Psalm 106 is truly a song of praise for God’s wonderful saving mercies. Yet while it praises God, most of the psalm is a sad review of the forgetfulness and faithlessness of Israel. Here we find the saving acts of the LORD set in sharp contrast with the sinfulness and disobedience of His people. Throughout Scripture, ingratitude is often identified as the root of all sin. Not only does it rob God of His due glory, it also gives the illusion that we deserve every blessing we enjoy and that we hold our lives together by our own good conduct and wise judgment. Truth is, every day is an undeserved gift, and we are dependent upon the LORD for every breath that we take. How easily we overlook all the ways He has sustained our lives, answered our prayers, stayed by our side, and shielded us from the consequences of our foolishness. We ought to live in constant amazement at God’s goodness to us. So we should not hesitate to pray with the psalmist, “Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness” (v 6). It’s always easy to condemn an earlier generation, to criticize those who have gone before us. But those with true spiritual insight will be quick to look in the mirror, recognizing how they reflect the same sins, though perhaps expressed in different ways. Rather than indicting his fathers, the psalmist considers their ingratitude to God and then turns it into a personal confession. In the days of their Egyptian captivity, the people of God observed His “wondrous works.” They experienced “the abundance of (His) steadfast love.” The LORD sent Moses and Aaron as His agents of deliverance. He sent ten plagues upon the land until Pharaoh released them from their bondage. You would think they would be inclined now to live in grateful obedience to Him all their days. Yet as early as the border of the Red Sea, before fully exiting Egypt, they rebelled against God and complained about His ways (v 7). Despite their rebellion, God saved them, parting the waters of the Red Sea to bring them across on dry land. Then He caused the waters to return, drowning the pursuing chariots of Egypt. But why did He save Israel? Not because they were so lovable and worthy, but to show His own power and glory. And how did they respond? With renewed faith and an outburst of praise (v 8-12). But as C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “This is mentioned, not to their credit, but to their shame,” since “those who do not believe the LORD’s word till they see it performed are not believers at all… Their song was very excellent... but sweet as it was, it was quite short, and when it was ended they fell to murmuring.” For further meditation: