David, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, must have been reading the book of Moses and the many marvelous deliverances of God’s covenant people when he penned this Psalm. He breaks forth in the Hebrew tongue with a “Hallelujah,” then continues, “…O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever” (Ps. 106:1). To a needy sinner the “goodness” of God is the first attribute that excites praise from his awakened soul. It is out of God’s goodness that grace and mercy flow to the “poor and needy”. Knowledge of His goodness assures the heart of His mercy, therefore David said, “His mercy endures forever.” In light of our continuing sinfulness it is a wonderful encouragement to know that “His mercy endures forever.” There is so much in Psalm 106 that it is difficult to pass from one verse to another without meditation and discussion. For lack of space let me come to the heading of the article, “…nevertheless He saved them.” David broke forth with a personal plea in verse four, “Remember me… with the favor that thou barest unto thy people.” In verse six he offers a corporate confession, “We have sinned with our fathers, etc.” He confesses the ignorance and stupidity of his ancestors, their dumbness and unmindfulness toward God’s mercies, their unbelief that provoked Him at the Red Sea, then he says, “…nevertheless He saved them.” There is another word for ‘nevertheless,’ it is ‘notwithstanding,’ meaning ‘not opposing.’ Psalm 106, is filled with what might appear to you and I to be obstacles to salvation. The grace of God in its abounding power is so great that no sin can overcome it. As Jesus Christ put it in Matthew 12:31, “…All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men...” The great Apostle Paul confessed that he was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious.” He confessed that he persecuted the Church. By cause and consent he was guilty of the death of many saints, “notwithstanding” God saved him. My dear fellow sinners it matters not what your sin may be, never despair of the hope of salvation. God’s abounding grace can reach to the very bottom of the pit and save the sinner whose sin is of the deepest dye. Again I quote the Apostle Paul who testified, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” One of my fondest hymns is that of the 18th century hymn writer and Baptist minister Joseph Hart, “Come Ye Sinners.” My favorite line of the hymn is “Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream, all the fitness He requireth, is to feel your need of Him.” Never despair, the blood reaches deeper than the stain has gone.
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