Rejoicing in the God Who Delights in Me (Psalm 149)

Evening Scripture

Psalm, Chapter 149

Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.

Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.

May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,

to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,

to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,

to carry out the sentence written against them—
this is the glory of all his faithful people.

Praise the Lord.

Evening Reflection

When God finished making Adam and Eve, the first humans in Genesis 1, he ended his work by saying it was very good. From the very beginning, we were made for his delight. Before sin, God walked with Adam through the garden, sharing this beautifully created space with him and Eve.

After Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God discovered something was amiss because he was strolling through the garden looking for his friends. When he realized they were hidden due to shame, he immediately knew something had gone wrong.

Since the Fall, God has been working to bring humanity back into perfect communion with himself. We are his beloved, and he delights in us! He sees beauty in us, as creatures made in his image; we are a reflection of his goodness.

As a beloved creature, how do you respond? Do you give thanks for the gift of God’s adoration in your life? Do you strive to please your maker? Or are you diminishing your value and purpose?

You matter because God made you on purpose for a purpose. When we deny our value, we deny the very Word of the Lord. Self-hatred is to say that God is a liar. That his declaration of love and commitment to us was meaningless. We can have faith in ourselves not out of pride, but because we have faith in the Lord and we believe what his Word says about us!

Rejoice because you are fearfully and wonderfully made. God loves you. He delights in the work of your hands. He covets your praises. He orchestrates the details of your life for your good. He is a good father whom you can trust.

Evening Prayer

Father,

I rejoice that you delight in me! I am valuable because I am made by you. I thank you for the plan and purpose you have given my life. I ask that you would help me to remain confident not because I am filled with pride but because I am filled with faith. I praise you and thank you for your unfailing love.

Amen.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.

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