Psalm 149
Sunday, 10 July 2022
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. –Psalm 149:4
Psalm 149 is one of the psalms of praise and a few verses in it tell us how and why we should give praise and honour to the Lord in all situations. Here the Psalmist encourages people to give praises to the Lord with a new song, give Him praises whenever they gather (v.1); praise His name with dancing, making music with instruments (v.3)—because He is the creator of mankind and He is the everlasting King! (v2). The godly are to exalt the Lord in glory and sing for joy to Him even in their beds (v.5). Though the Psalm is addressed to the people of Israel, as God’s children through Christ Jesus, it is applicable to our lives too.
Our key verse states who our Lord is happy with! All mankind— His creation, are His people but it is not in all He has pleasure. From the beginning itself, the Lord has chosen and separated people, tribes and nation to become His people. But many of them have failed and walked away from Him. Many hardened their heart and rebelled against Lord (Heb.3:15). The result of rebellion –“So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God.” (Heb.3:19 AMP). God in His mercy sent His messengers and gave them chance after chance to turn back to Him.
God knows the rebellious nature of humankind but in His everlasting love, at the perfect time He sent His begotten son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. Jesus Christ spoke of it in the parable of the wicked tenants (Matt.21:36-39). As explained in the parable they took him out of the town, crucified and killed Him at Calvary. But according to God’s master plan, Jesus resurrected from the dead and sits on the right hand of our Father in heaven. God has now given Jesus as the Saviour of the world. Acts 4:12[NLT] says: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Those who believe Him as the Son of God, accept His lordship in their lives and testify Him with their mouth, shall be saved (Rom.10:9-10). Our salvation is only the beginning of a long journey to the Promised Land.
Many of us have been saved and have become God’s special people. But there are yet many to be saved and our loving Father still holds out the opportunity to all that through the message of the Good News they would become “HIS PEOPLE.” As we saw above –very few obeyed and reached the destination; the remaining majority - some rebelled; some walked away; some chose wrong routes, and some wanted to return. If we obey and walk according to His plan He will walk among us. “For we are the temple of the living God. As God said; "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. … and "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2Cor.6:16-18)
The Lord gives us sonship and all the privileges through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Now, He looks into our lives and wants to say, “This is MY people!” Can we “fix our attention on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of the faith,” (Heb.12:2) journey on, until we see Him face to face?
Thought for the Day: “…they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them. (Heb.11:16).
Comments