Welcome to the tenth week of “Weekend Wind-Down.” This series is where we take the verse of the day, look at the face value interpretation, check the background and context of the verse, do a deeper dive on the focus scripture, and figure out what we can walk away with.
Today’s verse is Psalm 138:2, which says this:
2 – I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
Face Value
God will always love us and be faithful to his promises, and we can remember that by the truths that God represents.
Background
Psalms are works of poetry expressing praise, worship, and confession. Our psalm is a part of the fifth book of Psalms, which includes many anthems of praise and thanksgiving for God and the Bible. We should read these psalms as a hymnbook of praise and worship.
Deep Dive
Psalm 5:7 says this:
7 – Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple.
If we waited until we were without sin to enter God’s presence, we’d never make it. God’s love opens that doorway, though. With his mercy and kindness, we’d be fit to approach. We should ask God to fill us with joy inwardly and surround us with his love outwardly. Then we can approach God boldly.
Take-Home Point
The Psalms we discussed focus on praising God for the love and grace he gives us daily. How this happens involves asking God to fill us with joy inwardly and surround us with his love outwardly. What does it mean to do this? What does it mean to have God fill us with joy? What does it mean to have God surround us with love?
To be filled with joy is a blessing among blessings. Think about those moments when you’re so joyous that it takes monumental work to knock you out of that mood. Those moments can be found with God daily when we ask for them. God can delight our paths and help us to find joy in all circumstances. Does that mean our days will be only happy? No, but that doesn’t mean we cannot find God’s goodness in them. Without the good, we wouldn’t know wrong. Without the bad, we wouldn’t know good. There’s a reason that the dichotomy between the two exists, and it exists for us to find God.
To be surrounded by love is something we all strive for. We all want family members, friends, and a community that loves and supports us, right? There’s the belief that God will put people in our lives when needed. What this is saying supports this claim. God wants us to be in the community. God didn’t create us to do life alone, hence why God created Eve to be with Adam. Asking for that community can be challenging because being vulnerable to any person comes with the risk of judgment and improper treatment. Still, sometimes that’s how we can discern who is supposed to be on our path. God’s people come with love and kind correction if we’re not on the right path. Those who come with harsh judgment and unkind words are one’s that we may not need to listen to.
Thank you for joining me for this Weekend Wind-Down as we explored how to celebrate God’s joy and love through the Psalms. Stay tuned for the next reflection. Let me close out with prayer.
Loving God, thank you for the promises that are yes and amen. Thank you for the love you give to us each day. Thank you for your mercy even when we don’t deserve it. Help remind us that these promises come to us every day. Remind us to ask for that through you and not fill this with other sources. It’s in your name; we pray. Amen.
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