Wow, that song was short!

Psalm 106:7–14 7Our fathers 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. 8Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, That he might make his mighty power to be known. 9He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: So he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 10And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11And the waters covered their enemies: There was not one of them left. 12Then believed they his words; They sang his praise. 13They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel: 14But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.

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"Wow, that song was short!"

We were on a recent vacation with my daughter, son in law and my precious granddaughter, the baby had quite the day playing in the sun and sand so she was showing signs of fatigue. That tired child began to cry but then my daughter played a silly song from her cell phone and suddenly the crying stopped. Smiles and coos replaced the fuss until the short song stopped. This cycle repeated a few times, each time the song played it brought peace and each time it ended there was grief. I remember saying each time it ended, “Wow, that song was short!”

Israel had been brought out of bondage in Egypt and had walked across the dry bed of the Red Sea. God’s people had witnessed the waters wait, standing in attention until they could baptize their pursuers in judgment. When those Israelites were safe on the other side of the Red Sea, they did two things.

Psalm 106:12 Then believed they his words; They sang his praise.

1. They Believed

After they had seen the mighty nation of Egypt brought to her knees by miraculous plagues…

After being warmed by a pillar of fire by night and led by a pillar of cloud by day…

After witnessing water get out of their way and patiently wait until they passed…

After beholding their enemies buried beneath the sea…

“THEN believed they his words”

Read what Charles Spurgeon said about this verse.

“This is mentioned, not to their credit, but to their shame. Those who do not believe the Lord’s word till they see it performed are not believers at all. Who would not believe when the fact stares him in the face? The Egyptians would have done as much as this.”[1]

We are not truly believers if only when we see the way will we trust our good God. Let’s determine to walk by faith and not by sight.

2. They Sang

Psalm 106:12 Then believed they his words; They sang his praise.

How could they not sing after such a great salvation? To have the bonds removed, the whips no longer lashing their backs and to finally breathe the air of freedom should start a song within one’s soul! I don’t know if their singing was good. I don’t know if they were on beat or in tune but I’m sure it came from their hearts and filled with contagious joy. Their frowns had been replaced with smiles and their cries with sounds of joy!

But, look at the next verses

Psalm 106:13–14 13They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel: 14But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.

Wow, that song was short!

The singing quickly ceased and then the complaining kicked in.

Can you relate? Have you ever had a meeting with God at the church on Sunday in which you left with a song in your heart and a spring in your step? Maybe you have heard a song of praise on the radio that helped brighten your day? Have you ever noticed how short those songs seem to last?

Wow, that song was short!

The Devil quickly comes and steals our song and we forget what our God has done. That is Satan’s job, to distract us from our blessings and rob us of the rejoicing we have in our Redeemer.

Let’s intentionally remember our blessings and sustain our song!

[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 88-110 (Vol. 4, p. 366). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.