Read Psalm
116-118 & 1
Corinthians 2
To discover:
As you read consider what
it is that God is to be praised for.
To ponder:
In Psalm 116 we
see love of God flowing from his deliverance of us. So because the LORD
answered the psalmist’s prayer for mercy, he will call on him always (116v1-2).
He was overcome by anguish, being close to death, and so called on the name of
the LORD for salvation (116v3-4). And because God saved him, the psalmist can
declare that he is gracious, righteous and compassionate, and that he protects
the simple-hearted (ie. those who are straightforward in their trust in him) –
(116v5-6). Moreover, he can tell his soul to be at rest, as God has been good
and so rescued him from death to “walk before him.” This phrase describes an intimate
friendship with God in which one lives in his presence, before his sight, and
to bring him honour (116v7-11). The psalmist’s declaration in his dismay that
“all men are liars” may be a confession that he began to doubt people’s
testimony to the faithfulness of God. Alternatively, as the context is his
belief, it may actually be an expression of faith, refusing to accept the fact
that everyone was telling him he was going to die. The rest of the psalm is
devoted to how the psalmist can repay God for his goodness. The answer is to
take in his hands the “cup” (celebratory gift) of salvation, and so receive all
God gives by calling on him; and in the temple, to fulfil his vows to serve God
for delivering him from the chains of death, and sacrifice a thank offering to
him (116v12-19). It’s a reminder we need to ensure we have received and drunk
of God’s salvation, before responding by serving him in the church, and
offering of our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom 12v1-9).
Though short, Psalm 117 looks to the
fulfilment of God’s promise regarding Israel ’s
monarchy (Gen 49v10) in calling all nations to praise him for his enduring love
and faithfulness. In essence then, it is the call of the gospel, affirming the
right of the Christian to call those of other peoples and religions to Christ.
Psalm 118 describes the fulfilment
of Psalm 117 as the Davidic king is pictured victorious over the nations. It
calls Israel ,
the priesthood and all who fear God to thank him for his enduring goodness and
love (118v1-4). By including the latter category it therefore widens the
assembly of worshippers from Israel
to those who honour God from the nations. The psalmist (presumably one of Israel ’s
kings) then describes how God delivered him from the nations who were attacking
him. And so he no longer fears what man can do as God is with him. He can
therefore declare it is better to trust God than man or even princes
(118v5-14). He goes on to speak of the joy in victory resounding in the tents
of the righteous (presumably his army) because of what God’s “right hand” (ie.
arm of power) had done. The psalmist had been disciplined by experiencing a
degree of hardship, but not been given over to death. And so he commits to
proclaiming the victory God had given him (118v15-18). He therefore calls for
the “gates of righteousness” (in context probably the temple) to be opened so
that he can give thanks. And here he declares the stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone – the most important stone that holds the building
together (118v19-24). His point is that he, the one who was rejected, by God’s
“marvellous” doing, has become in victory the very one who should be honoured –
paving the way for Christ to refer this principle so appropriately to himself
(Matt 21v42). And so he prays for God’s continuing salvation and success on him
and the people, before being pictured in the temple declaring God’s blessing on
all who come and join him in the name of the LORD – to thank him for the
victory (118v25-26). He declares how the LORD (YAHWEH) is the true God and has
caused the light of his glory to shine on Israel
in this great and good act. Again, he then calls worshippers to join in the
festal procession up to the altar (symbolising God’s presence) with “boughs in
hand.” This suggests the psalm may have been used at a key feast day, or perhaps
when days of celebration for victories were announced (see also, 118v24). The
waving of branches was a means of celebration like the waving of flags. The
psalm ends with the psalmist affirming God is his God and so he will thank and
praise him. He also calls the worshipper to do so just as in verse 1.
We can now see how fitting it was
for the Jews to wave their branches and declare “blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord” when Jesus entered Jerusalem
as we celebrate on Palm Sunday. It seems they had to some extent grasped that
Jesus was the long awaited Davidic king. But what they hadn’t grasped, was that
he wasn’t coming having already conquered, but in order to do so at the cross.
Moreover, at this time he wasn’t coming to thank God for victory at the temple,
but to cast out those who were defiling it. Indeed, once there, it was not
those who considered themselves righteous, but the blind and lame who came and
joined him, received his blessing in healing. And it was children who expressed
praise (Matt 21v8-16). Of course, Jesus’ ultimate celebration of the victory God
gave him would have been in the heavenly temple after his ascension. And from
there he declares God’s blessing on all who come in God’s name, to join him in
everlasting praise and thanksgiving.
Praying
it home:
Praise God for the
great victory he has won for you through Christ. Pray that you would respond as
the psalmist in Psalm 116.
Thinking
further:
None
today.
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