Two Sides of the Coin

“Think positive” is the message preached from many pulpits today. And for good reason: The message of salvation in Christ is good, positive news in a world that sometimes seems more and more depressing by the day.

However, before we can fully embrace the good news about God’s Son, we must first accept the bad news about our own sin. Psalm 106 is the flip side of Ps. 105. Both recall Israel’s history. But whereas Ps. 105 is an enthusiastic celebration of the Lord’s faithfulness, Ps. 106 focuses on the continuing unfaithfulness of His people. Still, the piece is not without hope: The Lord remains committed to mercy, forgiveness, and doing the mighty wonders necessary to sustain His wayward children (106:44–46). No wonder the psalm concludes with a blessing for the Lord “from everlasting to everlasting” (106:48).

If Ps. 105 stood alone, the forgetful student of history might assume that God swept His people into the Promised Land with no setbacks or opposition. But Ps. 106 puts things in perspective. As we look at that same history, it confronts us with the ugly face of sin and shows why people (and nations) so badly need forgiveness. Thus Ps. 105 and 106 show the two realities involved in salvation: sin and grace. Focusing on either one without the other will lead to distortion.

Taken from NKJV Study Bible