HOW LONG O LORD?

Today’s Reading: Psalms 89

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

This mosaic outside of St. Gabriel’s church in Nazareth (also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation) depicts the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary the news that she would bear a Son who would rule over the throne of David forever.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verses: Psalm 89:1, 15

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;

With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations…

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!

They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.

First of all, how about a spiritual lift? Click here to join in singing “of the mercies of the Lord forever!” After all, the intention of Ethan, the composer of this hymn, is that we should sing the words of our key verse. According to verse 15, we are a blessed people because we “KNOW THE JOYFUL SOUND!” The choir and orchestra may well have been intended to build to a crescendo from verses 1 to 15. Ethan’s faith is strong. He believes that God will keep His promise that the dynasty of King David will continue (read 1 Kings 8:22-26). He believes this in spite of the fact that the last ruling monarch of David’s line had been taken captive into Babylon. The last 15 verses of this Psalm seem to show that it was written prophetically or that Ethan lived and wrote after the events of the destruction of Jerusalem. Ethan, in his emotionally-charged poetry, cries out, “How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?”

It would be approximately 500 years later that the permanent occupant of David’s throne would be born of the Virgin Mary. Let us read about the “Anointed One.” Those words, “Anointed One,” are the English translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Let us all read from Luke’s Gospel 1:26-33. Luke picks up on the words from Psalm 89:36-37 and quotes from the Angel who appeared to Mary with this message concerning the Child she was about to conceive, “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David… of His Kingdom there will be no end!” Amen!!! Amen!!! Amen!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You are my King, my forever Sovereign. You rule over my heart and mind. I recommit to this fact every day as I meditate on this blog’s Scripture portion. I pray that I will live today, and every day, as Your ambassador, representing You well! Thank You for grace to do this. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As a boy in school here in Canada, a former colony of Britain, I would sing heartily, “God save our gracious King” (George VI). On the main street of the village of Brighton, Ontario, back in 1959, while Queen Elizabeth II passed by in an open convertible car (photo below), Norma-Jean played the accordion and I led approximately 5,000 people crowding the sidewalks in singing, “God save the Queen.” The difference with the King who sits on David’s throne is that He saves us when we call on Him! The Bible declares that, “Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved!”

Yours for the Glory of the King who does not need to be saved, but who Saves!!!

David

I took this photo in 1959 as Queen Elizabeth II passed through our village of Brighton, Ontario.