Watchword
(Job 2.1-10; Matthew 22.1-14)
Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion! I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Zechariah 2.10
I heard a loud voice from the throne say, ’See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. Revelation 21.3
Psalm 9
For the lead player, almut laben, a David psalm.
I acclaim the LORD with all my heart,
Let me tell of all His wonders.
Let me rejoice and be glad in You,
Let me hymn Your name, Most High,
When my enemies turn back,
When they stumble and perish before You.
For You upheld my justice, my right,
You sat on the throne of the righteous judge.
You rebuked the nations, destroyed the wicked,
Their name You wiped out forever.
The enemy – ruins that are gone for all time,
And the towns you smashed, their name is lost.
But the LORD is forever enthroned,
Makes His throne for justice unshaken.
And He judges the world in righteousness,
Lays down law to the nations in truth.
Let the LORD be a fortress for the downcast,
A fortress in times of distress.
And those who know Your name will trust You,
For You forsook not Your seekers, O LORD.
Hymn to the LORD Who dwells in Zion,
Tell among the peoples His deeds.
For the Requiter of blood recalled them,
He forgot not the cry of the lowly.
Grant me grace, O LORD,
See my torment by my foes,
You Who raise me from the gates of death.
So that I may tell all Your praise
In the gates of the Daughter of Zion.
Let me exult in Your rescue.
The nations sank down in the trap that they made,
In the snare that they made their foot was caught.
The LORD is known for the justice He did.
By his own handiwork was the wicked ensnared.
The wicked will turn back to Sheol,
All the nations forgetful of God
For not forever will the poor man be forgotten,
The hope of the lowly not lost forever.
Arise, O LORD, let not man flaunt his strength,
Let nations be judged in Your presence.
O LORD, put fear upon them,
Let the nations know they are mortal.
Bible Reading: Romans 3: 1-8
In this section Paul is imagining an argument that someone would have against the redemptive plan of God. Generally, did God mess up in creating man? Specifically, was His project of calling Israel to be “an instructor of the foolish” an abysmal failure? Or worse, does God’s plan call into question His righteousness? Or does His plan, which allows and includes and even uses the wickedness of man, make the whole question of guilt moot?
By no means!
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