Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Mount Zion rejoices, The villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments. Psalm 48: 9-11, NIV.
Dear God and Father of all creation, please send Your Holy Spirit to show us wonderful things in Your Word today. In the blessed name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen.
Several weeks ago, our devotional included some thoughts from the psalmist, where he spoke of contemplating the beauty of the LORD in His sanctuary. I believe that one of the most beautiful things that we can contemplate in the house of God is His “unfailing love.” That could be accomplished perhaps by just sitting in silence and thinking about the many ways God has shown His love to you, and to others. Another way would be to hear it being preached from the pulpit. Perhaps you might hear someone sing about it in the hymn, “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.” You could also observe it in the actions of your church family. And I am sure that there are other, very creative ways, that I have not mentioned, where the “unfailing love” of God could be observed within His temple. But however it is seen, if there is one place in the entire world, where the love of God should never be lost sight of, it is in His temple! There are many opportunities that present themselves wherewith we can show the love of God, both within and without, the sanctuary. May God help us, that no one who comes to His temple, or within the sphere of our influence, should leave without getting a glimpse of God’s love.
What about the praise that is due to Him? The psalmist says that, “Like [His] name, His praise reaches to the ends of the earth! That makes me think of Psalm 19, where David speaks of all nature declaring the “glory of God.” During the day the sun runs through the earth, according to the poetic description of the psalmist: “like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy” (Psalm 19: 5). In the night time, the wisdom of God can also be seen. In other words, at whatever part of the world you happen to be, the handiwork of the LORD is visible. There is no place in the world where the voice of nature is not heard. It is said that nature is God’s second book. If you spend time observing it, you cannot help but notice God’s handwriting in the sky, upon the land, and at sea. And every time we see the works of His hand, our hearts are inspired to lift His name up in praise!
The psalmist also said that God’s right hand is full of righteousness. He is a God of justice and equity. His standards of judgment are altogether righteous. He is not a God of double standards, but judges all people by the same steadfast principles, taking into consideration our individual, or “special” needs and circumstances. Rich and poor, bond and free, Christians and non-Christians are dealt with in righteousness. As I have said several times on this website, our God is “no respecter of persons” (Acts 10: 34). Perhaps it is because we have seen so much partiality, and so much corruption in a legal system in the hands of human beings, that we find it hard to believe that God cannot be bribed into doing favors. His law reflects the purity of His character.
“Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.” We cannot say that about all human judgment, because not all lawmakers, or those who pass judgment, always act in fairness, or are unbiased in their verdicts. But thanks be to God, His judgments cause rejoicing because, “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19: 9b-11).
In today’s vernacular you would refer to it as a “win-win” situation. God’s judgments both warn and reward. No wonder the people of God “rejoice” at His judgments!