19 Sep Meditations on the Psalms #256
Psalm 116 Part 1
Whatever the local circumstances were which gave rise to this song, it is evident that all its rich meaning was fulfilled, when in the midst of that little company of perplexed souls, the shadows of Death already on Him, Jesus sang this song of prophetic triumph over the sharpness of the hour of passion to which He was passing. It thus becomes a song of triumph over death for all His own who follow Him to the end.
Here is a suggestion for reading this psalm that will impact your understanding. The first-person pronoun (I, me, my) occurs 37 times in this Psalm. Read the text and circle each one. Count up if you got 37 and then read it again until you do. The third person pronoun (He, His, you, the Lord) occurs 32 times. In a different colour circle all these. Count up and repeat until you get them all. This method should point out to you the personal and sacred privilege you have between God and yourself and our personal and intimate access through Christ. By doing this you have just read the psalm at least 4 times. Now read it through the mind of Jesus, as He sang it with His disciples at the conclusion of the Passover meal.
The substance of this psalm is gratitude for deliverance and is divided into 4 parts. Vs1-4 danger, vs5-9 deliverance, vs10-14 devotion, vs15-19 delight. Vs10-11 are a backward look, v12 is an upward look and vs13-14 is a forward look.
This was a psalm of thanksgiving to be sung at the Passover. In the early church, it was used as a burial song, reminding mourners to look beyond death into a glorious future life. The psalmist began his song with the simplest expression of grateful love. He had a great love for Yahweh because He answered prayer in a desperate season. It serves as a reminder of the complete salvation we have in Jesus. Spiritually He has delivered our life from eternal death. Emotionally, He puts a song in our hearts and wipes away tears. Physically He strengthens us and keeps us from stumbling.
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