Today’s reading: Psalm 149, 2 Corinthians 5:21
I am so grateful for the opportunity we’ve had to
study the Psalms together! I have to agree with my sisters: it’s been a great
journey and we’ve learned so much and our faith has grown too! So let us join
David praising our God for blessing us through His word!
And in today’s psalm David invites us to:
“Praise the Lord! Sing to
the Lord a new song, and praise Him in the congregation of His godly ones
(believers).” (V.1)
Yes, there is so much we should praise our God for,
but in this first verse we are encouraged to sing to Him a new song! This takes me back to Psalm 40.
I remember in my first
days as a Christian, we would sing these first verses at Church. There was a
sister who was gifted in music, ant the Lord would literally give her the music
to different psalms, and she would share them with the congregation and we
would cheerfully praise our Abba along with her! These first verses of Psalm 40
made a great impact in my heart, for it clearly reflected who I was and where I
was before surrendering my life to Jesus, and the amazing transformation His
Holy Spirit made in me… I became a new person that wanted more of Him, and less
of me through the power of His Loving and Saving Grace! This is so humbling,
for I did not deserve anything!! I believe this is what the next verses in
psalm 149 declare:
Only a new person, a transformed person can
with His Spirit, now sing a new song. A song that comes from a transformed and grateful
heart! From someone who wants the whole world to know that he/she was saved! (2
Corinthians 5:17) And this is pleasing to our God: he beautifies us with His
Saving Grace! (1 Peter 5:5)
In the next and final verses, David
declares the importance of praising our God day and night, for this will keep
us focused and empowered in Him!
“5 Let the godly ones exult
in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds.6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats, and a two-edged sword in their hands,"
(149:5-6)
With His Word hidden in our hearts, we will be able to stand firm in Him:
“It is already the hour
for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation
is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ]. 12 The night [this present
evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So
let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light. 13 Let us conduct ourselves
properly and honorably as in the [light of] day, not in
carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility, not
in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But clothe yourselves with the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make no provision for [nor even think about gratifying]
the flesh in regard to its improper desires.” (Romans 13:11-14 Emphasis mine)
His precious and powerful Word is like a two-edged sword:
12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative,
energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [b]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [c]soul and spirit [the completeness of a person],
and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of
the heart.“ (Heb. 4:12)
Jesus is the Word: “In the beginning [before
all time] was the Word ([a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and [b]the Word was God Himself.” (John 1:1-3,14),
And so only He can be able:
“To execute vengeance on
the nations, and punishment on the peoples, 8 To
bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute on them the judgment written.
This is the honor for all His
godly ones. Praise
the Lord! (Hallelujah!)”
Yes, now we through Jesus’
Saving Grace are honored to be seated in the heavenly places
“4 But God, being [so very] rich in
mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He
loved us, 5 even when we were
[spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins,
He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His
grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment). 6 And He raised us up together
with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places,
[because we are] in Christ Jesus, 7 [and He did this] so that in the ages to
come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed
riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing
for our redemption].” (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Thank you Heavenly Father
for the honor you have given us as Your children, to be able to praise You with
a grateful and joyful heart. It is such a great honor not
a duty, not an imposition… It is such a blessing from You Lord, that we can
come together as Your people to sing of Your wonders and the riches of Your
Grace toward us! May we lift our hands
and sing a new song to You! May we praise You with our lives, with our lips, with
our hearts, and all our being, because You our Lord "love Your people",
and are Worthy of all the Honor and the
Glory! Hallelujah!!
Mari