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Psalm 106 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
What is risk? It is a decision to act in a way that opens us to danger, hurt, or uncertainty. Every day we take risks. Today, you have a 1 in 70 chance of unintentional poisoning by exposure to a noxious substance (who knew, right?). You have a 1 in 102 chance of getting into a motor vehicle accident. You have a 1 in 285 chance of being gunned down by someone with a firearm. Not exactly comforting, is it?
The point is, every day carries risk whether we like it or not. It is unavoidable. We don’t know what the future holds, so we are forced to take risks all the time. You could choose to stay in bed all day and still potentially have a heart attack or stroke. Yes, there are some who try and minimize their risk, but, is this really a meaningful way to live our lives? Do we deceive ourselves by ignorantly minimizing the risk that is inevitable?
Psalm 106 details the decisions of Israel to ignorantly minimize their risk by conforming to human standards. In their minds, they thought that they could gain comfort and security by choosing to protect themselves from the risk that was on the horizon. Let’s take a look at some of these decisions…
They made a gold bull-calf at Sinai and worshiped that idol; 20 they exchanged the glory of God for the image of an animal that eats grass.
Psalms 106:19-20 GNB
Then they rejected the pleasant land, because they did not believe God’s promise. 25 They stayed in their tents and grumbled and would not listen to the LORD.
Psalms 106:24-25 GNB
God’s people worshiped idols, and this caused their destruction. 37 They offered their own sons and daughters as sacrifices to the idols of Canaan.
Psalms 106:36-37 GNB
Because of impatience, fear, and a need for comfort and security, the people of Israel believed their own way was less risky than God’s way. They valued their lives more than His promises. They convinced themselves that God did not have their best interest in mind and that they could fix the issue by minimizing their risk. The problem is, they risked much more than they ever thought possible! They were deceived! Instead of risking their own life for the sake of God’s Kingdom and His promises, they risked the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom and His promises to try and save their own lives. Is this how you are currently living?
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me. 25 For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find it.
Matthew 16:24-25 GNB
Just to bolster this idea, let’s briefly journey through Scripture. When faced with death, and after hearing no word from the Lord on the matter, King David’s military commander, Joab, makes a decision to risk his own life for the sake of God’s people. He says, “Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” They end up winning the battle.
In the book of Esther, the Israelites are faced with a law that would permit the destruction of God’s people at the hands of King Xerxes. Anyone who even approached the king would face death. The only hope is with Queen Esther. If she approaches the king and he lifts his golden scepter, she will be granted the opportunity to speak. After having no guarantee that she will be granted permission before the king, this is her response. “Go and get all the Jews in Susa together; hold a fast and pray for me. Don’t eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My servant women and I will be doing the same. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I must die for doing it, I will die.” The King accepts her request and raises his scepter.
The same is true for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. “If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.” God delivers them.
The same is true for Paul and many other apostles, who risked their lives countless times for the sake of the glory of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The point is, there is a stark contrast between the Israelites in the wilderness and all of these other examples that I have given. The risk was high for everyone involved. All of them were going to face suffering, persecution, and eventually death regardless of if they followed God or not. But the difference lies in the fact that these faithful men and women, despite not knowing if they would live or die, took a risk based on the truth about God and the desire to see His people saved and His glory revealed! If they perish but others receive God’s Kingdom, then so be it. We know this is true because this is the same attitude Christ had when going to the cross.
The only question that remains is, what are you risking? Are you risking God’s Kingdom and His glory like the Israelites, or, are you risking your own reputation, your own money, your own possessions, and even your own life for the sake of God’s glory? Even in situations where there is no clear answer or assurance – will you risk as Jesus did? Ask yourself honestly, do I put my faith in the comfort and security of control, or in the promise that any work done for God’s Kingdom will not return void?