Main Thought:
This is the central portion of a psalm which recalls the sinfulness of Israel. The psalm concludes with thankfulness that the Lord continues to hear us despite our sins. We need always to remember that forgiveness and salvation follow repentance and faith.
Psalm 106:16–23
When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord,
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the company of Abiram.
Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.
They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
Prayer
O Lord, teach us to profit by the examples that were written for our warning, the punishments which You visited on Your people Israel because of their sins. Enlighten our eyes to see the abomination of sin, that we may dread Your avenging justice, may strive to avoid all manner of evil, and may flee to the cross of Christ, the only Refuge for the soul. Amen.