If you grew up like I did going to Sunday School and living in a home with Christian parents, you likely have heard the song with this verse above. It was a cheerful song with clapping and was always sung in a lighthearted way. While this is true on days full of obvious blessing, that is not actually the context of the whole chapter.
Psalm 118 begins and ends with the same sentence, "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" That also sounds cheerful, but the rest of the chapter seems to indicate that it is more of affirming this truth in the midst of adversity. Here are a few other excerpts:
"Out of my distress I called to the Lord....The Lord is on my side I will not fear. What can man do to me?.... It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.....I was pushed hard so that I was falling, but The Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation....I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of The Lord."
These verses are all a part of the same chapter with our song, "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" This morning I woke at 5:45 with a disturbing dream about cancer and bad prognosis. Obviously this was just a dream, but I often struggle with fear about this. I also woke in pain. My pain medicine is gone and it still hurts quite a bit. But as I got out of bed early this morning, I was reminded of this verse. "This is the day The Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!"
I don't know in what ways you might be struggling today. It may be fears about the future. It may be struggles in relationships. It may be struggles with your health. It may be struggles with your emotions. But whatever struggles you are experiencing, I want to encourage you to run to the Lord in the midst of it. Take the time to read Psalm 118 for yourself. "His steadfast love endures forever!" I am preparing to walk to the village church and worship with my brothers and sisters. "This is the day that The Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
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