Rector’s Reflections
Monday 21st October 2024
Spiritual Wisdom from the Psalms (Psalms 105 and 106)
This week, I am starting a new series of reflections, based on two psalms: psalm 105 and psalm 106. These two psalms seem to be closely connected to each other, so it makes sense to consider them together. They might have originally formed one single psalm, or psalm 106 might have been written as a response to psalm 105, with the aim of providing a different perspective.
Both psalms take an overview of the history of the Jewish people, starting from the days of Abraham. The end point is not entirely clear, but it seems to take the history down to the 6h Century BC, which saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of many Jewish leaders to captivity in Babylon. These psalms to provide a concise overview of Jewish history: taken together, they seek to cover approximately 1000 years of history in approximately 1000 words, so it is not the time nor the occasion for a detailed or nuanced account. They approach their task by taking a particular perspective, and by picking out a series of events which go to support their argument. They’re not interested in producing a carefully balanced historical treatise, or considering alternative interpretations.
Psalm 105 focusses on the first part of this story, emphasizing the events of the Exodus. Psalm 106 focusses on the later part of the story, namely the journey through the Wilderness and the subsequent occupation of the Holy Land. While psalm 105 praises God for his goodness, psalm 106 lists the many ways in which the Jews failed to live up to God’s commandments. However, the psalmist was convinced that God’s loving care remained constant: “Many times [God] delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, [God] regarded their distress when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” (Psalm 106, verses 44-45).
Given these themes, it might seem that these two psalms are only of interest to historians. But in the bible, history is never just history – it is a profoundly spiritual matter, and one of the ways in which God reveals his nature and his plans for our world. There is much spiritual wisdom to be gained from a study of these two psalms, and we shall explore this further in the days ahead.