Please turn with me now in God's word to Psalm 106. We come to Psalm 106. We'll be reading the, really I want to read the last 9 verses, verses 40 through 48, but I'll be referencing back to other parts of the psalm as we think about the context and how that applies to what we're looking at this evening. And really, as we begin in verse 40, it's Summarizing really everything that has happened in verses 6 through 39, all of the sins that God's people over the history of redemption have committed and God's wrath against them for it. So the context here is not speaking of those out there, but those in here who have sinned. and God's wrath, but it does not end on that dark note. It ends on a note that showcases God's covenantal mercy and then calls God's people, sinners though we are, who have received that covenantal mercy to respond with thanksgiving. And so let us pick up in Psalm 106 in verse 40 and we'll read through verse 48. Hear now the word of our God. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people, so that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hands of the Gentiles, and those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times he delivered them, but they rebelled in their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless, He regarded their affliction when He heard their cry, and for their sake He remembered His covenant and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. He also made them to be pitied by all those who carried them away captive. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say amen. Praise the Lord. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. Please join me now in prayer. Our God, we are amazed at the reality of what you have done. We know that like your people in the Old Testament, we who are called by your name, we deserve your wrath. For we are sinners. And yet God, you have shown time and time again that you regard our affliction, that you hear our cry, and that for our sake you remember your covenant and are faithful to it. And so what can we say but thank you? What can we say but blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. And God, we do give you the glory this night. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And so as we do come to this psalm, Psalm 106, just a few notes, contextual notes by way of introduction. Psalm 106 is the end of one of the books of the Psalms. There are five so-called books in the Psalms. This is the end of book four. Book four comprises Psalm 90 to 106. And so Psalm 106 is the final hymn in this fourth book. And it's interesting because it's a fitting end to this book. Not only a fitting end to this psalm, but a fitting end. It ends with this prayer in verse 47. And that probably has to do with the reality that God's people had been placed in exile. Due to their own sin, God had placed them under the control of other nations. They had been put out of the land. The cry comes out, gather us from among the Gentiles. Why? To thank your holy name. And so as we come to this psalm, I just want to really briefly talk about the outline of it. The first three verses of Psalm 106, they really are an opening word of praise and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord, O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. And then verses 4 through 6, somewhat of a personal prayer. The psalmist says, remember me, O Lord. as you have favor on your people. So the psalmist is not only recognizing that God is worthy of thanksgiving, but he cries out and he says to God, remember me as well. He's including himself in with the people who he's going to get into their sin here in a minute, who have sinned against God. And so he begins with this praise to God, and it's interesting this phrase translated in English, praise the Lord. Literally, in the Hebrew, it's something that you've probably heard in English, hallelujah. Hallel, to praise, and Yah is short for Yahweh or the Lord, so praise the Lord. It begins with hallelujah, and the psalm also, in verse 48, ends with hallelujah. And so we have a beginning, praise the Lord. We have an ending, praise the Lord. But right in the middle of all of this praise and all of this joy, we see a recounting of Israel's several sins. In fact, the majority of this psalm, verses 6-49, is a recounting of Israel's sin. There's one sin that is recounted right out of Egypt. Even before they cross the Red Sea, there are six sins that are committed in the wilderness, another one in the promised land. And so it's right and fitting, after recounting all of these sins, and the psalmist including himself as a sinner, that he comes to the end of this psalm, and in verse 40 and following, he makes this request for God's mercy. And he acknowledges that God will be merciful. Not because God looks at the sin of His people, but because God remembers His covenant with His people. That's important to understand. Because if we are basing our salvation on God looking at us, forget it. We're done. But if we rightly understand that Scripture teaches that we are to base the assurance of our salvation upon God's covenant faithfulness to His promises, then we can thank God even though we struggle with sin. Because we know that He has kept His word to His people, primarily through the Lord Jesus Christ. And so what I really want to simply bring to your attention today, and I hope that you understand this and that it goes with you, is this. That God saves ungodly people to make us thankful people. God saves ungodly people to make us thankful people. And I want to look at three things tonight. First, that God does save ungodly people. We're going to see that as we look at Psalm 106, verses 6-39. We're going to find out that Israel were some ungodly people. And I hope to show you that we're not that much different. We live in a different context, a different time, but we're still sinners in need of God's grace. But then I want to see, secondly, that God saves according to His covenantal faithfulness. And I put it this way. God's people are very sinful, but God is very gracious. And then finally, we'll conclude with the reality that God saves His people in order to make them a thankful people. So first let's look at the reality that God saves ungodly people. I mentioned this earlier that in Psalm 106 and verse 40 there is a concluding statement here. Therefore, therefore the wrath of God or the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people." I love the Hebrew behind this, was kindled against His people. It's literally His nostrils. Now, we don't say that, but He was inflamed. The flaring, the anger of the Lord was kindled against His people. God hates sin wherever it is found. And there is plenty of sin to be found. In fact, they sinned right after leaving Egypt. We see this in verses 7 through 12. Verse 7, our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders. They did not remember the multitude of your mercies. They had seen the signs over and over again in Egypt and yet they left Egypt and they did what? In verse 7, they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. So God, at this point, has delivered His people out of Egypt. They've seen the wonders that were done against the Egyptians. They've seen how they were protected by that blood that was on the doorpost, signifying the blood of the coming Savior that would redeem God's people from their sin. And they were saved from the destroying angel. And yet, even after all of that, they're out of Egypt, they're at the Red Sea, and they are in rebellion against God. And it goes on. They don't learn from their mistakes. There are six particular sins listed throughout this section that they committed in the wilderness. In verses 13 through 15, there was a great discontentment. This tells the story of Exodus 16, grumbling about the manna. Remember that? God's feeding them with bread from heaven called manna. Manna means, what is it, literally. That's what they were wondering. What is it? We've never seen this before. This manna is coming down from heaven, we're eating it, but we're looking back to Egypt. We really want that. That delectable food back in Egypt, well what did God do? He caused quail to rain down and while they were eating it, He caused a severe plague to break out among them. They had jealousy. This is shown, and I'm going through this very quickly because it's not the main point, but I want you to have an understanding of the sin that was piling up here. In verses 16 through 18, we read of the jealousy recorded in number 16 of Korah and 250 of his accomplices. Now Korah and his family were swallowed up by the land and the 250 were burned with fire from the tabernacle. It goes on in Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. There's idolatry recorded for us in Exodus 32, the golden calf. Remember that? Moses disappears. Nobody knows where he's gone. And so Aaron, at the behest of the people, makes a golden calf and they worship God by it. And then as the psalmist goes on in verses 24 through 27 there is unbelief recorded for us in Numbers 13 and 14. They were entering the promised land and yet they did not believe that God was able to secure the promised land for them. Now this is after they had been brought through the Red Sea on dry land. And yet after they had seen all of the works that God had done against the Egyptians, and yet by unbelief they did not enter the promised land. We see while all this was going on, verses 28 through 31, they entered into apostasy. This is recorded in Numbers 25. We're told that they joined themselves to Baal of Peor. They ate sacrifices made to the dead. Again, recounted in Numbers chapter 25, the men of Israel, they engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and they ended up sacrificing to the Moabite god Baal. It's interesting. Look with me at this next section, really beginning in verse 34. In verse 34 we're told that even after, even after they came into the promised land, they did not obey, they did not destroy the peoples. concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the Gentiles and they learned their works." Now it's interesting, here they left out what they were supposed to do. They omitted a duty. But I want you to see where that led. Look at verse, or verse 35 rather. They omitted destroying them in verse 34, but in verse 35, they started committing sin with them. They mingled with the Gentiles, who they were supposed to destroy, and learned their works. And this is a very important point. Here's the reality. The reality is that sins of omission, that is failing to do what God has commanded you to do, will often lead to sins of commission. Doing those things that God has told you not to do. And that's exactly what happened to God's people. So that's the one sin that they committed in the land. All of the other sins were committed prior to coming into the land. But notice with me. Notice with me what God did. Look down at verse 43. Many times He delivered them, but they rebelled in their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity. Now that's speaking of the time of the judges. So remember what happened in judges, the cycle of judges? I like to put it this way, they were rescued by God through a judge, they rebelled against God, they repented to God, and then the cycle repeated. Rescue, rebellion, repentance. Rescue, rebellion, repentance. Sound familiar? That's what was going on. It was this cycle. But God was faithful in the midst of it. Yes, His wrath was kindled against His people. Yes, He abhorred His own inheritance. Yes, He gave them into the hands of the Gentiles. And those who hated them ruled over them. And their enemies also oppressed them. But God did this. God did this because He was disciplining His people. We learned that in Hebrews when we went through the book of Hebrews. God disciplines those He loves. But what a list of sins we find here. God's people, even from the beginning, right after they were delivered out of Egypt, they rebelled against Him. They were not content with what He provided them in the wilderness. They became jealous of those in leadership over them. They created a golden calf by which to worship God. They didn't believe that God would or could keep His word and deliver them into the land. They followed other gods and finally they ended up committing apostasy to the point where verse 37 tells us they even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. Probably the god of Molech. They would require child sacrifice. Now we may think that we are somehow better than these individuals but I'm here to tell you that we are not. In fact, in the New Testament, Paul makes it very clear that this is who people are as sinners. In fact, it's an interesting connection. have the recounting of the making of the calf in verses 19 and 20. Listen to this, they made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the molded image. And here it is, thus they changed their glory into the image of an ox that eats grass. Now think about that, they changed their glory into the image of an ox that eats grass. And we come over to Paul's words given in the New Testament in Romans chapter 1 and verse 23 where he is making the case that all are sinners. And what does Paul say of all people? He says this, Romans 1 verse 23, that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. It's very, very close to what the psalmist says in Psalm 106 and verse 20. It is idolatry to change the image of their glory, this God was their God, into anything else. To go away from God, to depart from Him, to worship anything else, and yet that is the sin, isn't it? That is the sin that we are all guilty of committing. Are you, let me ask you this, are you okay with admitting that you are an idolater? Does that strike you as strange to think about? We need to admit that. We need to admit, now I'm not saying that you're gonna go home tonight and you have a special room in your house with a statue that you're gonna bow down to. But we have to admit that in our heart of hearts as sinners, we are always looking to replace God with other things and apart from His work, In us and for us, in and through Jesus Christ, by the way, the only human who never committed adultery, we will always go after another God. And that's what we see here. But here's the thing, even though these individuals, and listen to this language, we are told, the end of verse 43. Even though many times God delivered them, they rebelled in their counsel, they thought that they were wiser than God, and they were brought low for their iniquity. Now I'm thankful that God brought me low in my iniquity, because it was from that place of lowness that He caused me by His grace to repent, and then He took me out of that place and placed me upon the rock that is Christ. And that's what God does. for His people. And we see that. You see, God saves ungodly people. But why then does God save ungodly people? And that's the second thing I want you to see. God saves ungodly people, not because of their works, but because of His faithfulness. God saves according to His covenantal faithfulness. That's what we see beginning in verse 44. Nevertheless, that is, in spite of all of the sin that God's people had committed, even though He had delivered them numerous times and they continued to rebel against Him, and even though they were brought low in their iniquity, nevertheless, He still heard their cry for help. Nevertheless, He regarded their affliction when He heard their cry. And what did he do? And this is an encouragement. I don't care how far you have gone down the path of sin, when you come to God as He is, one God in three persons, when you come to Him through the only mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ, I guarantee you upon the word of God that He will hear your cry. He heard their cry. And what did he do? For their sake, he remembered his covenant. These words ought to be such an encouragement to you if you are in Christ. It ought to bring joy to your heart. I had joy welling up in me, and I'm not one who's necessarily prone to just have an outward display of emotion. You don't have to be. But the reality is, is that knowing what God has done, that He remembers His covenant. You see, He could remember sin, couldn't He? But Scripture says He does not remember sin, the sin of His people. He remembers our sins no more, but the thing He does remember is His covenant. This is the covenant that God has made in Christ. This is the covenant that was foreshadowed. We read earlier from 1st Chronicles chapter 16. We read of the covenant that he made with Abraham. We read of the covenant that he then made with Isaac and with Jacob. Later on he makes this covenant with David. But ultimately all of those covenants, all of those agreements, all of those promises that God would be faithful were leading up We're leading up to the final, the final outworking of His covenantal faithfulness. And that is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ came. He lived a perfect life that we could not live. He died the death that God's people deserved. And all who come to Him, all who come to Him will receive God's mercy. Notice what it says here, for their sake he remembered his covenant and relented according to the multitude of his mercies. He relented. He relented from, if we go back to verse 40, the wrath that was kindled against his people. Why did he show this compassion on his people? Again, it wasn't because his people deserved it. It wasn't because His people did anything for Him. It was simply because He was faithful to His promises to save His people. God is faithful and He delivers His people. We see that in verse 46. He made them to be pitied. by all those who carried them away captive. And so remember, God's people were carried away captive, being disciplined for their sin, and yet God, God brings them back out of captivity. And that is a picture for us, who live in the New Testament, of God's bringing us out of captivity to Satan and sin, and giving us the freedom that is found in Jesus Christ. And that's what God does. He hears the cries of His people. He remembers His covenant. He's faithful to His covenant. He shows compassion on His people and He delivers them. We might put it this way, God will discipline us when we sin. I put it this way, we're adopted. Those of us who are in Christ, we are adopted. God is our Father. The Apostle John says in 1 John chapter 3 that we are the children of God. And I put it this way, God is our Heavenly Father. He will never kick us out of the house, but He may send us to our room. He'll discipline His people, but He never casts us out. And that's what we see here. God's people were being disciplined, but God, because of the faithfulness to His promise and to His covenant, He brings them back. His motive for bringing them back was His love for them. His covenantal love. In fact, God keeping His word that He made, His promise that He made, is a sure sign of His love to His people. And so we know why, we might want to ask the question, why did God save us? It's not because of anything we did, because we're just like Israel with a long list of sins. So why did God save a people? Well, He saved a people because He loves them and He's faithful to show that love by keeping His promises to them. But then we can go on, we can ask the question, okay, so I understand why God saved a people. But now, maybe the question comes, for what purpose did God save a people? And that's where we come to really the final point this evening. Yes, God saves sinners. God saves an ungodly people. God saves because of His covenant faithfulness. But here's the thing, God saves His people in order to make them a thankful people. Notice in verse 47. The psalmist says, save us. This is a prayer. Save us, O Lord, our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles. This is not only a prayer for the individual's salvation, but it's also a missionary prayer. Think about it. This is a prayer that we can pray for missions. Save us, O Lord, our God, and gather us from among the nations. Isn't that what the Great Commission is about? Jesus gives that in Matthew 28. He's calling all people and He's using His church to teach, baptize and teach all that I commanded you. And I will be with you even to the end of the age. And so this is not only a prayer for the salvation of an individual people, but the calling in of all of God's people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. But then here it is. For what purpose? We read that here. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles for this purpose, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise. And then the psalmist goes on to do just that, ending this psalm and also ending this book of the psalms. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting, and let all the people say, Amen. Let it be so. Let God's praise go forth throughout the earth and ending with that hallelujah, praise the Lord. So as I mentioned earlier, Psalm 106 begins with a hallelujah, praise the Lord. It ends with a hallelujah, praise the Lord. But let's think about how the psalmist got there. The psalmist got to this joy of praising the Lord through a very dark path. the path of sin. You see, the reason that the psalmist could rejoice, and I would submit to you the reason that you can rejoice, and that you can be thankful for salvation, is really dependent upon the extent that you know what you've been saved from, your sin. That's why, if we don't speak of sin, we're really shortchanging the glorious and gracious message of the gospel. In other words, if you tell an individual you can be saved, they may respond with this, well, what do I need to be saved from? I'm doing pretty good. I don't have any problems that I can see. No. As one commentator, James Montgomery Boyce, he put it this way, it is against the background of sin that God's patience is most fully illuminated. And we see that here in Psalm 106. We see the reason that the psalmist and the reason that we can come forward and give thanks to God's holy name and say, blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting is because we know who we are as sinners. We know who He is as the God who is faithful to His promises to save sinners. And we know that He has done this. This is the good news. God saves sinners. That's what Paul said, right? This is a faithful saying that God saves sinners and guess what? Paul says, I am chief among them. You see, Paul would not have been able to rejoice in the reality that God saves sinners unless he also understood that he was chief among those sinners. And so that's what we need to understand. But here's the good news. Yes, He saves sinners, but the good news is how He does that. He doesn't do that by coming to sinners and say, stop sinning and be better and then I will save you. No. What do we see here? What do we see here in Psalm 106? Nevertheless, in spite of their sin, He regarded their affliction. He heard their cry and He remembered His covenant. And he was faithful to his promises and he relented according to the multitude of his mercies. So this is the great assurance that we have who come to God through Jesus Christ. The great assurance that we have is that although we are covenant breakers in Adam, that is we have broken God's covenant. God is a covenant keeping God in Christ. So we have to understand, Christ has kept the covenant for us. And if we are united to Him, if we are in Him, if we are trusting in Him, then what is said here of God's people is true of us. For our sake, God will remember His covenant. In fact, we can pray that way. God, I am a great sinner, but remember Your covenant. Remember the promise that You have made to Your people in Jesus Christ. Remember, O God, that all of Your promises are yes and amen in Him. And then we can know that He has relented according to the multitude of His mercies. So if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, know this, despite your many sins, God has heard your cry. God has kept His covenant. God has relented according to the multitude of His mercies. And I can tell you that is a reason, isn't it? To be thankful. Amen. Let us pray. Our God, help us to take these words that you have given to us, to understand who we are as sinners. but to come and to pray with the psalmist and with your people throughout the ages. Save us, O Lord, our God. Gather us from among the Gentiles so that we might give thanks to your holy name. For you are the God who has remembered your covenant for our sake. You are the God who has relented according to the multitude of your mercies. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.