Psalm 118:14 – Verse of the Day 11/1/14

What is your favorite holiday? One thing that makes holidays special is that they connect us to the past, reminding us of happy times and shared experiences. This is why holidays are often filled with joy, but for those who have lost loved ones they can also be sad at the same time. Holidays are emotional times because they connect our past, present, and future in a very powerful way.

This Psalm is one of many that the Jewish people sang when they celebrated the Passover feast in memory of God saving them from the Egyptians. The Passover was the most important of the Jewish holidays, and so Psalm 118 would have been very important too. It is a song about the mighty works of God in the past and it looks forward to his even more awesome works in the future. The Passover was a remarkable demonstration of God’s faithfulness to save his people, and it pointed forward to the ultimate salvation that would come in Christ. It is not surprising that Psalm 118 is one of the most quoted Psalms in the New Testament.

As you remember all that God has done for you in the past, allow this reflection to lead you to rejoice in the present. Spend some time giving thanks for all that God has given you, and especially for the forgiveness of your sin. Pray that God would enable you to rejoice every day, regardless of your immediate circumstances.