The source of strength and encouragement
July 15, 2023 - Saturday, Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7
Psalm 105 is a poetic reflection on the history of Israel, specifically directed towards the descendants of Abraham (Ps 105:6). They are told to praise the Lord, call upon his holy name, and proclaim God’s deeds among the nations. The psalmist also tells them to discern God’s will, rely on God, and remember what God had done to their ancestors in the past (Ps 105:1-5).
In contrast to the editors of the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) who highlight the unfaithfulness of the Israelites, the psalmist focuses on God's faithfulness rooted in the covenant with Abraham. This covenant was unconditional, binding God to multiply Abraham's descendants and bring them to the Promised Land. According to Jewish tradition, not even the people's failures could nullify that covenant, and the psalmist shares this perspective. Every action the Lord took for Israel was done in remembrance of the sacred promise made to Abraham.
Scholars date this Psalm to the time of the Babylonian exile. The psalmist seeks to encourage his people to trust in God regardless of the circumstances. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and the people of Israel endured slavery in Egypt for many years. But as God delivered them from Egyptian bondage, so He would also bring them back from the Babylonian exile. They only need to trust God and obey his commandments (see Ps 105:45).
The early Christians quickly associated our journey of faith with that of Israel. Like Abraham, we must leave behind the false and empty gods of the world and place our trust in the true and living God. Our exodus occurs at the moment of baptism, which liberates us from the slavery of sin and makes us adopted children of God. We embark on a journey of faith 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 accompanies us on this journey. We seek His strength and constant presence, knowing that we can only reach the end with His grace.
Psalm 105 is a source of comfort and encouragement for all those who face trials and difficult situations. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope" (Rom 15:4). God who journeyed with Israel also journeys with us. In the new and everlasting covenant in the Blood of Jesus, he bound himself to bless and liberate humanity and all creation from the bondage to sin, decay, and death. In him, we put our trust and look with hope “to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).