#2. Jan. 12, 2015
2015 Devotional. These passages are taken from: “100 Verses Every Christian Needs to Know” by Freeman-Smith. All Passages are from the NIV.
Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”.
This is a Psalm of thanksgiving and of praise to God. Further, it is a profile of God’s love and salvation for his people. It is one of the Messianic Psalms as expressed in verse 22, but I think verses 23 and 24 should also be included, although not referring to Jesus directly, it is the cause, “The Lord has done this” and the effect, extreme rejoicing and gladness in God in the day He makes.
What is the story behind Ps. 118? The Ps. begins and ends with: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and his love endures forever”. Something big has happened! Could it be a God given victory over an exceedingly large enemy force? Perhaps the finishing of the first or second temple overcoming overwhelming odds? Perhaps the finishing of the wall by Nehemiah? All those have been suggested but we really do not know. They cried out to the Lord in trust and faith! Nations surrounded them, they were cut off, they were swarmed like bees but in the name of the Lord they prevailed. They are pushed back and falling but “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” This is a personal story. He “shouts of joy and of victory”, he is chastised of God but he is alive and enters the gates of righteousness. “You (O, God) have become my salvation”.
This is a personal story that anticipates our story and thus becomes our own story of salvation. We all have experienced Satan’s oppression; we are surrounded on every side, and sometimes are pushed back and fall. We are not overwhelmed and are picked up; “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things”. We enter the gates “where the righteous may enter”. “The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes”. Jesus, showing the religious leaders of His day the depth and the result of their unbelief quotes Ps. 118: 22,23 in Matt. 21:41-43. A warning for today as well! By the grace of God we believe in Jesus and every day the Lord God has made is a time for service, for rejoicing and for gladness in Him. Praise be to God!
Heavenhigh 