How's Your Memory?

And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. - Psalm 106:45

It's so easy to read through Scripture and interpret verses as to what we think they say rather than what they actually say. For me, this verse is no different. As many times as I've read through the Psalms, I've overlooked the important message in this verse because I failed to see what was really there.

In my mind, I interpreted the verse to say, "And he remembered his covenant for them," but that is not what the Bible says. I was trying to place the prepositional phrase "for them" where it did not belong. If you look closely, you'll see the true meaning of the verse, for it clearly says, "And he remembered for them his covenant." Do you see the difference?

The way I was interpreting it was that God remembered the promises He had made to Israel, but what it is actually saying is that God remembered His promises for them. In a time when they had gone astray and had forgotten God's most precious words, God still remembered.

What a comfort it is to know that even when I don't remember God's promises, He remembers them for me and reminds me of them in a variety of ways. Not only does He remember them, but He also acts according to the multitude of His mercies to see them fulfilled. Not according to what I deserve, but according to His mercies. His faithfulness is not dependent upon my own, and even when I don't keep my promises to Him, He always keeps His promises to me.

On dark days and in trying circumstances, it is often difficult to remember the promises of God. But even if we forget, God will not. He will remember for us, and He will set His promises before us as a reminder of His love and mercy. His memory is perfect, and his faithfulness is beyond measure. He will not let us down, and if we remember nothing else, may we not lose sight of that truth.