Welcome to Day 2773 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Day 2773 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:1-12 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2773

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.  

The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The History of Rebellion – Grace at the Brink of the Sea.  

Today, we stand at a pivotal junction in the book of Psalms. We are beginning our journey through Psalm One Hundred Six, covering the opening movement, verses one through twelve, in the New Living Translation.  

In our previous treks through Psalm One Hundred Five, we walked through the glittering gallery of Israel's history. We saw the faithfulness of God in calling Abraham, protecting the patriarchs, and bringing the nation out of Egypt loaded with silver and gold. It was a history written in major chords—a celebration of God’s unbreakable promise and Israel’s triumph.  

But today, the music changes. Psalm One Hundred Six covers the exact same historical period—the Exodus and the Wilderness—but it tells the story from the dark side. If Psalm One Hundred Five was about God’s Faithfulness, Psalm One Hundred Six is about Israel’s Faithlessness.  

It is a corporate confession. It admits that while God was remembering His covenant, the people were busy forgetting His miracles. It strips away the nostalgia and exposes the ugly truth: we are a people prone to rebellion.  

Yet, strangely, this dark confession begins with a shout of praise. Why? Because the only thing stronger than human rebellion is God’s "Unfailing Love."  

So, let us look in the mirror of history and see if we recognize ourselves in the rebels at the Red Sea.  

The first segment is: The Hallelujah of the Sinner: Acknowledging Goodness.  

Psalm One Hundred Six: verses one through three.  

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.  Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?  There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.

The psalm opens with the same word that ended the previous psalm: "Hallelujah!" ("Praise the Lord!").  

Even though the psalmist is about to recount a litany of national failures, he starts with the character of God: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever."  

The word for "faithful love" is our covenant friend, Hesed. This is the anchor. The psalmist knows that if God’s love were not enduring—if it were based on performance—Israel would have been wiped out long ago. He praises God before he confesses, because God’s goodness provides the safety to be honest about our sin.  

He then asks a rhetorical question: "Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?"  

This links us back to Psalm One Hundred Five, where the psalmist did exactly that—he listed the miracles. But here, he admits that the list is inexhaustible. God’s "glorious miracles" (literally, "mighty deeds" or gevurot) are beyond human calculation.  

Verse three provides a beatitude: "There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right."  

This sets the standard. God is looking for a people who practice justice (mishpat) and righteousness (tsedakah). As we will see, this highlights the tragedy of Israel’s history—they were saved to be righteous, but they constantly chose rebellion. The psalmist acknowledges the ideal before confessing the reality.  

The second segment is: The Personal Plea: Include Me in the Rescue.  

Psalm One Hundred Six: verses four through five.  

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me.  Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.

Before diving into the history lesson, the psalmist interrupts with a deeply personal prayer.  

"Remember me, Lord..."  

He doesn't want to be a mere historian; he wants to be a participant. He asks to be included in the "favor" (ratson) shown to the nation.  

Notice the terms he uses for the community:

"Your people" (ammeka)

"Your chosen ones" (bechireka)

"Your heritage" (nachalatek)

These are covenant terms. "Heritage" is particularly significant in the Divine Council worldview. It refers to the fact that while the other nations were allotted to the sons of God, Israel is Yahweh’s personal portion (Deuteronomy Thirty-two: nine). The psalmist is saying, "Lord, don't leave me out. When you bless your own allotment, make sure I am standing in the stream of blessing."  

He wants to "share in the prosperity" (literally, "see the good") of the chosen. He wants to move from being an observer of God’s work to being a beneficiary of it.  

The third segment is: The Confession Begins: Amnesia in Egypt.  

Psalm One Hundred Six: verses six through seven.  

Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!  Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by your miraculous deeds. They soon forgot your many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.

Now, the tone shifts dramatically. The psalmist identifies himself with the sins of the past.  

"Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!"  

This is a threefold confession of guilt, mirroring the high priestly confession on the Day of Atonement. He is not saying, "Those people back then were bad." He is saying, "We are just like them. The apple has not fallen far from the tree."  

He then pinpoints the origin of this rebellion: "Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by your miraculous deeds."  

Literally, "They did not understand" or "They did not consider wisely."  

In Psalm One Hundred Five, we read about the plagues—the water turning to blood, the darkness, the hail. You would think these events would create unshakable faith. But the psalmist tells us that the Israelites saw the fireworks but missed the theology. They saw the power, but they didn't understand the person.  

"They soon forgot your many acts of kindness to them."  

This is the fatal flaw: Amnesia. They forgot the Hesed (kindness/love). The moment the pressure was on, the memory of God’s goodness evaporated.  

The specific location of this rebellion is crucial: "Instead, they rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea."  

The text refers to the "Red Sea" (literally Yam Suph or Sea of Reeds). In Exodus Fourteen, when the Israelites saw Pharaoh’s army approaching and the sea in front of them, they didn't pray; they panicked. They screamed at Moses, "Were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die?"  

The psalmist calls this what it is: Rebellion. They were rebelling against the Most High (Elyon). By despairing, they were essentially saying that Pharaoh’s chariots were stronger than the Most High God. They were doubting the supremacy of Yahweh.  

The fourth segment is: The Rescue: For the Sake of the Name.  

Psalm One Hundred Six: verse eight.  

Even so, he saved them for his name’s sake, to demonstrate his mighty power.

This verse contains the most powerful two words in the gospel: "Even so..." (or "Nevertheless").  

God did not save them because they were faithful. He didn't save them because they were brave. He saved them despite their rebellion. Why?  

"...he saved them for his name’s sake, to demonstrate his mighty power."  

This brings us deep into the Divine Council worldview. God’s "Name" is His reputation among the nations and the spiritual powers.  

If God had let Israel die on the banks of the Red Sea, the Egyptians—and their gods—would have claimed victory. They would have said, "Yahweh could get them out of Egypt, but He couldn't get them across the water. Our god Yam (the Sea) was too strong for Him."  

God saved them to protect His own reputation. He had to vindicate His claim to be the Most High. He acted to "demonstrate his mighty power" (literally, "to make known His might"). The salvation of Israel was not just an act of love; it was a cosmic press release. It proved to the watching world—and the watching angels—that Yahweh is the undefeated Warrior.  

The fifth segment is: The Rebuke of the Chaos Waters.  

Psalm One Hundred Six: verses nine through twelve

He commanded the Red Sea to dry up, and he led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert.  So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes.  Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived.  Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.

The method of the rescue is described in language reminiscent of creation myths, but repurposed for history.  

"He commanded the Red Sea to dry up..."  

The word "commanded" here is actually "rebuked" (ga’ar). This is warrior language. In the ancient Near East, the Sea (Yam) was often personified as a chaos monster or a rival god. In creation accounts, the deity battles the sea to establish dry land.  

Here, Yahweh rebukes the Red Sea just as He rebuked the primeval waters in Psalm One Hundred Four. He yells at the water, and it dries up.  

"...and he led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert."  

This emphasizes the totality of the miracle. They didn't wade through mud. They walked through the "deep" (tehom)—the scary abyss—as if it were the dry wilderness. God transformed the geography of chaos into a highway of safety.  

"So he rescued them from their enemies... Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived."  

The water that obeyed Yahweh refused to obey Pharaoh. The "enemies" (the haters) and the "foes" (the hostile ones) were swallowed by the very chaos they tried to use against Israel. This was the final blow to the might of Egypt. The agents of the "throne of destruction" were uncreated by the collapsing waters.  

And finally, the reaction: "Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise."  

Note the word "Then."   They believed after they saw the dead bodies on the shore. They sang after the danger was past.  

While this was a moment of genuine worship—referring to the Song of Moses in Exodus Fifteen—the psalmist includes a subtle critique. Their faith was reactive, not proactive. They rebelled before the miracle (verse 7) and believed only after the miracle (verse 12).  

This kind of faith—sight-based faith—is fragile. As we will see in the next podcast, it didn't last long. "They soon forgot."  

Psalm One Hundred Six, verses one through twelve, sets the stage for a tragic story, but it also establishes the ground of our hope.  

It teaches us that we are prone to forget God's kindness the moment we face an obstacle. We are prone to panic and rebellion at the edge of the sea. We are prone to doubt the Most High.  

But it also teaches us that God is Good and His love is Unfailing.   He saves us not because our faith is perfect, but "for His name's sake." He saves us because He has staked His reputation on our redemption. He rebukes the chaos in our lives so that He can display His mighty power.  

So today, as you walk your trek, do not wait until the battle is over to believe. Do not wait until you see the solution to sing. Learn the lesson of the Red Sea: Trust the God who rebukes the waters before they part.  

If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of, ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’  

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.   As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly.   Love Unconditionally.   Listen Intentionally.   Learn Continuously.   Lend to others Generously.   Lead with Integrity.   Leave a Living Legacy Each Day.  

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!