God’s covenant with Abraham
Psalm 105:4-9. March 30, 2023 - Thursday, 5th Week of Lent
Psalm 105 is a meditation on the history of Israel that is divided into two main parts: from Abraham to Exodus (Ps 105:5-25) and from Exodus to the entry into the Promised Land (Ps 105:26-45). The psalmist does not mention the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel but focuses on the faithfulness of God rooted in the covenant made with Abraham (see Ps 105:8-9; 42). It was an unconditional covenant through which God bound himself to make Abraham’s descendants numerous and to bring them to the Promised Land. According to the Jewish tradition not even a failure on the part of the people could nullify that covenant. And that is how the psalmist sees it. The Lord took his people out of Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land because he remembered the sacred promise he made to Abraham (see Ps 105:42).
A careful reader of this psalm can be surprised that although Moses is mentioned yet the covenant between God and His people on Mount Sinai is not. One reason for this omission can be the fact that the covenant of Mount Sinai was conditional. In that covenant, God demanded obedience from his people to his commands and laws (see Ex 20-24). But, the psalmist was aware that the people failed to keep that covenant and their disobedience led to the loss of the Promised Land - the people were exiled into Babylon.
Saint Paul in his letter to the Galatians highlights the priority of God’s covenant with Abraham over the one established “430 years afterwards” on Mount Sinai in the time of Moses (see Gal 3:17). Moreover, he interprets the promise given to Abraham about his offspring as referring to Christ (see Gal 3:15). The fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham that in his “offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 22:18) is realised in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:14). The numerous descendants of Abraham are now those who believe in Jesus Christ and the promised land is a new heaven and earth and the heavenly Jerusalem (see Rev 21-22).
The psalmist helps us to map our journey of faith with the one of Israel. Like Abraham, we need to leave behind the world of false and empty gods and put our trust in true and living God. Our exodus takes place at the moment of our baptism. This sacrament liberates us from slavery to sin and turns us into adopted children of God. We begin a journey of faith. This journey is filled with trials and challenges but the Lord remains faithful. He remembers the new and everlasting covenant established during the Last Supper and ratified on the Cross. Our destination is God’s new promised land and the Lord journeys with us. We look to Him for strength and constantly seek His presence because we know that we can make it to the end only with his grace.