Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations. For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.
--Psalm 135:13-14 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on August 9, 2013 of Psalm 135:1-14; Luke 12:1-21; Ezra 10.
The 135th Psalm is the epitome of a praise psalm, if by no other measure than that the word "praise" is used five times in the first three verses alone. Our unnamed psalmist opens by urging his listeners to praise God because He is good and because He chose Israel as His people. We are told of God's greatness as the Lord over all creation and for His role in the history of His people. And he closes his song the way he began it, by renewing his call to praise the Lord.
The first of today's focus verses speaks of God's name and His fame. The name of God - Yahweh, Adonai, Jehovah, the Great I Am - has been known by man since the beginning of time. God was the first man's sole companion until He created Eve to be his mate. While there have been many gods created or imagined by man throughout history, the only one still called upon on a daily basis is God, the one true God. His name is cried out every day by those seeking Him or His help, by the desperate and the thankful alike. And we call on Him because of His fame, for all the great things He has done through all time, because of His great power and infinite love, for His faithfulness that knows no bounds and has no end.
In the second of our focus verses, the word "judge" might be more meaningful to us if we replace it with "vindicate", and it is appropriate to do so. Jesus shows us in His Revelation to the Apostle John that near the end of days the martyred saints will cry out to God that they be vindicated. "How long must we wait?", they ask (please see Revelation 6:9-11). And indeed they, and we, are vindicated in the end, when Jesus returns and strikes down the forces of the evil one and sentences him and his servants to the lake of fire. God will vindicate His people. We have His promise on that and He has never broken a promise. We hear these words not only from our psalmist, but also from Moses, almost word for word (see Deuteronomy 32:36).
Our Lord's name endures forever, especially the name of Jesus. His fame is known and spreads throughout the world as His Gospel story is told and retold. And in the end of days He will come again and vindicate us, meting out justice long overdue. But the most beautiful part of today's verses is the promise of His compassion for us, His servants and His believers. By His compassion and grace we are saved. Praise God, for His name, His fame, and His compassion are everlasting. Amen.
O Lord, Your name is known across the world and throughout time. You are renowned by all of mankind. When Your appointed time comes, You will send Your Son back to man, this time to judge all humanity and vindicate Your people. Thank You, Lord, for Your everlasting love and compassion. In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
The first of today's focus verses speaks of God's name and His fame. The name of God - Yahweh, Adonai, Jehovah, the Great I Am - has been known by man since the beginning of time. God was the first man's sole companion until He created Eve to be his mate. While there have been many gods created or imagined by man throughout history, the only one still called upon on a daily basis is God, the one true God. His name is cried out every day by those seeking Him or His help, by the desperate and the thankful alike. And we call on Him because of His fame, for all the great things He has done through all time, because of His great power and infinite love, for His faithfulness that knows no bounds and has no end.
In the second of our focus verses, the word "judge" might be more meaningful to us if we replace it with "vindicate", and it is appropriate to do so. Jesus shows us in His Revelation to the Apostle John that near the end of days the martyred saints will cry out to God that they be vindicated. "How long must we wait?", they ask (please see Revelation 6:9-11). And indeed they, and we, are vindicated in the end, when Jesus returns and strikes down the forces of the evil one and sentences him and his servants to the lake of fire. God will vindicate His people. We have His promise on that and He has never broken a promise. We hear these words not only from our psalmist, but also from Moses, almost word for word (see Deuteronomy 32:36).
Our Lord's name endures forever, especially the name of Jesus. His fame is known and spreads throughout the world as His Gospel story is told and retold. And in the end of days He will come again and vindicate us, meting out justice long overdue. But the most beautiful part of today's verses is the promise of His compassion for us, His servants and His believers. By His compassion and grace we are saved. Praise God, for His name, His fame, and His compassion are everlasting. Amen.
O Lord, Your name is known across the world and throughout time. You are renowned by all of mankind. When Your appointed time comes, You will send Your Son back to man, this time to judge all humanity and vindicate Your people. Thank You, Lord, for Your everlasting love and compassion. In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
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