1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
2 Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up—
the tribes of the LORD—
to praise the name of the LORD
according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There stand the thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.”
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.
Key Verse:
2 Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
Key Observation:
A psalm of degrees where this time the pilgrims are right at Jerusalem.
Memory Verse:
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Devotion:
This psalm, another psalm of degrees, pictures the Jews right at the gates of Jerusalem. McGee rightly points out that this psalm is speaking prophetically of the millennium: “This beautiful psalm is also a prophecy. It is a millennial psalm looking forward to the time when all the tribes will go up to Jerusalem and assemble themselves for worship.”
Israel, a nation, yet fighting for acceptance; beleaguered on every side, yet winning all wars; hated by the Arabs, yet loved by God. Israel, O Israel, do you not know the cry of your own God? Israel has long forgotten her God, but soon will remember. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, and will dwell in Jerusalem, restoring his people to himself. We Christians will be right behind Christ when he returns, and “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” What a wonderful time that will be! Are your eyes watching and waiting?
We'll Understand It Better By and By
1. Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand
All the ways that God could lead us to that blessed promised land;
But He guides us with His eye, and we'll follow till we die,
We will understand it better by and by.
2. We are tossed and driv'n on the restless sea of time;
Somber skies and howling tempests oft succeed a bright sunshine;
In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away,
We will understand it better by and by.
3. We are often destitute of the things that life demands,
Want of food and want of shelter, thirsty hills and barren lands;
We are trusting in the Lord, and according to God's Word,
We will understand it better by and by.
4. Oft our cherished plans have failed, disappointments have prevailed,
And we've wandered in the darkness, heavy-hearted and alone.
But we're trusting in the Lord, and according to His Word,
We will understand it better by and by.
5. Temptations, hidden snares often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed for a thoughtless word or deed;
And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best,
But we'll understand it better by and by.
Chorus:
By and by, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God are gathered home,
We will tell the story how we've overcome,
We will understand it better by and by.
Lyrics: Charles Albert Tindley
McGee, J. Vernon (1990-01-30). Thru the Bible 1-5 (5 Volume Set) (Kindle Locations 51197-51198). Grupo Nelson. Kindle Edition.
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