Daily Devotional Thought--From the Psalms

Collect of the Week

Almighty God, You have built Your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. Continue to send Your messengers to preserve Your people in true peace that, by the preaching of Your Word, Your Church may be kept free from all harm and danger; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 66:1-7

¹ Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

² sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

³ Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

⁴ All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name." Selah

⁵ Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

⁶ He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,

⁷ who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations - let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Devotion

In the name of + Jesus.

The praise of God’s people always flows from the deeds of God himself.  That is to say, the work of God produces the praise of His people.

For the Psalmist, and those who would sing with him the words of this Psalm, the reason they would shout for joy to God, and sing the glory of his name is because of what God had done during the Exodus.  They would remember God’s powerful arm to save them, bringing them out of a 400-year bondage, and parting the Red Sea so that they would be redeemed and rescued into a life of freedom.  “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever.”

Much has happened since that time.  Man has continued in his pattern of sin, and God has continued to be present with us by speaking words of judgment and also words of grace.  We continue to need a redeemer—one who would rescue us—and God continues to bring us His Word of the Law, which shows us our sin, so that we might receive that glorious Word of the Gospel, which shows us our Savior.  And it’s that Word of the Gospel that incorporates all of God’s saving work on behalf of mankind.

You see, if our Old Testament brethren had reason to sing praise to the Lord for His wonderful deeds, how much more do we?  Not only can we include the parting of the Red Sea and many other deeds of old, from which their praise sprang, as our very own.  But now, we are privileged to see the completed work of redemption in Jesus Christ.  Now we are privileged to praise God for all that He has done, and the work He has finished, to rescue us.  In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

Prayer

We praise you, O Lord, for all that you have done.  For your saving work of old, which points forward to the completed work of Christ, we give you all thanks and praise, and by Your Holy Spirit, give us faith to always remember Your mighty deeds, that our praise may never be lacking; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.