Psalm 118:1-29
118:1-4 We live in a permanent state of gratitude for the permanent mercy of our God.
118:5-6 It is truth that God responds to the prayers and pleas of His children. He hears and listens with compassion and then He responds with strength and ability. He stands beside us, removing reason for us to fear. He is our protection against all fear and enemy and anxiety. Through His shield of protection, nothing can disrupt our lives. As long as we are with Him, we are where we need to be.
118:7-9 God is moving in the word, he makes arrangements for our well-being. He establishes justice in our lives. We do not have to seek vengeance, our God ensures that the balance of justice in our lives is fair. He is generous with us. Therefore we trust in Him, rather than ourselves or any other thing/person. We put our confidence in the God of our faith because He has shown Himself to be just.
118:10-14 Even surrounded by enemy, pinned by fear, our lives have hope and purpose. God ensures it. He destroys our barriers when we put our trust in Him, when we follow His lead and live as He has taught us to live. As we live committed to His philosophy, we experience that all of His promises are truth. He is our strength and song, our salvation. Salvation from God is new hope, new spirit, new purpose. All steeped in our faith and God's mercy.
118:15-18 Joy in the world comes from the faithful children of God; for we know what true joy is. We know of its eternal nature and elemental light. We know Who provides it. God is valiant on our behalf, upholding the health and longevity our of spiritual lives. We know the joy of the Lord's discipline. He builds us into stronger, wiser, better people. He prepares us for live beyond this life.
118:19-20 We walk solemnly, eagerly through the gate of the Lord into the kingdom as we commit to this love. We walk through praising, we enter praising. We remain in a state of praise for the one who raised our holy house.
118:21 We praise God because we have an actual relationship with Him. Built on love, communication and trust. We share quality time and thoughts together. We experience life together. We view and hear and smell and touch the same things. We love the same people. We are committed to the same cause. We work the same works. Our relationship is layered. Deep. Long. So we praise Him because we have never experienced a relationship like the one we have with our God.
118:22-23 Our God sent the Messiah. Our teacher, our friend... Jesus. Jesus, the reason the Holy Spirit permeates our lives. Our helper. Rejected once by others, He is marvelous in our eyes. For what He taught. For how He died. For how He lived.
118:24 We are grateful for God's historical presence in our lives but also for the present: Today is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. As His children, we see the beauty and recognize the miracle in each day.
118:25-28 Save now, I pray, O lord; We consistently pray for God to be the savior in our lives. He is the hero of our lives. Our God who makes the impossible possible. The unlikely, likely. The dead, alive. The weak, strong. The broken, healed. We are blessed who come to the Lord because He reforms us, rejuvenates us. We declare Him as our God for He is God. We declare and we praise the one who gives us light in all shades of darkness.
118:29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
