Day: April 7, 2021

Psalm 118: 19-24
19 
Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness;
I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
20 
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it.
21 
I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me;
And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior].
22 
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.
23 
This is from the Lord and is His doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 
This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

In our passage today, the psalmist sees the Lord’s salvation as a new beginning; a new day in which God will do amazing and great things. The Lord is the Cornerstone—the first and most important stone laid for a secure structure—and we are built upon him. He gives his temple the shape it needs by guiding us in righteousness. Every day, there are many reasons why we should rejoice. So, even when we face difficulties, let’s praise the Lord and be glad, because this day ushers in the ongoing salvation of our perfect Rescuer.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that no matter how I am feeling, I can praise you because every good and glorious thing I could say about you would be true. Thank you for knowing my heart and inviting me to share it with you. You always make a safe place for me; a solid foundation on which to stand in our relationship. Mold me and shape me as a temple you delight to inhabit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 118:14-17
14 
The Lord is my strength, and He is the reason I sing;
    He has been there to save me in every situation.
15 
In the tents of the righteous soldiers of God,
    there are shouts of joy and victory. They sing:
    “The right hand of the Eternal has shown His power.
16 
The mighty arm of the Eternal is raised in victory;
    the right hand of His has shown His power.”
17 
I will not die. I will live.
    I will live to tell about all the Eternal has done.

Our Scripture, today, reminds us the Lord is our Strength, Song, and Salvation. We cry out to the Lord when our situations in life overwhelm us and he reveals himself by bringing inner strength and support. We sing songs of praise to the Lord even in trying times and he reveals his presence by spilling joy and purpose into our souls. We trust the Lord for salvation and he reveals his faithfulness to bring us eternal life. These are all promises God makes to us as his children, so rejoice today by proclaiming him as your Strength, Song, and Salvation to someone who desperately needs him but may not know it!

Prayer: Lord, I sing a new song with my life every day in some way because each day is a beautiful beginning in my ongoing experience with you and your powerful grace. Thank you for your wonderful gifts of love poured into my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Do you need to feel more secure? Then fill your words with extravagant praise and watch how God manifests his goodness in your life. In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us that even in the midst of a changing world, we can always rest confidently in God’s love.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “This is reason enough for giving him thanks; goodness is his essence and nature, and therefore he is always to be praised whether we are receiving anything from him or not. Those who only praise God because he does them good should rise to a higher note and give thanks to him because he is good.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing a way of salvation for me and for leading my life forward in righteousness each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.