Daily Devotional Monday 29th January 2024
by William Moody
Psalms 117–118
The Lord’s Faithfulness Endures Forever
117:1 Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!
His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
118:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard,1 so that I was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
16 the right hand of the LORD exalts,
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.2
23 This is the LORD’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD!
O LORD, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!Footnotes
[1] 118:13
Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard
[2] 118:22Hebrew the head of the corner (ESV)
Psalm 117 is a short Psalm of praise for the Lord’s faithfulness to His people which lasts forever.
Psalm 118 continues this theme of focusing on God’s faithfulness. The Psalmist calls on all Israel (v1), Aaron’s house (v2, the priesthood) and then on all who fear the Lord (v3) to praise the Lord. Sometimes we might think that fear and praise don’t fit together, but when it comes to the Lord have a proper reverence towards God is a vital part of our worship.
The Psalmist recounts how the Lord wonderfully has rescued him and that people therefore need to trust in the Lord and not in people (v5-17). This though doesn’t mean this has all been easy, the Psalmist has suffered but even there he sees the loving discipline of the Lord (v18).
As the Psalmist speaks of coming to the Lord righteously and knowing His salvation (v19-21), he then speaks of the stone the builders have rejected who has become the cornerstone (v22-24). This undoubtedly points forward to Jesus as does verse 26. It is therefore so appropriate that the Psalmist finishes with a great burst of praise (v27-29).
The Psalmist as he thinks of his suffering, he realises that suffering and rejection is often God’s way of bring about deliverance, as in Jesus.
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