Psalm 87 & 88: God’s Salvation
Verse of the Day: (88:1) O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
1. God’s Singers (87:1-7)
As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. (87:7)
The sons of Korah were God’s appointed singers and players in His holy tabernacle as they sang to Him praising Him for who He is, and what He had done for, with, in and through Israel, His chosen nation, and in particular, the holy city of Zion. (2 Chronicles 20:14-19) This psalm was a double prophecy that God’s richest blessings shall be upon Israel if they would obey Him, as well as the coming of the Son of man, born in Israel, to be the Saviour of the world. Indeed, let us sing to our God in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts, and sharing the Gospel that Jesus saves, that all may come to know Him, and make Him known throughout the world. (Ephesians 5:16-20)
2. God’s Salvation (88:1-3)
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. (88:3)
Heman, the wise man of Israel, whose wisdom only Solomon’s surpassed him, lamented and cried day and night of his sufferings and troubles, and how he wished that God would bring him to His heaven. (1 Kings 4:29-31) In fact, this was a double prophecy as it not only foretold the sufferings of Israel, but also the sufferings of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, whom everyone would forsake Him, as He would be crucified, not for His own sins, but the sins of the world. (Luke 23) Indeed, every one of us, whether we are wise or rich, will suffer, and in particular, when we are diagnosed with terminal illnesses or in our dying moments. However, let us look to Christ, our Saviour, as only He can truly save us from the devil’s hell, and one day, He shall promote us to His eternal heaven. (2 Timothy 2:10)
3. God’s Strength (88:4-18)
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: (88:4)
Heman cried out to God for His strength amid his weaknesses, as he knew that only He could truly strengthen him for his challenging journey from earth to heaven. Heman confessed that at times he doubted God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. This was also the case of Jesus, when He cried to God, His Father, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:34) However, it is not that God has forsaken His people, but it is because of the sins of the people. Jesus has no sin, but He bore the sins of the world, so that whoever believes in Him shall have a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Like Apostle Paul and all of God’s saints in the Old and New Testament, let us trust God, and He shall grant us His strength and comfort amid our storms and struggles. (2 Corinthians 1:1-11)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for saving a wretch like me and making me Your saint.
