Psalm 118:14 - The Lord Is My Strength, My Song And My Salvation.
Psalm 118:14 - The Lord Is My Strength, My Song And My
Salvation.
Psalm 118:14 (NIV) The Lord is my strength and my song; he has
become my salvation.
Psalms 113-118 are sung yearly by devout Jews at the celebration
of Passover, the first two (113-114) before and the last four
(115-118) after the Passover meal. Thus it is possible that these Psalms
were the last songs our Lord sang before His crucifixion (Mark
14:26). [Your Daily Walk SB]
Psalm 118 is the last of the "Hallel" or "praise" psalms (Ps.
113-118), which were sung at the Passover. This was probably the hymn sung
by Jesus and the disciples in the Upper Room before they departed
for the Mount of Olives (see Matt. 26:30). [New Bible Companion]
Billy Graham for many decades has read psalms every day for
strength and encouragement from God. "His love has seen me through
sickness, discouragement and frustration," he writes. "His love has
sustained me during times of disappointment and bewilderment."
The pressures and demands on Billy Graham have been enormous,
but he is quick to point to others who have carried greater burdens
or suffered in extraordinary ways while experiencing God's
sustaining love. For instance, he tells of a Romanian pastor who was
imprisoned by the Communists for sixteen years. He was brutally beaten and
tortured and told that his family had deserted him and that Christianity
in the outside world was dead. Though weakened and demoralized, the
pastor continued to believe.
After his release he wrote that, alone in his cell, he had
discovered a stronger belief in God and even a delight in him: "a deep and
extraordinary ecstasy of happiness."
We may shake our heads at his describing ecstasy despite the
horrors, but other prisoners have reported similar faith experiences.
Sometimes in the darkest moments, God's light shines brightest and his joy
is most vibrant.
Whatever our setbacks, bewilderments, or imprisonments, we
have a loving God to turn to.
Billy Graham says that as a boy he'd never seen the ocean and
couldn't imagine its size. He had to experience its vastness for himself.
Likewise, he says, we are invited to experience the vastness of God's
love.
George Beverly Shea, Dr. Graham's colleague, often sang the
following hymn:
The love of God is greater far,
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints' and angels' song.
Like Billy Graham, we can read the Psalms, and we will
repeatedly find the phrase "God's unfailing love." Let us welcome it into
our lives.
Lord Jesus, bring into my mind and heart your love. It is far
beyond what I can understand, but please let me experience that portion
you have for me. Help me today to believe and to live in your love.
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
Psalm 118:14, NLT [The One Year Book of Encouragement by Harold Myra]
Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV) The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with
lovingkindness I have drawn you.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT) 22 The faithful love of the Lord
never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his
mercies begin afresh each morning.
Psalm 136 (NIV) All 26 verses of this Psalm end with: His love
endures forever.
Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) 38 For I am persuaded that neither death
nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things
present nor things to come, 39 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.
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