Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1 NIV
This is another of the psalms of David. In it, David conveys the truth of the reliability of the Lord writing of God, “his love endures forever.” No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the problem, turning to God is always the right answer. We serve a mighty God of love and kindness.
With enemies surrounding him, David writes of how he takes refuge in the Lord. Rather than trusting in friends, or princes, or his own ability, David calls on the Lord in times of trouble and praises the Lord for saving him from danger.
Many biblical scholars consider this Psalm to predict the salvation of believers through faith in Jesus Christ. Specifically, Psalm 118:22-which states, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. WEB” is cited as prophetic of Christ to come.
The parallels between David and Christ are not easily ignored. Both were often hated without cause. Demonstrating great faith, both were devoted to the Lord, trusting in him with their lives. Christ, of course, was without sin, but became sin for us. David was not sinless but knew the value of repentance and the Lord’s forgiveness. And God ultimately vindicated each man, establishing David’s bloodline for kingship and raising Christ from death to eternal kingship.
The Mercy of God
In many aspects, David foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and the salvation of humanity. Learning the value of turning away from sin after his adultery with Bathsheba and betrayal of Uriah, her husband, David knew the wrath of God. But after repentance, he also knew the mercy and grace of God. In demonstration of how his love endures forever, Jesus Christ displayed God’s love and grace as he died on the cross for our sins.
Well before the promise of Christ of God sending the Holy Spirit to his believers, David received the Holy Spirit of God. As we read in 1 Samuel 16:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So, Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. KJV” Having the spirit of God, David was ahead of his time in understanding the saving grace of God.
As believers in Christ, we too have the Holy Spirit. Like David, no matter what trouble we encounter, we put our trust in God to deliver us from evil. We put our faith in him, as it says in Hebrews 11:16, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. KJV”
Prayer: “Father God, your love endures forever. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for the examples of great faith in your written word. Save me from the traps of the enemy. Lead me in your will and help me to serve your kingdom. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: To the Lord
