Declaring His Works

Psalm 105:37-45

37But he brought his people safely out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold;

there were no sick or feeble people among them.

38Egypt was glad when they were gone,

for the dread of them was great.

39The LORD spread out a cloud above them as a covering

and gave them a great fire to light the darkness.

40They asked for meat, and he sent them quail;

he gave them manna—bread from heaven.

41He opened up a rock, and water gushed out

to form a river through the dry and barren land.

42For he remembered his sacred promise

to Abraham his servant.

43So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy,

his chosen ones with rejoicing.

44He gave his people the lands of pagan nations,

and they harvested crops that others had planted.

45All this happened so they would follow his principles

and obey his laws.

Praise the LORD!

Richard Baxter was a pain in the neck. He was just so . . . so . . . Christian, and he kept influencing others to take their faith seriously, too. Baxter was one of the first Puritans, a reforming group within the Church of England in the seventeenth century. Nowadays Puritans have a bad reputation as fun-hating zealots, but actually they just wanted people to be passionate about following Jesus Christ.

Baxter was a gifted preacher. His lengthy ministry in the town of Kidderminster reformed the whole town. It was said, “On the Lord’s day there was no disorder to be seen in the streets; but you might hear a hundred families singing psalms and repeating sermons.”

Still, Baxter had his enemies. His emphasis on living for the glory of God made some people uncomfortable. He probably identified with the Israelites in Psalm 105 when “Egypt was glad when they were gone” (verse 38). You may find that true in your own life as well. When God is active in your life, people notice. Some may be excited by it, but others feel threatened.

Don’t sweat it. Keep looking for God’s guidance and provision, step by step. Just as he led and fed the Israelites, he will care for you. Just continue to follow the verse that was carved on the pulpit of Baxter’s church at Kidderminster: “Call upon his name, and make known his deeds among the people” (Psalm 105:1, KJV).

Through each perplexing path of life

Our wandering footsteps guide;

Give us each day our daily bread

And raiment fit provide.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE

Psalm at a Glance

This psalm ends as it began, on a positive note. God is to be praised, even though his people have strayed. He keeps showing mercy to those he loves.

Thought to Ponder

As verse 44 reminds us, God’s people came into the land by God’s grace, not because of their own efforts. Of course, that’s also true in a spiritual sense as well. We enter our heavenly home by grace, not by our works. (See Romans 4:14; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9).