Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
Verse 2Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
Verse 19Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
Verse 20This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
Verse 21I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
Verse 22The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
Verse 23This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Verse 24This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Verse 25Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Verse 26Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Verse 27The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
Verse 28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
Verse 29O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Devotion
We near the end of our Lenten journey, and the readings place us in the shadow of the cross. As Jesus triumphantly enters the city he loves, we who know the story anticipate that the crowd in praise will soon be a crowd in protest. The open gate gives entrance to the enemy. Those whom God loves will again respond with rejection. Yet, the psalmist challenges us to pause and give thanks.
Linger in this day to glimpse the presence of God. When we do not worry about tomorrow, we can marvel at the wondrous things God is doing today. The rejected remnant will become the cherished legacy. God is turning the stumbling blocks in our lives into stepping stones toward our future. Whatever struggles this season of fasting has revealed, remember: God’s love is steadfast and endures.
Prayer
God whose steadfast love endures, allow me to accept the victories of today without worrying about the battles of tomorrow. Amen.