Daily Bible Devotionals

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever - the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:3-9 (NKJV)

It is easy to think that today’s psalmist is speaking strictly about God the Father.  That is because most of us are familiar with the Christmas nativity story of Jesus’ birth.  But we must remember that before Jesus was born as a baby, He existed from eternity past.  This is not some modern Christian idea.  It was the understanding of the Jewish prophets that Messiah would be God, made flesh.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2 (NKJV), (See also: Isaiah 9:6)

When the apostle John began his gospel by boldly claiming Jesus’ deity, he was not inventing some new cultic myth. John was simply righting the Jewish understanding of the prophets’ message concerning Who Messiah would be. Messiah was not a human whom God would use to deliver His people; rather, God Himself donned humanity to deliver His people. We must read Psalm 136 thru the lens of John 1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14 (NKJV)  (**And we read the rest of Psalm 136 thru the lens of 1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ [Messiah].” 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (NKJV)

“Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure. For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods.” Psalm 135:1-5 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a call for the Israelites to give themselves wholly to worship by prompting their memories of how God’s deliverance (of Israel) from the hands of idolaters was also a judgment of idolatry itself.  God accomplished two goals (delivering His people and judging foreign gods) with one motion.

The first half of Psalm 135 focuses on why Israel should worship the Lord passionately.  It is not enough to simply tell people that God is great and worthy of our praise.  We humans have no capacity to measure the greatness and holiness of God.  We must experience desperation and deliverance before we can value the worth of grace and relish in the reality of salvation.  That is why any gospel presentation must also contain the reality of our sin and the certainty of Hell.  What makes the “Good News” so good is that the "bad news” is so bad!  Jesus made this exact point to a self-righteous religious leader, in contrast to a woman who was aware of the greatness of her sin and the urgency of her needing forgiveness.

“Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.’” Luke 7:44-47 (NKJV)

After recounting God’s judgment of Egypt’s gods (leading up to the Passover) and the gods of the Amorites and Canaanites, the psalmist expands the concept to include ALL other gods.  It brings context to Jesus’ statements about “seeing and hearing.”

“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” Psalm 135:15-18 (NKJV)

“Then He charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8:15-18 (NKJV)

“Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord!” Psalm 134:1 (NKJV)

The Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem never closed. There was no sign that hung in the window by the entrance with a little clock on it, the hands turned to a particular time with “Be back at ____ pm” scribbled on the bottom with a dry-erase marker.  No, the Temple was open day and night.  That meant that the Temple was fully staffed 24-7.  Because of the constant flow of ministry, the Levites who led the music were exempt from any other duty.

“These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night.” 1 Chronicles 9:33 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, #134, was a shout-out to the Levites on the night shift.  Who knows if they were on a scheduled rotation or if the low-level guys had to work their way up to the day shift?  We just know that the worship music was more of a never-ending jam session.  Perhaps, some of the Levites dreaded the non-stop ministry pace. Most church staffers would.  But when the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, I bet they wished they had their old jobs back.  At least, it helps us to understand the depth of their great lament in Psalm 137 when the Levites who served in the temple hung their harps in the trees of Babylon because they no longer had a temple where they could serve.  

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Psalm 137:1-4 (NKJV)

Since this is a Psalm of Ascent, it also helps to set context for the pilgrim who arrived in Jerusalem at 3 am.  There was nothing that delayed his worship.  He didn’t have to search for a Motel 6 or wait for the banks to open so he could exchange his tithe for the requisite articles of worship.  He and his family could go straight to the Lord!

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.” Psalm 134:2 (NKJV)

Imagine a packed Temple courtyard, day and night, with nothing hindering the people’s outpouring of thanks and worship!

“The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!”  Psalm 134:3 (NKJV)

Again, we have a reminder that not only were the people of Israel welcome, but the maker of heaven and earth desired for all nations to enter and worship!  (Isaiah 56:3-8)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)

It is important to remember that Psalm 133 is a "Song of Ascents."  These songs were written (or at least utilized) to prepare a person’s heart for worship at the Temple (or Tabernacle in David’s day) in Jerusalem.  If you recall the narrative of King David’s life, how he was hunted by Saul and the army of Israel, it is easy to understand why David would find it important to remind the children of Israel to dwell in unity.  Once David became king, he went the “extra mile” to communicate that he was more interested in a peaceful nation than getting revenge on his enemies.  His psalm is akin to the war cry of the American revolutionary patriots, “United we stand, divided we fall!”  Jesus also preached this message of unity.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (NKJV)

Likewise, the apostles Paul and Peter exhorted the young church:

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2 (NKJV)

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)

I love the image that David uses, anointing oil being poured on Aaron’s head, the first high priest of Israel.  David is communicating that the willingness to forgive and serve one another is akin to a priestly role of the highest degree!

“It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.” Psalm 133:2 (NKJV)

Furthermore, if the Israelites would act in unity (united by God’s Word), then God would bless their land.  The image of blessing that David evokes is of the highest mountain in Israel, where the rainfall-runoff feeds the Jordan and waters the nation.

“It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forevermore.”  Psalm 133:3 (NKJV)

If we humble ourselves to seek and obey God’s Word, we will serve one another and live in unity.  In turn, God will bless any nation whose citizens unite under His Lordship with miraculous blessings flowing down to His people!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 132. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.” Psalm 131:1-3 (NKJV)

If you want to start a brawl in the women’s ministry, start asserting your opinions concerning the when’s, where’s, and extent of breastfeeding!  My wife breastfed all of our children, and we have heard about every opinion on the subject from every angle imaginable.  The reason I mention that is because David's use of the image of “weaning” brought to mind an experience my wife and I had at a restaurant many years ago.  Our oldest son was about five, and our daughter was a toddler.  A couple of moms were in conversation at the table next to ours, and our children were chatting with theirs.  But as the moms talked, one of the children, about my son’s age, kept interrupting and obsessively pawing at his mom.  Finally, mid-conversation, the mom snatched up her kindergarten-aged boy and started breastfeeding him.  My son glanced up at us and defined the moment with one whispered word: “Awkward.”

I share that story because it illustrates the exact point that David is making: the difference between a weaned and un-weaned child sitting next to their mothers. Before a child is weaned, the experience of feeding goes way beyond nutritional needs.  There is an essential personal emotional, and nurturing bond that naturally occurs through the process of breastfeeding.  But, by a certain age (which may vary for each child), what was once natural and nurturing becomes more akin to anxious and abnormal cravings that signal stalled maturity.  The apostle Paul and the writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews used the same imagery to describe similar dysfunctions in stalled discipleship maturity among followers of Jesus.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NKJV)

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” Hebrews 5:12-13 (NKJV)

In Psalm 131, David is saying that he used to be haughty, with “lofty eyes,” but, like a weaned child, he had matured to a calm and quieted soul.  His faith had grown so that his worship was no longer self-focused.  Have you matured past seeking God for what He can do for you to the point where you ask how you can serve Him?

“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” Psalm 130:1-2 (NKJV)

Today we have another “song of ascents,” meant to be sung as the Jewish people were ascending to worship in Jerusalem, the “city on a hill.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)  So, picture the worshipper “ascending” to Jerusalem and crying to God from “out of the depths.”  What depths?  Specific to this psalmist, the depths of his personal sin!  Now, that is a message to which we can all relate because we each sin and must reconcile with the Holy God.  I am not speaking about being reconciled to Him for our eternal salvation; Jesus has reconciled us to God by His works, not ours.  No, I am talking about walking through life with the joy and peace of knowing there is not a reckoning awaiting us as the consequence for some ongoing sin that we are harboring, yet refusing to confront and surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Psalm 130:3 (NKJV)

This is the great human conundrum.  How can sinful man commune with a holy God?  If God solely operates within His holy judgment, we are hopeless.

“But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Psalm 130:4 (NKJV)

God, knowing we are merely human (by virtue of His holiness), has provided a way of forgiveness for us.  And He made it easy by making only ONE way of salvation through which all men everywhere must be saved: Messiah Jesus.  (John 3:16; John 14:6; Acts 17:24-31; Acts 4:12)  ONE way, yet accessible to ANYONE who wants it.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning - yes, more than those who watch for the morning.”  Psalm 130:5-6 (NKJV)

Since Messiah Jesus is eternal, we sometimes need reminding that He existed in eternity past, as well as the fact that He will exist in eternity-future.  (John 1:1-14; Micah 5:2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6)  He is the source of salvation throughout History; before we knew Messiah Jesus as the Word-made-flesh or the Living Word, He existed as a member of the Trinity.  Today’s psalmist is expecting forgiveness and salvation as he journeys to Jerusalem.  How so?  Because of his faith in the Word of God and its promises to repentant sinners.  (Romans 10:17)  

“O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:7-8 (NKJV)

The plea is for all men everywhere to repent, trust in the Living Word, and be saved!

"‘Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,’ let Israel now say – ‘Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.’"Psalm 129:1-3 (NKJV)

“Yet they have not prevailed...”  We would prefer a more hopeful message, one that eliminated our enemies altogether.  At least, I would.  All believers must cope with the problem of pain and injustice.  We long for peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7), but we define such peace in terms of a total lack of spiritual opposition.  In reality, the peace that passes understanding is not the absence of conflict; it is the presence of peace in the midst of overwhelming conflict.  The apostle Paul tried to convey that exact message to the early church in Rome.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ [Messiah]? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)

As the Jewish worshippers were approaching Jerusalem, they sang the words of this psalm, words based in both the reality of their suffering and the reality of their hope. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b) (NKJV)

We must remember that both our suffering and our tormentors are only for a season.  Every season comes to pass, which means they do not come to stay.

”The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.” Psalm 129:4-7 (NKJV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:7-8 (NKJV)

Those who curse God’s people will receive no blessing, no comfort.  For them, are reserved the words of Jesus: “Turn away!  I never knew you.”  (Matthew 7:21-23)

“Neither let those who pass by them say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord!’” Psalm 129:8 (NKJV)

“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 (NKJV)

“Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” Psalm 128:1 (NKJV)

We know there is a direct link between our blessing and our seeking God’s Word.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Because blessing is so closely linked to God’s Word, we are safe to assume that walking in the counsel of the Bible is the same as “fearing the Lord” to the extent that we are obeying it (walking in His ways).

“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” Psalm 128:2 (NKJV)

When we live according to God’s Word, we do not solely apply it to our lives; the Bible becomes the center of our lives, the lens through which we view the world, and the filter that governs every conversation.  Even the labor of our hands (the fruit of our labor) brings us joy in the Lord because we are continuously reminded that it is God Who works on our behalf as we go about our daily tasks.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

A father who seeks the Lord imparts the Word to his family.  This is how God’s blessing radiates throughout the entire household.

“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.” Psalm 128:3 (NKJV)

Finally, we have the source of blessing, the Proverbs 31 wife: A marriage where both husband and wife are seeking the Lord.

“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” Psalm 128:4-6 (NKJV)

Commandment 5: “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)