APRIL 17, 2026 Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. The emphasis of this psalm has been to acknowledge the joy and gladness that God’s people will experience when Messiah […]
APRIL 16, 2026 Psalm 126:2-3 Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. For those of us who aren’t Jewish but are believers in the God of Israel, it is a strange thing for us to consider ourselves as being in exile. However, […]
APRIL 14, 2026 Psalm 126:1-2 When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. From the beginning of time, when God’s people have strayed from Him too far and for far too long, exile has been their […]
APRIL 13, 2026 Psalm 123:4-5 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel! The Gospels recount that a certain wealthy, young man came to the Messiah asking what he must […]
APRIL 12, 2026 Psalm 125:3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity. In follow up to the previous devotion in which the focus was our dependency on the Lord, David underscores the notion by saying that God’s people should […]
APRIL11, 2026
Psalm 125:2
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.
Anyone who has visited Jerusalem knows that the city, particularly the Old City, is surrounded by protective mountains, which form a natural defensive barrier. In days of old, watchtowers were situated on the hills overlooking the city so that any threat could be viewed long before it was able to reach the city walls. So, in a physical sense, Jerusalem appeared to be an impregnable stronghold, a city not easily taken. Yet David reminded the people of God that, regardless of how strong we believe our position to be, there is no protection unless the Lord “surrounds His people.”
That the Babylonians and the Romans successfully destroyed the city and the Temple within underscores this message; “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). It behooves us all to remember and respect this fact lest we find that our “defenses” are useless against our adversaries. On the other hand, those who trust in the Lord and serve Him in humility and faithfulness will find that the Lord, “will be a wall of fire” us, and His glory will be seen in our midst (Zechariah 2:5).
In an earlier psalm, David made this statement: “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). I take this to be very literal; so, in a very real sense, the Lord surrounds His people — those who fear Him — with a protective detail of angels. We don’t see them, but they are there to do the will of God in regard to His people. Therefore, we should not be seduced into thinking that the institutions and industries of this world offer any enduring support; as it is written: “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved” (Psalm 62:2).
APRIL 9, 2026 Psalm 124:6-8 Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. When […]
APRIL 8, 2026 Psalm 124:1-2 Let Israel now say— “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us.” David begins this psalm with a statement that gets right to the point — […]
APRIL 7, 2026 PSALM 123:3-4 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud. As God’s people, it is our duty to serve as His agents and […]
APRIL 5, 2026 Psalm 122:6-7 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. In case you didn’t know, the word שלום shalom or “peace” is actually a part of the name Jerusalem — ירושלים Yerushalayim. In other words, the purpose and plan […]
