“Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.”  (Psalms 106:44-45)

In Psalm 106, the Psalmist begins by praising the Lord for His Goodness and His Mercy which endures forever (verse 1). He desires to be visited with God’s Salvation; to “see the good of thy chosen,” to “rejoice in the gladness of thy nation,” and to “glory with thine inheritance” (verse 5).

But then the Psalmist said, “We have sinned with our fathers” (verse 6). They “understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea” (verse 7).

In the course of the Psalmist’s narrative in Psalm 106, he uses these phrases over and over: “he saved them”; “They soon forgat his works” (verse 13); “They forgat God their saviour” (verse 21). Then God would judge them and deliver them. (See verses 15, 17, 18, 23, 26, 29-43.) Verse 43 tells the entire story:

“Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.”

Their enemies would overtake them and afflict them and bring the low. (See the Book of Judges.) They would then repent and cry out unto God:

“Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.” (Psalms 106:47)

Then God would once again deliver them.

The Psalmist wrote:

“Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:” (Psalms 106:44)

“And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.” (Psalms 106:45)

“He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.” (Psalms 106:46)

God uses the Nation of Israel to teach His Body, the Church, spiritual truths; to show us not to go the way of sin and rebellion. (See 1 Corinthians 10:1-33.)

“Now all these things happened unto them (Israel of the Old Testament) for ensamples (types): and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

Many times we read of Old Testament Israel’s rebellion to God, and of God’s Judgment on them, and then of His Mercy to deliver them. Then we say, “Why did they not learn their lesson?” And if they could speak, they ought to ask the same question to us.

Therefore, Paul wrote:

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

And this is what we are to do. We are to be stedfast; to be circumspect in our daily walk; always bringing our bodies and spirits into subjection to Christ.

But sometimes we fall. We fall hard and bring great shame on God and on ourselves and even on others. Then in the lowest pit of our valley of chastisement, we cry out to God, “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen.” And God delivers us.

But our deliverance out of chastisement (or from the Rod of God) is not because of our works; not because of any merit on our own. But only because:

1. He Regards our cry;
2. He Remembers His Covenant; and
3. He Repented according to the multitude of His Mercies.

Therefore, it is not because we cry, but it is because he Regards our cry (takes notice of; listens to). His Regarding our cry is part of His Mercy in delivering us. If God did not Regard our cry; then there would be no deliverance. His Purpose to Regard is the Cause of our deliverance, not our cry.

The foundation of His Regard for our cry is He Remembered His Covenant in Christ. (See Ephesians 1:4-11; John 10:11-30; Romans 8:29-30.) He sees Christ on the Cross, who made Atonement for the sins of His Sheep. (See Isaiah 53:1-12; Romans 3:24-25.) Therefore, He effected our Reconciliation, Redemption, and Justification. Therefore, on the foundation of His Atonement, His Covenant ratified (Romans 5:1-21; Hebrews 9:1-26; 10:1-22), He “Repented” (made a 180 degree change from Judgment to Mercy) according to the multitude of His mercies, which “endureth for ever.”

Remember, “Grace” is the Eternal Purpose of our Salvation. “Mercy” is the Channel through which Grace is applied. The Channel is Christ Jesus, God in the flesh (John 1:1-3; 14-15); our Substitute, Sacrifice, and Savior; who made atonement for our sins on the Cross. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24-25; 5:1-21.)

“For by grace (the Eternal Purpose of God) are ye saved (Reconciled, Redeemed, and Justified) through [the] faith (or through Christ, who is The Faith); and that not of yourselves (it is not your faith that saved you, it was Christ, The Faith, that saved you on the Cross): it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)

“Not of works (of man), lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9)

Man is so vain, even in his distress; he wants to take credit, by his repenting and crying, of having something to do with his deliverance. But not so!

“Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:” (Psalms 106:44)

“And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.” (Psalms 106:45)

God is to have all the praise for our deliverance, eternally and daily. The reason of our chastisement or distress as a Child of God is four-fold:

1. To see our flesh for what it is; it is where sin dwells.
2. To see our deliverance is of God’s Mercies and not our merits (He Regards; He Remembers; and He Repents).
3. Therefore, to give thanks (praise) unto His Holy Name. (That is, because of who He is and because of His Power, we are delivered.)
4. “And to triumph in thy praise” (verse 47). That is, we praise Him and not ourselves. It is in His praise that we triumph (or we have the victory; daily as overcomers). It is in this attitude of the believer. For unless we perceive that it is in God we have the Victory; there is no victory. It is in His Praise. Not in the praise of me; but in the Praise of God, “in thy praise,” we triumph; because of Who God is – my Deliverer. Hallelujah!

Our praise should then be:

“Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalms 106:48)