became angry and plotted to kill him. Instead, they sold him to Ishmaelite traders, and Joseph was later purchased by Potiphar, becoming a slave. This event eventually led to all the Israelites becoming slaves in Egypt, just as God had foretold to Abraham. Yet, it was not God’s desire to make His people slaves; rather, their own iniquities opened the way for it. Still, God had already planned deliverance even before it happened. In the same way, God chose to save us while we were still sinners—even before the creation of the world.
The process of becoming a mature believer is described in Romans 8:30, and for this every believer must be tested and refined by God’s Word. The life of Job illustrates how we should respond to God’s Word during trials. Likewise, Joseph’s life shows us how God molds His servants to receive His promises. From Joseph, we can learn several key qualities:
- He hated sin.
- He let go of past disgrace.
- He remained focused on God’s promise.
- Having forgotten past wrongs, he bore no bitterness toward his brothers and humbly said, “Am I in the place of God to forgive you?”
- His heart to help his brothers never changed, even when they tried to hide their guilt.
- Ultimately, he learned to overcome evil with good.
As children of God, we should embrace these qualities and strive for eternal life.
God Never Forgets His Promises
For he remembered his holy promise
given to his servant Abraham.
He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—
that they might keep his precepts
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD.
Psalms 105:42-45 (NIV)
The mighty deliverance of God was deeply admired by His people, and the Psalmist recounts it with remarkable detail. The reason for this deliverance, the Psalmist explains, is that God remembered His promises. To remember is to call back to mind what was once forgotten. Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit would bring His words to our remembrance (John 14:26). We often need reminders to do what is important, yet even then we sometimes fail because our thoughts are entangled with many distractions, causing us to neglect the essentials.
But God’s ultimate purpose is not merely to deliver us from earthly troubles, but to save us from eternal death—flowing out of His agape love. Does God need a reminder to do this? Does He “remember” the way we do? Certainly not. Scripture makes clear that His thoughts are far beyond ours (Isaiah 55:8). His continual saving work springs from His unfailing love, not from forgetfulness.
The phrase “they fell heir to what others had toiled for” should not be misunderstood as referring to worldly possessions, since the law forbids coveting. Rather, it points us to the greater inheritance—our righteousness in Christ. Jesus, our elder brother, labored and suffered on our behalf so that we might inherit His righteousness. Knowing this, if we still fail to love Him and keep His commands, we cannot expect God to sacrifice His Son for us a second time.
Instead of dwelling on the idea of God “remembering” His promises, let us choose to remember what He has done for us, and live lives worthy of His saving grace.
Loving God, help us to love You more and more, and to joyfully live out Your precepts in our daily walk. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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