But throughout the psalm is the constant reminder that God
bailed them out. Even when He disciplined them, He was faithful to deliver
them. The Psalmist explains:
Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless,
he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
For
their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast
love. (vv. 43-45)
Why doesn't God just give up on us? Why would He be inclined
to help us when the problems we face are often because of our own disobedience?
What hope do any of us have that the Lord won’t wash His hands of us?
Well, I suppose there are many answers: God’s love is
perfect; the sins of His people were all paid for by our Savior, even the ones
we have yet to commit (e.g. Colossians 2:13); we have a covenant relationship
with our God through Christ. These are truths that should give us hope.
But the end of Psalm 106 has a prayer that gives another
motivation God has for helping us when we don’t deserve it. Here it is – and especially
notice the highlighted part:
Save
us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise. (v. 47)
Our God delivers that He may receive thanksgiving and glory.
While it’s true that He has compassion on His children (Psalm 103:13), His
deepest motivation is His own glory.
This is a trait that is repulsive when it is found in human beings.
We scorn people who are always trying to make themselves look good. But in the
divine, it is perfect and right. If anything but His own glory had a higher
motivation, God Himself would be an idolater. His perfection - His beauty,
reputation, and glory – is the highest and best in all the universe.
So it is that we are created, not to find self-fulfillment
and comfort, but to bring Him glory. Isaiah quoted God Himself saying that very thing: “everyone
who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
(Isaiah 43:7)
As it turns out, His glory is our good. His glory is our fulfillment and contentment and peace
and joy. But He is not a means to those things for us. When He delivers us, He
does so to enhance His own reputation as the God of perfect faithfulness,
kindness, wisdom, and power.
When we think about the problems we’re in, and our hope that
God will rescue us, we ought to pray like the Psalmist:
Lord, save me from
this mess I’m in, and gather me to Yourself, to Your joy and hope and peace.
May Your deliverance bring thanksgiving to Your holy name, and may Your
kindness to me exalt Your glory in both heaven and earth. I know You love me,
and I want my sufferings and comforts, failures and victories, life and death, to
bring You great glory. By faith I know and trust that in Your glory is my good.
Through Jesus I pray, Amen.
