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Today’s reading: Psalm 114, John 13:31-32
While doing my
research for today’s post I learned that this psalm is the second of the six psalms
in a collection called the Egyptian Hallel (Psalm 113-118), since each one
begins with Hallelujah (except Psalm 114) and these psalms are related in some
way to Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt.
1 When Israel
came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, 2 Judah became
God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.” (114:1-2)
Today’s psalm
of praise is an invitation to exalt God for Israel’s redemption story, and for the
Lord’s presence residing with them in a new sanctuary which would always be
with them in their pilgrimage to the promised land.
The Egyptian
Hallel was sung at the three great Jewish pilgrimage festivals. For
example, at the Passover Psalms 113-114 were read before the meal and Psalms
115-118 were sung afterward. It was so interesting for me to find out that
these words were sung by Jesus and his disciples during the Lord’s Supper! Right
before giving up His life for the rescue of His people!
“Tremble, earth, at the presence
of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.”
(114:7-8)
In Matthew 27:50-51 it was recorded that after Jesus’ death
on the cross the earth trembled: “50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized]
voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and
releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan]. 51 And
[at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was [l]torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and
the rocks were split apart.”
Nature again was shaken at the presence of the
Almighty! God through the voluntary sacrifice of Jesus, in
his death and resurrection was making a Way (John 3:16) for His people to be
delivered once and for all from bondage: the bondage of sin and to have a new relationship
of love with the Living God!
“Today Psalm
114 calls us to rejoice and tremble in the Presence of God in Jesus
Christ. Think of all the allusions to the Presence in the story of
Jesus. Was it accidental that the angel told a worried Joseph that “his”
son would be called “Immanuel, that is, God with us?” Was John just spilling
words when he said that the Word who was God and became flesh actually “dwelt
among us?” (Stan Mast- cepreaching.org)
Thank you
Heavenly Father, that through Jesus Christ You made a Way of eternal Salvation for
Your people, and now we have become “the
Temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16).” Your Holy Presence dwells in us,
something so great to fathom! We are now Your “chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to You Lord, that [we] may
declare the praises of him who called us
out of darkness into Your marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 emphasis
mine).” What a privilege and responsibility this is! May we be always
worthy of your calling, and always willing to be Your light in the midst of
this dark world! In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen!
Mari