O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures forever!Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
With the LORD on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me?
The LORD is on my side to help me;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to put confidence in mortals.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to put confidence in princes.All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
They surrounded me like bees;
they blazed like a fire of thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
I shall not die, but I shall live
and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD.This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech you, O LORD!
O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God,
and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
up to the horns of the altar.You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 118; NRSVue
There are dark and difficult days no doubt. But there ought to be times, and in a sense this ought to include every day in which by faith we say in the full context of God’s victory in Christ:
This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24; NRSVue
Of course that verse needs to be read in its full context in the psalm above. As the NRSVue heading puts it, it is “A Song of Victory.” Yes, God’s victory over all that is opposed to God’s creation and original intent in that creation, which is love. Of course a love which is concerned about what is good and best for all. And getting rid of all that is contrary to that. This is the victory of God in Christ for each one of us and for the world in the God who is love.
But let’s face it, there are many reasons why we can be pulled down with burdens and experience an evil day (Ephesians 6:13). I’m still a morning person after years of having to sleep mornings due to my work, and now older. I too often in the clutter of a day am worn out by the time night comes, and too often lacking in the joy I think the Lord wants us to have. I’m sure God wants to help me in this.
Just in answer to prayer, God can help us. “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). We don’t have because we don’t ask (James 4:2b). I find this to be the case over and over and over again. God helps those who ask. And we don’t get that needed help because we don’t ask. It is maybe trite and probably an oversimplification to some extent, nevertheless I think there is quite a lot in the thought that part of what is going on here is simply that God wants a relationship with us.
We are active in this. Yes, God gives the victory, but we’re participants in that. And there’s not a day in which we shouldn’t rejoice (Philippians 4:4). Along with those special days of celebration within the fellowship of the saints. But since the present is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2), this includes each and every day. Even within the present experience in which, while the night is far gone, the final never ending day is near but not yet arrived, meaning the finality when all will be good forever (Romans 13:12).
Like the psalmist above, we’re still in it, in this present life. Everyday is a day that God has made in which we’re to rejoice. God will give us all we need for each day as we go on by faith. In and through God’s victory in Christ.
Jesus community 