June 9 - Psalms 84-87
I have seen several bumper stickers that say a bad day at the lake is better than a good day at work. I would hope people would be able to enjoy their work, but I see where they are coming from. In Psalm 84 Korah declares that one day in the Lord's house is better than 1,000 spent somewhere else. He adds that he would rather be the doorman in God's house than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Is that how you feel? Is it exciting to you, when you think about going to worship God with God's people? I hope it is. Over the years I have had so many people tell me that it was such a blessing for them to be able to come to the church building and spend time with God's people that they wished they could just stay there all the time. I think that is what the psalmist is expressing here.
Psalm 85 is another prayer for restoration and revival. However, it does have two unique verses. In verse 10 there is a picture of mercy and truth meeting together and of righteousness and peace kissing. What is the Lord saying through the psalmist? It may seem that mercy and truth are opposites, but they are not. It might appear that you can't have peace and righteousness together, but you can. God is able to bring these seeming opposites together for your good. Then, in verse 13 the picture is of our pathway being in His footsteps. Isn't that a great picture to see yourself walking in God's footsteps? I think it helps us to get that in our minds each day.
Psalm 87 is a psalm of David in which he declares that God is the only God, and He is full of compassion and gracious. Have you come to a relationship with God where you know Him to be that way? Do you see His long-suffering nature and His abundant mercy and truth? I hope you have come to know God that well.
Wayne Watson, the Christian song writer and singer, wrote a song based on Psalm 87. The psalmist is speaking about God dwelling in the Temple in Jerusalem or Zion, and people from Jerusalem being able to say they were born in God's city. That would be a wonderful blessing back then. However, think about this truth in the New Testament way. When a person is born again, he is born in Zion in that he is a citizen of heaven, God's eternal dwelling place. That is the ultimate blessing, to be able to say that we have been saved and we know we will go to heaven when we die.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 88-90.
Psalm 85 is another prayer for restoration and revival. However, it does have two unique verses. In verse 10 there is a picture of mercy and truth meeting together and of righteousness and peace kissing. What is the Lord saying through the psalmist? It may seem that mercy and truth are opposites, but they are not. It might appear that you can't have peace and righteousness together, but you can. God is able to bring these seeming opposites together for your good. Then, in verse 13 the picture is of our pathway being in His footsteps. Isn't that a great picture to see yourself walking in God's footsteps? I think it helps us to get that in our minds each day.
Psalm 87 is a psalm of David in which he declares that God is the only God, and He is full of compassion and gracious. Have you come to a relationship with God where you know Him to be that way? Do you see His long-suffering nature and His abundant mercy and truth? I hope you have come to know God that well.
Wayne Watson, the Christian song writer and singer, wrote a song based on Psalm 87. The psalmist is speaking about God dwelling in the Temple in Jerusalem or Zion, and people from Jerusalem being able to say they were born in God's city. That would be a wonderful blessing back then. However, think about this truth in the New Testament way. When a person is born again, he is born in Zion in that he is a citizen of heaven, God's eternal dwelling place. That is the ultimate blessing, to be able to say that we have been saved and we know we will go to heaven when we die.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 88-90.