Walk Of Life – Day 26, January 2023– Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

Psalm 118 – Exalt God With Understanding

This psalm is the last of the six Egyptian Hallel Psalms, sung in Jesus’ day as part of the Passover ritual.

• As Lord Jesus sang these hymns before going out to the Mount of Olives with words “for his mercy endures forever”, He did it with complete knowledge that the endurance of God’s mercy would be tested to the utmost in the work to come the next day at the cross. verse 1-4
• It is wonderful to think of Lord Jesus confidently singing these words with His disciples on the night of His betrayal, arrest, before His suffering and crucifixion. Like none other ever, He would call on the LORD in distress and knowing what He must go through to fulfil God’s will could sing faithfully, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” verse 5-7
• Lord Jesus knew this by His own experience that it is safe to take refuge in God alone. All his disciples and leaders who were sympathetic to him such as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus forsook him at the cross, but his trust was in the Father who was able to sustain him and strengthen him to bear the sins of the whole world and make him triumphant over his enemies. verse 8,9
• He was beaten, insulted, mocked and pushed by the huge crowd who surrounded him on the way to the cross, but He found strength in the LORD who was his defense and the source of his salvation. verse 13,14
• After a painful moment of separation from the Father at the cross, God’s right hand lifted up Christ from the dead and was made victorious by the Father who was pleased by his obedience. The proclamation of God’s mighty plan was preached to mankind who had made Christ the gate through which righteous can enter to the courts of the LORD. verse 15-20
• When Lord Jesus sang this song, He praised God for all that was going to happen in the future and was thankful for making the stone(Christ) that builders rejected a cornerstone on which the kingdom of God would be established. verse 21-24

Like Christ who praised and exalted God in spirit and truth, we must learn to praise God consciously when we sing songs of worship. Every word sung, speaks of the glory of God and acts as a gospel message itself. God has opened the hearts of many people through these worship songs. So, lets worship God with better understanding of the lyrics which will guide you, strengthen and comfort you in times of need.