Right Song, Wrong Side

Of all the sins we can commit, doubt is the one most hated by God. According to both Old and New Testaments, our doubting grieves the Lord. We see a prime example of this in ancient Israel after God delivered his people from the hand of Pharaoh.

“We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea” (Psalm 106:6-7).

The writer is making a confession here. The sin that Israel had committed was their doubt that God would deliver them, even after he had performed an incredible miracle for them at the Red Sea. It seems inconceivable that these same people doubted God’s faithfulness as they faced hardship afterward. The psalmist is saying, essentially, “Can you believe it? Our Lord had supernaturally delivered us from the enemy, yet we mistrusted him.”

It was a different story altogether, however, when Israel stood on the victory side of the sea. They sang and danced as they watched the mighty Egyptian army sink to destruction: “The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise” (Psalm 106:11-12).

The Israelites sang the right song — but they sang it on the wrong side of the sea. Anyone can sing and rejoice when they have the victory but many of us are like Israel, failing miserably before we experience triumph. 

God had proven himself to his people in Egypt many times with incredible signs and wonders. And Moses tried to convince them the Lord had been working on their behalf, but they still doubted God, taking his mighty works for granted (read Exodus chapters 14 through 16.)

We are never to build our faith on miracles alone; rather, many times the Holy Spirit strengthens our trust in the Lord through our trials.