Praise the Lord!

 Psalm 106:1 Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are they who observe justice,
    who do righteousness at all times!

After such a loud and joyful introduction, where does the psalmist go? He examines the history of the relationship of God and His people as He asks God to remember him, to help him and his people out of the fix they are in.  He then recites what his people have done: they have sinned; they have not remembered the Lord; they have not "considered the work of the Lord." After being led out of Egypt, they whined at the edge of the Red Sea; God delivered again.  On the way to the promised land they complained about food and water, rebelled against God's leaders, and worshipped the golden calf.  Yet, God brought them into the land.  When He did, they chose to follow other gods: Baal and the idols of Canaan.  They refused to repent and were punished by the pagan nations around them and from afar. Finally, at the end of psalm, the writer cries out to God on behalf of his people:

47 Save us, O Lord our God,

    and gather us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

    and glory in your praise.

48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting!

And let all the people say, “Amen!”

    Praise the Lord!