Daily Devotional Thoughtful Thursday | September 17, 2016
It’s Thursday and time for your daily devotional. Psalm 123 is another Song of Degrees sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. It’s about former challenges Israel faced. You’ll encounter struggles in this world, and opposition will arise. In today’s daily devotional, God is consistent throughout life’s trials. He is for you, not against you.
Confidence in God
Verse 1 makes a bold statement. It’s not a question; it’s direct and emphatic: “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. This reveals an unwavering confidence in God built over time. It was formed through watching God deliver them, showing His love, mercy, and faithfulness. This psalm is thought to have been written when the Israelites returned to rebuild Jerusalem after seventy years of Babylonian captivity.
The Israelites faced intense opposition from surrounding nations that tried to stop their progress. Although Cyrus had authorized their return with soldiers, they knew God was their protection. In your daily devotional, the God who dwells in the Heavens is the one Israel looked to; history proves that He has consistently delivered His people.
Wait Upon God
Verse 2 compares the eyes of servants and handmaids looking to their masters to the way Israel looks to God. Servants are at the service of their masters. They wait for their master’s command to know their next move. If the master says nothing, they remain silent and wait. Handmaids watched their mistress’s hands carefully as they’d signal their next assignment.
In Israel’s adversity, they wait upon God, watching for his next direction. They know God’s merciful kindness toward them is steadfast, and He moves mysteriously behind the scenes, bringing His purposes to pass. In this daily devotional, when you wait upon the Lord and are of good courage, He’ll work wonders you’ll see with your own eyes.
A Cry for God’s Mercy
In verse 3, the psalmist cries out for God’s mercy. It’s from the severe opposition Israel endured as they moved forward in faith. God helped them repair the wall, and now they were rebuilding the temple. The world will fiercely attack you when you attempt to do anything for God. Satan unleashes demonic forces to influence people around you to challenge your every move.
Verse 4 summarizes the pain the Israelites felt by attempting to rebuild Jerusalem. Many men became discouraged and wanted to stop working: “Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease.” When the Israelites were given a decree that shut down their work, they had to obey it. In this daily devotional, like the Israelites, keep trusting in God’s mercy; it won’t fail.
God’s Mercy Poured Out
When Darius took the throne, he signed a decree that Israel’s work continue, and whoever hindered it would die. He even ordered surrounding nations to finance Israel’s cause by providing the resources they needed to rebuild. In your daily devotional, God’s mercy poured out to Israel as they looked to Him. In your daily devotional, He who works behind the scenes will turn the tables for you, too. God won’t let the weapon formed against you prosper.
God is For You and Not Against You
In Thursday’s daily devotional, while they were doing God’s work, prideful people showed their contempt for the Israelites each day. As the pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem, they commemorated Israel’s struggle in song. In today’s daily devotional, sing songs of victory for what God has delivered you from. He’s proven to be for you, not against you!
