Psalm 106

He rebuked the Red Sea.

Read/pray the psalm. (Full text at bottom.)

• Know where this is going, by now?

• This note, in the account of God’s redemptive acts, gives insight into the character of the sea—chaos, flood, abode of the dragon/serpent/sea-monster.

• Some commentaries take it as a mere figure of speech:

Here it [“rebuked”] is evidently a poetic term, meaning that he spake “as if” he were angry; or “as if” the Red Sea did wrong in presenting an obstacle or obstruction to the passage of his people. Barnes

• But in fact, the phrase is quite consistent across authors: See Psalm 104:7; Isaiah 50:2; Nahum 1:4.

• And:

  • “But Jesus rebuked him [unclean spirit], saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’” Mark 1:25

  • “And he [Jesus] awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39

• So the sea is either a wayward creature, or even a symbol/manifestation of the demonic, as when…

“But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’” Mark 8:33

So…

• Yesterday, a dear friend called for prayer together: Several electronic devices had been malfunctioning at once.

• I wasn’t feeling well, so I encouraged him just to take authority over his household in prayer, and I just added, “Mmm” and “Amen” while he prayed.

• Following up today, he says: “Some equipment started behaving immediately. Other things I had to pray over some more.”

• Here’s how he prayed:

"In the name of Jesus Christ, I command all evil spirits to go to the foot of God's throne. [Or "wherever God tells you."] I take authority over this space under the Lordship of Christ."

He suggests also Francis McNutt, Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Manual. (I have not read it, but agree with what I know of McNutt’s ministry.)

Psalm 106
Confitemini Domino

1	O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, * 
		and his mercy endures for ever.
2	Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord, * 
		or show forth all his praise?
3	Blessed are those who act with justice, *
		and who always do righteousness.
4	Remember me, O Lord, according to the favor that you show to your people; *
		O visit me with your salvation,
5	That I may see the felicity of your chosen, *
		and rejoice in the gladness of your people, and give thanks with your inheritance.
6	We have sinned like our fathers; *
		we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
7	Our fathers regarded not your wonders in Egypt, neither did they keep your great goodness in remembrance, *
		but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8	Nevertheless, he saved them for his Name’s sake, *
		that he might make his power known.
9	He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up; *
		so he led them through the deep as through a wilderness.
10	And he saved them from the adversary’s hand, * 
		and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
11	As for those who troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them;* 
		there was not one of them left.
12	Then they believed his words *
		and sang praises unto him.
13	But soon they forgot his works *
		and would not wait for his counsel.
14	A craving came upon them in the wilderness, * 
		and they tempted God in the desert.
15	So he gave them their desire, *
		and sent leanness into their soul.
16	They were envious of Moses also in the camp, * 
		and of Aaron the holy one of the Lord.
17	So the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan * 
		and covered the company of Abiram,
18	And fire was kindled in their company; *
		the flame burnt up the ungodly.
19	They made a calf in Horeb *
		and worshiped a molten image.
20	Thus they exchanged their glory *
		for the image of a calf that feeds on hay.
21	And they forgot God their Savior, * 
		who had done great things in Egypt,
22	Wondrous works in the land of Ham, * 
		and fearful things by the Red Sea.
23	So he said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap *
		to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.
24	Then they scorned that pleasant land *
		and gave no credence to his word,
25	But murmured in their tents *
		and did not hearken to the voice of the Lord.
26	Then he lifted up his hand against them * 
		to overthrow them in the wilderness,
27	To cast out their seed among the nations, * 
		and to scatter them in all the lands.
28	They joined themselves to Baal-Peor * 
		and ate the offerings to the dead.
29	Thus they provoked him to anger with their wanton deeds, * 
		and the plague broke out among them.
30	Then Phineas stood up and interceded, *
		and so the plague was ended;
31	And that was counted to him as righteousness * 
		among all generations for evermore.
32	They angered him also at the waters of strife, * 
		so that he punished Moses for their misdeeds;
33	For they provoked him to anger, *
		so that he spoke rashly with his lips.
34	Neither did they destroy the peoples * 
		as the Lord commanded them,
35	But intermingled among the nations * 
		and learned their heathen ways,
36	So that they worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them; *
		they offered their sons and their daughters to demons,
37	And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, *
		whom they offered to the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood.
38	Thus were they defiled by their own works *
		and went whoring with their own deeds.
39	Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, *
		and he abhorred his own inheritance,
40	And he gave them over into the hands of the nations, * 
		and those who hated them were lords over them.
41	Their enemies oppressed them *
		and held them in subjection.
42	Many a time did he deliver them, *
		but they rebelled against him through their own devices, and were brought down in their wickedness.
43	Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity, * 
		when he heard their lamentation,
44	He remembered his covenant and pitied them, according to the multitude of his mercies; *
		he made all those who led them away captive to pity them.
45	Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, *
		that we may give thanks to your holy Name and make our boast of your praise.
46	Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end, *
		and let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the Lord.

New Coverdale Psalter