Psalm 133 serves as a reminder of how blessed we are when we have unity in the church. For Christians, this is unity in Christ, for sharing the love of Christ with each other is the glue that binds us together. It has another important result, too: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. We experience blessed, eternal life when we dwell together in unity…the Lord has commanded it! This may be the ultimate benefit, but having a church unified in Christ’s love will bring us joy, comfort and peace each and every day. Let us strive for this unity in all we say and do! Thank you, Father, for reminding us of the joys of unity in You and the promise of blessing and life forevermore as a result!
Psalms 131 and 132 continue our ascent to Jerusalem, with the main message of 131 being “hope in the Lord” and rest in Him like a child in his mother’s arms. In 132, verses 11 and 12 provide the hope and promise that David’s lineage would forever be on Israel’s throne. This was finally fulfilled with the coming of Christ, Who was and is of the House of David. I come away from both of these Psalms with a comfort, the comfort of knowing that God cares for us and has a plan. We do not live in a world of chance and co-incidences, we live in a world of providential planning and care. We can rest assured that the Lord is in control and He will bring about the New Jerusalem in His own good time. It is our job to be faithful and try to bring as many people with us as we can. Praise the Lord!
Psalms 128-130 are three more Songs of Ascents as pilgrims continue making their way to Jerusalem. 128 states its main theme right from the start in verse 1, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways!” Do you want the Lord’s blessing? Honor Him, revere Him in your life. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This is fearing Him and walking in His ways. 129 is a reminder of Israel’s long-suffering at the hands of her enemies—something that still goes on today. Just recently, a large number of U.N. delegates walked out on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he began speaking to them. It seems some things never change for the Jews. In 130, the writer is crying out for the Lord, knowing in Him is hope and redemption. I was struck by verse 6, “…my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” This resonated with me because I distinctly remember in the Navy upon relieving the midwatch at 4 a.m., I began eagerly anticipating the first light of morning in the sky. Does my soul anticipate the Lord’s coming with that degree of fervor? Unfortunately, not as often as it should. Lord, please help me to honor and revere You at all times, and to eagerly await Your return!
Psalm 130:3–4 (ESV)
3If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
“Iniquities” also is nuanced by the guilt of our sins. By God’s grace we’re not enslaved to sin (Romans 6), but we do miss God’s best in thought, word and deed against His divine majesty and we depend on His mercy and forgiveness. Thank you Jesus.
“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people…” Psalm 125:2 uses the terrain around Jerusalem as an analogy of the Lord’s protection, which makes perfect sense as pilgrims look at these mountains on their way to the Holy City. They beseech the Lord to do good to those who are upright in their hearts, but give evildoers what they deserve, as well.
Psalm 126 follows with a theme of joy and restoration, “He who goes out weeping…shall come home with shouts of joy…” There is a section in the 1st movement of Brahms Requiem that puts verses 5 & 6 to music beautifully (https://youtu.be/2PpUg5xcdu8?si=Z-i9MfKpLgJzIKup&t=176) (2:56-5:48).
Psalm 127 serves as a reminder that all life’s blessings are a gift from God and not just a result of our own achievements. Labor done apart from the Lord is labor in vain. The Psalm finishes by asserting that children are a gift from the Lord, and blessed are those who have many! Having children not only pleases the Lord but is honorable. How this flies in the face of a society that looks down on children and those who have them. Is the Lord building your house? It is certainly something we should ask ourselves regularly as we go about our busy lives.
In Psalm 126, I was touched by the last few verses of that Psalm that mentioned bringing in the sheaves. And it reminded me of the old hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves.” It is neat when you come across a Bible verse that a hymn is based on. This hymn connected with our American forebearers who formerly lived in a more agricultural culture.
My take away from this is keep looking to Jesus. We have trouble in this world. For a season we may be defeated. But what is sown in tears will reap in shouts of joy. That may be heaven, but we will reap with shouts of joy because of who God is and what He does for us. We may go forward in weeping but we will bring in the bundles of grain at the harvest and shout for joy. God is good. All the time. God is good.
As we continue our ascent to Jerusalem in Psalms 123 and 124, yesterday we looked toward the tabernacle and the city, today we look toward the Lord. In 123, we keep our eyes on Him when others have contempt on us for our faith; in 124, David imagines what would have happened to God’s people without the Lord, then he concludes celebrating their escape from the evil intended for them. David wraps it up in the last verse, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” It is all about resting in the Lord. Can you feel us getting closer to Jerusalem in our ascent? We’ve still got a ways to go, as there are 15 (Psalms 120-134) Psalms of Ascent, and we’ve only done 5 so far. But it certainly is easy to see how a pilgrim on this journey could be getting more and more excited as he approaches the Holy City!
In reading Psalm 123:1 (ESV) – “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens -” I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV).
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
I’m looking and calling out to you Jesus for help – to help me to think like you; to solve the day to day dilemma’s I face. You are Lord. I am your servant. I look to you.
Psalm 133 serves as a reminder of how blessed we are when we have unity in the church. For Christians, this is unity in Christ, for sharing the love of Christ with each other is the glue that binds us together. It has another important result, too: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. We experience blessed, eternal life when we dwell together in unity…the Lord has commanded it! This may be the ultimate benefit, but having a church unified in Christ’s love will bring us joy, comfort and peace each and every day. Let us strive for this unity in all we say and do! Thank you, Father, for reminding us of the joys of unity in You and the promise of blessing and life forevermore as a result!
Psalms 131 and 132 continue our ascent to Jerusalem, with the main message of 131 being “hope in the Lord” and rest in Him like a child in his mother’s arms. In 132, verses 11 and 12 provide the hope and promise that David’s lineage would forever be on Israel’s throne. This was finally fulfilled with the coming of Christ, Who was and is of the House of David. I come away from both of these Psalms with a comfort, the comfort of knowing that God cares for us and has a plan. We do not live in a world of chance and co-incidences, we live in a world of providential planning and care. We can rest assured that the Lord is in control and He will bring about the New Jerusalem in His own good time. It is our job to be faithful and try to bring as many people with us as we can. Praise the Lord!
Psalms 128-130 are three more Songs of Ascents as pilgrims continue making their way to Jerusalem. 128 states its main theme right from the start in verse 1, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways!” Do you want the Lord’s blessing? Honor Him, revere Him in your life. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This is fearing Him and walking in His ways. 129 is a reminder of Israel’s long-suffering at the hands of her enemies—something that still goes on today. Just recently, a large number of U.N. delegates walked out on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he began speaking to them. It seems some things never change for the Jews. In 130, the writer is crying out for the Lord, knowing in Him is hope and redemption. I was struck by verse 6, “…my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” This resonated with me because I distinctly remember in the Navy upon relieving the midwatch at 4 a.m., I began eagerly anticipating the first light of morning in the sky. Does my soul anticipate the Lord’s coming with that degree of fervor? Unfortunately, not as often as it should. Lord, please help me to honor and revere You at all times, and to eagerly await Your return!
Psalm 130:3–4 (ESV)
3If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
“Iniquities” also is nuanced by the guilt of our sins. By God’s grace we’re not enslaved to sin (Romans 6), but we do miss God’s best in thought, word and deed against His divine majesty and we depend on His mercy and forgiveness. Thank you Jesus.
“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people…” Psalm 125:2 uses the terrain around Jerusalem as an analogy of the Lord’s protection, which makes perfect sense as pilgrims look at these mountains on their way to the Holy City. They beseech the Lord to do good to those who are upright in their hearts, but give evildoers what they deserve, as well.
Psalm 126 follows with a theme of joy and restoration, “He who goes out weeping…shall come home with shouts of joy…” There is a section in the 1st movement of Brahms Requiem that puts verses 5 & 6 to music beautifully (https://youtu.be/2PpUg5xcdu8?si=Z-i9MfKpLgJzIKup&t=176) (2:56-5:48).
Psalm 127 serves as a reminder that all life’s blessings are a gift from God and not just a result of our own achievements. Labor done apart from the Lord is labor in vain. The Psalm finishes by asserting that children are a gift from the Lord, and blessed are those who have many! Having children not only pleases the Lord but is honorable. How this flies in the face of a society that looks down on children and those who have them. Is the Lord building your house? It is certainly something we should ask ourselves regularly as we go about our busy lives.
In Psalm 126, I was touched by the last few verses of that Psalm that mentioned bringing in the sheaves. And it reminded me of the old hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves.” It is neat when you come across a Bible verse that a hymn is based on. This hymn connected with our American forebearers who formerly lived in a more agricultural culture.
My take away from this is keep looking to Jesus. We have trouble in this world. For a season we may be defeated. But what is sown in tears will reap in shouts of joy. That may be heaven, but we will reap with shouts of joy because of who God is and what He does for us. We may go forward in weeping but we will bring in the bundles of grain at the harvest and shout for joy. God is good. All the time. God is good.
As we continue our ascent to Jerusalem in Psalms 123 and 124, yesterday we looked toward the tabernacle and the city, today we look toward the Lord. In 123, we keep our eyes on Him when others have contempt on us for our faith; in 124, David imagines what would have happened to God’s people without the Lord, then he concludes celebrating their escape from the evil intended for them. David wraps it up in the last verse, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” It is all about resting in the Lord. Can you feel us getting closer to Jerusalem in our ascent? We’ve still got a ways to go, as there are 15 (Psalms 120-134) Psalms of Ascent, and we’ve only done 5 so far. But it certainly is easy to see how a pilgrim on this journey could be getting more and more excited as he approaches the Holy City!
In reading Psalm 123:1 (ESV) – “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens -” I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV).
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
I’m looking and calling out to you Jesus for help – to help me to think like you; to solve the day to day dilemma’s I face. You are Lord. I am your servant. I look to you.