The God of Kept Promises
Psalm 105:8-11
He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
We made the mistake of giving our son a hollow chocolate bunny for Easter when he was young. I say “mistake” because from that point forward, whenever he wanted to make a deal, he would promise us a chocolate bunny in return for whatever he needed from us. He’s almost 20 now, and I believe my accountant would estimate I am owed hundreds (if not thousands) of chocolate bunnies.
Thankfully, God’s promises are not like chocolate bunnies. In many of the Psalms, the writers recount the history of Israel and its relationship with God. The Psalms were the prayer book and songbook of that community. It was important that they remember who God is and what He has promised.
A covenant was an official agreement. In the ancient world, kings would make promises to their subjects. The king would promise blessings. The subject would promise loyalty. God, as king, made a promise to Abraham, which He confirmed again with Isaac and Jacob. They, in return, promised to follow God.
The Psalmist says the promise was for a “thousand generations.” Psalms are poetry, so it’s helpful to remember this isn’t a literal countdown. It means God’s promise is forever. It’s a promise He will never walk away from, nor will God ever fail to keep His word.
God is a God of kept promises. 2 Cor. 1:20 reminds us that all God’s promises are “Yes” in Christ. Jesus has kept God’s Word. No promise has fallen by the wayside. As Abraham’s spiritual descendants (Rom. 9:8), we are “children of the promise” too.
You never have to question if God is trustworthy. He is. That truth will give you peace to trust God in any situation.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for being the God of kept promises. We rejoice in the truth that all of Your promises are “Yes” in Jesus. Help us to always trust in Your faithfulness, knowing that Your Word will never fail.