Psalm 136: Covenant Keeper

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Can you name some of the people with whom God made a covenant in the Old Testament? I'm sure there are more but these come to mind right away.

• Adam 
• Noah
• Abraham 
• Isaac
• Jacob
• Moses
• Aaron
• David

What about covenants in the New Testament? The only one I can remember is God's promise through Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NIV‬

How many of these Biblical covenants has God broken? Hasn't He lived up to everything He promised?

What does that tell you about His trustworthiness? He, alone, can truly be trusted. 

Psalm 136:16-24 describes God as one who lives up to his promises. He protected the Israelites as they fled for their lives. He delivered the Promised Land into their hands. He remembered them when they were in the lowest valley and raised them up to freedom from their adversaries. The Israelites didn't always keep their end of the bargain but God sure did.

It is no different today.

God promised that because of the New Covenant in Jesus, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9

And it is because of the kindness and love He displayed in the New Covenant that "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7

Isn't that something to praise God for: His love endures forever.

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
⁷ who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.
¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea^[a] asunder His love endures forever.
¹⁴ and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
¹⁵ but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.

¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings— His love endures forever.
¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.
²⁰ and Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever.
²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
²² an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.

²³ He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
²⁴ and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever.

²⁵ He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. 

Thank you, Lord, for making me while. 

Thank you, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation so full and free.