PSALMS LESSON 121
We will continue with chapter 118 of Psalms. Psalms 118:14 "The
LORD [is] my strength and song, and is become my salvation."
In the last lesson, we were dealing with the way to win battles.
It is the name of the Lord that defeats the enemy. We, also, saw in
chapter 6 of Ephesians just how to battle the powers and
principalities that come against the believers. Now, we see that David
is saying, His strength and song is the LORD. We all know that the
Lord Jesus Christ brought salvation to the world. I Timothy 4:10 "For
therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that
believe." Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved."
Psalms 118:15 "The voice of rejoicing and salvation [is] in the
tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth
valiantly."
Notice, that tabernacles is plural in the verse above.
Tabernacle, in the verse above, means tent, dwelling place, or
covering. This, then, is saying that the righteous {those in right
standing with God} dwell in salvation, and they are rejoicing because
of it. The Right Hand of the LORD is Jesus Christ. Salvation is not
something that is received every once and a while, but is in fact a
state of being saved. The Right Hand in the verse above was the Author
of our salvation.
Psalms 118:16 "The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right
hand of the LORD doeth valiantly."
Since we have established the fact that the Right Hand, here, is
Jesus Christ, let's look at just how exalted He will be. Philippians
2:9 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name
which is above every name:" Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in
earth, and [things] under the earth;" Philippians 2:11 "And [that]
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory
of God the Father."
Psalms 118:17 "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works
of the LORD."
We know that the Lord Jesus Christ defeated death, when He rose
from the grave. Because He rose from the grave, We will rise from the
grave, also, and will live {not die} with him eternally. This mortal
shall take on immortality. To learn more about this, read in chapter
15 of first Corinthians beginning with the 35th verse. Read to the end
of the chapter.
Psalms 118:18 "The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not
given me over unto death."
We read that whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. This is like a
loving parent correcting a child.
Psalms 118:19 "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go
into them, [and] I will praise the LORD:"
Jesus is the gate {the Way} that we enter into righteousness. He
put us in right standing, when He shed His blood to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. The temple curtain tore from the top to the
bottom, when Jesus gave His body on the cross for you and me. The way
to the Father had been closed. Now, the shed blood of the Lord Jesus
has opened the way to the throne of God and to the Father for all who
would believe. The gate is open, but it is our obligation to go
therein. What a reason to praise the Lord, this is!
Psalms 118:20 "This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous
shall enter."
The righteous are those who have been washed in the blood of the
Lamb, and put in right standing with God, because they believe. Romans
4:3 "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness." Abraham was the father of all the
believers. We, like Abraham, are righteous, because we believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ. This gate is the entrance to heaven. We must come
through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour to enter into
eternal life in heaven. This really will be a glorious restoration of
the garden of Eden. The big difference is, there is no temptation
here. This is, also, the place that Jesus told the thief he would be
with Him. It is Paradise.
Psalms 118:21 "I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and
art become my salvation."
There is no better reason to praise Him, than the fact that He
saved you. Salvation is available to all, but to receive it, we must
believe in the Lord. Repent of your sins, and ask Jesus to save you,
He will not turn you down.
Psalms 118:22 "The stone [which] the builders refused is become
the head [stone] of the corner."
This is a prophetic Scripture, speaking of the Lord Jesus who was
rejected by the builders. The Corner-stone, here, is the Lord Jesus.
He it is who stands at the corner and brings both Jew and Gentile
together in Him. We could get into this in great length, but read our
study on the 2 sticks that become one in Ezekiel chapter 37. Jesus is
the focal point of the Bible. He is in all the books of the Bible.
Matthew 21:42 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the
scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become
the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous
in our eyes?" This Scripture in Psalms is the one Jesus was speaking
of.
Psalms 118:23 "This is the LORD'S doing; it [is] marvellous in
our eyes."
This was the plan from the beginning of the world. The 2 walls
that fit together are the physical and the spiritual house of Isreal.
Who, but God, could figure out so grand a plan that He might save all
of mankind by.
Psalms 118:24 "This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we
will rejoice and be glad in it."
There is a set day of God for everything to be done. The Lord has
made all the days. He had a set time to send the Messiah {the Lord
Jesus Christ} to the earth as Saviour. We saw that there was a set
time for Jesus to be crucified. We know this, because He was in their
midst preaching and healing daily, and they could not capture Him. It
had to be the day that the Lord had planned for it to be. There was a
set day for Him to rise from the tomb. There is a set day for His
return to the earth. God has it all figured out. Praise God! This is
the day that the LORD hath made. I determine in my heart that I will
rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:25 "Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I
beseech thee, send now prosperity."
This prosperity is of the spirit, because it has to do with
salvation. I believe this is speaking of the time when God will pour
out of His Spirit on all flesh. Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass
in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all
flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young
men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"
Psalms 118:26 "Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the
LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD."
Those who minister must be careful to come in the name of the
Lord. We can not preach effectively, unless it is in the name of the
Lord. We can not praise effectively, unless it be done in the name of
the Lord. We can not pray an effective prayer, unless it be in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can not do any miracles in our name.
It is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that has the power to
minister. We just have the authority to use His name.
Psalms 118:27 "God [is] the LORD, which hath shewed us light:
bind the sacrifice with cords, [even] unto the horns of the altar."
The Light, spoken of here, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the
Light of the world. If His Light does not shine in your spirit, you
are in darkness and are lost. The strength {horns} of our sacrifice is
in Jesus. Let His Light shine forth from you, because He is in you.
Psalms 118:28 "Thou [art] my God, and I will praise thee: [thou
art] my God, I will exalt thee."
Notice the "my" here. The first mention of God here is EL. It
means, among other things, Almighty. The last mention of God, here, is
another word, Elohim which is plural. It means the Supreme God. This
is the same as is in I John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three
are one." This is the fulness of the Godhead, which mortal man does
not fully understand. The praise of God should be continually in our
mouth.
As I am working on these lessons, it strikes me that God is so
much above mankind that there is no way to fully understand or convey
His greatness. All we can do is stand in awe of this Mighty God. To
praise just seems so little to do. I want to fall down prostrate
before Him, and worship Him with all that is within me.
Psalms 118:29 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good: for
his mercy [endureth] for ever."
This Psalm began and ended the same way. Having done and said
all, we come back to the goodness of God and the mercy of God which
will never end. This is reason enough to praise Him continually.
Questions 121
1. The LORD is my strength and my song, and is become my __________.
2. Quote 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 10.
3. Quote Acts chapter 4 verse 12.
4. What does tabernacle, in verse 15, mean?
5. What is verse 15 saying?
6. _________ is actually a state of being saved.
7. How exalted will the Right Hand of God be?
8. Where do we find the Scriptures that deal with the mortal taking
on immortality?
9. Who does the Lord chasten?
10. What can you compare this chastening with?
11. Who is the Gate?
12. When did Jesus open the way for us to heaven and the Father?
13. What is our obligation in going to heaven?
14. Who are the righteous?
15. Heaven is really a glorious restoration of what?
16. What has the psalmist determined to do in verse 21?
17. The stone, which the builders refused, has become what?
18. Where does Jesus speak of the corner-stone in the New Testament?
19. What chapter in Ezekiel speaks of the two houses that come
together in Jesus?
20. Who is the focal point of the Bible?
21. Name some things the Lord set a specific day to happen.
22. What is the prosperity in verse 25?
23. Quote Acts chapter 2 verse 17.
24. Ministers must minister in the ______ __ ___ ____.
25. Who showed us Light?
26. What do horns symbolize?
27. In verse 28, who is the first mention of God referring to?
28. In verse 28, who is the second mention of God referring to?
29. Quote 1 John chapter 5 verse 7.
30. Quote Psalms chapter 118 verse 29.
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