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Psalm 115; Psalm 116; Psalm 117; Psalm 118<\/strong><\/span> Today in Psalm 115 verse 1 we will read \u2013 \u201cNot to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.\u201d<\/em> (Chris Tomlin fans out there will recognize this as one of his many awesome worship tunes. . .) I don\u2019t know how this verse strikes you, but it strikes me hard. Which is good. I think sometimes I do things for my own glory. And this verse, and really the entire Bible, is clear that the glory is God\u2019s and not ours. Yeah, sure, we will live our lives full of \u201cglorious\u201d moments when we are loving God and loving people. But, we should not be living our lives to build up our own fame or our own glory. As Rick Warren states so well in the 1st sentence of the 1st chapter of his book \u201cPurpose Driven Life\u201d- \u201cIt is not about you.\u201d And this is true. It is about God. And this is good news! Really. I have tried to live my life in the past where it was all about me. And this was a miserable way to live life. I pray that you see the incredible wisdom in this verse \u2013 \u201cNot to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.\u201d<\/em> How are you living your life? Are you living your life to advance the fame and glory of God? Are you doing this by loving God and loving other people with all that you are? Or, are you by chance living your life to advance the fame and glory of yourself? And if so. . . how\u2019s this going for you?<\/span><\/p>\n Psalm 116 verses 1 & 2 are amazing- \u201cI love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers.\u00a0 Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!\u201d <\/em>How is your prayer life these days?\u00a0 Do you believe God bends down and listens to your prayers?\u00a0 And answers them?\u00a0 \u00a0Will you pray as long as you have breath?<\/span><\/p>\n Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the Psalms \u2013 and the shortest chapter in the entire Bible.\u00a0 This Psalm is said to basically be one long Alleluia.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Actually verse 1 has a very important message \u2013 \u201cPraise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This demonstrates that God was very interested in the salvation of the Gentiles and all the nations in the Old Testament.\u00a0 And not just in the New Testament as we get to the book of Acts.\u00a0 This was part of the plan all along\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n I came across a wonderful speculation on Psalm 118!\u00a0 Zondervan\u2019s commentary suggested that Jesus and the disciples sung this psalm\/hymn at the end of the Last Supper.\u00a0 Matthew chapter 26 verse 30 tells us \u2013 \u201cWhen they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.\u201d <\/em>\u00a0 Adds a bit of a new dimension to this Psalm, no?\u00a0 The reason for this speculation is because this is the final Psalm in the Egyptian Hallel of Psalms 113 through 118.\u00a0 These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon.\u00a0 At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 \u2013 118 were sung after the meal.\u00a0 Perhaps, even after the Last Supper by Jesus and the disciples?\u00a0 Below is Russian artist Simon Ushakov\u2019s \u201cThe Last Supper\u201d from the year 1685 \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 8 in this Psalm stands out to me big time: \u201cIt is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.\u201d <\/em>Kind of strong words I know\u2026\u00a0 but what do you think?\u00a0 \u00a0Might people, on occasion, let you down?\u00a0 Obviously, we know the answer to this one.\u00a0 People will let us down.\u00a0 Even our closest friends and family at some point will let us down.\u00a0 However \u2013 I don\u2019t think this means we give up on investing and loving friends and family!\u00a0 It just means we should not be surprised when someone let\u2019s us down.\u00a0 That\u2019s human nature.\u00a0 None of us is perfect this side of heaven \u2013 you will obviously let people down too.\u00a0 Realizing this, I think all of us should be prepared to forgive others and to ask for forgiveness of others.\u00a0 However, what do you think on this question:\u00a0 Will God ever let you down?\u00a0 Will Jesus ever let you down?\u00a0 Please know He won\u2019t!\u00a0 In fact, I believe that He\u2019s holding you up right this very moment\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Psalm 118 is the last half of the psalm possibly sung by Jesus and the disciples after the Last Supper \u2013 see yesterday\u2019s posting below for details.\u00a0 \u00a0What an amazing Psalm\u2026\u00a0 Verse 22 was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10 and Luke 20:17 and he used this verse to refer to himself \u2013 \u201cThe stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do you believe this verse applies to Jesus?\u00a0 Is Jesus the cornerstone in your life?<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 26 was the chant of the crowds as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday \u2013 \u201cBless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0And verse 29 I\u2019m pretty sure is a Michael W. Smith song \u2013 \u201cGive thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.\u201d <\/em>\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong> Per Psalm 115:1 reflections above, here\u2019s Chris Tomlin\u2019s \u201cNot to Us:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \n
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