Day 176

My God, Lord of the World

Read: Psalms 66-72

Psalm 66 calls the whole world to thank God, but ends on this personal note: “I will tell what he has done for me” (v. 16). The Lord with whom we have a personal relationship is Lord of all the earth. The next psalm contains the same truth but moves in the opposite direction: may the God who blesses us be praised by all the peoples of the earth. The more God means to us, the more we will be missionary minded, wanting others to share these blessings.

Psalm 68 rejoices in the way God brought his people from Egypt to Jerusalem. Since Ephesians 4 uses this wording to describe the ascension of Christ which led to the sending of the Holy Spirit, this psalm has often been used at Pentecost.

The New Testament quotes Psalm 69:9 as describing Christ’s zeal for God’s house and verse 21 predicts Christ being offered vinegar as he hung on the cross. Psalm 70 is almost identical to part of Psalm 40.

The author of Psalm 71 is obviously old. He has had a hard life and continues to have difficulties. But since childhood he has trusted in God and continues to do so. May we turn to the Lord early in life so we may experience his help all our life long, and as a result let us praise him “all the day long” (v. 24).

The final psalm of this second book tells of a great king who inspired the hymn “Jesus Shall Reign.”

PRAYER
Father, we thank you for what you mean to us. May such blessings flow to others across the world. In Christ. Amen.