“ O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. “ - Psalm 117

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We could not possibly do justice to the topic of music in the Word without a discussion of the Psalms.

This book contains a compilation of songs that are unique in many interesting and wonderful ways… but the only thing we need to keep uppermost in our mind is that they are —-inspired scripture …… quoted and cited by Jesus Himself as being revelatory about Him and His Ministry. 

—POST— Christs Resurrection, as we have said many times before in previous posts, the gloves really come off in the spiritual realm! …. What were formerly secret and veiled counsels of God, were now going to be proclaimed from the housetops to the whole world, through the power and agency of the Spirit that documented those counsels in the first place….. because THE VICTORY was now won, Satan denied access to Heaven for all time, and cast out into the Earth, to wage His losing battle against the Holy Spirit till the time ordained!

We give you the most convincing record of this in the apostle Luke’s record of Christ appearing to His disciples just as another set of them are recounting how they met Him on the road to Emmaus.

“While they [ the Emmaus disciples ] were telling these things, He Himself stood in their [ the apostles ] midst and *said to them, “Peace be to you.”

But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.[ A historical first appearance of a “ghost” to many multiple people simultaneously ] 

And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, ——for a spirit does not have flesh and bones ——-as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they —-still—-  could not believe it —- because of their —joy and —amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them.

Now He [ THE PROVEN RESURRECTED CHRIST ] said to them, 

“These are —My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that —all things which are written about Me in the —-Law of —-Moses and the —-Prophets and the ——Psalms (!!!)  ———-must be fulfilled.” 

—Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

and He said to them, “——-Thus it is written———, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed ——-in His name to ———all the nations, ———-beginning from Jerusalem.

[ We believe this is the time He gave this group references in the Bible, those that he cited when He was alive with them, awhat He explained on the way to Emmaus, and core references that have been passed down to us through the writings of the apostles themselves, as WITNESSES. ] 

 “You are witnesses of these things.And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” 

—— “Luke 24:36–49 (NASB95)

The Psalms speak of Jesus and His Ministry. 

The longest and shortest chapters in the Bible are Psalms. 

The shortest Psalm ( our text this week ) is also the —central chapter in the KJV Bible! 

And for an encore…..

Psalm 103:1-2 are the two middle verses of the KJV Bible, with 15,550 verses before them and 15,550 verses after them.The middle verses of the KJV Bible say this: “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits”.

? You can go crazy with counting permutations and combinations ( OT only, Hebrew OT only etc.. ) but we think the overall message is clear enough !!

And these are songs which were once sung to music!! …. [ Some communions use Psalm 103 as a benediction, you may have sung or recited it ..] and last week you will remember we were admonished by the Apostle Paul to let the —Word of Christ— dwell in us richly … in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs… singing and making MELODY in our heart to God…

So we will close with a psalm, read it through, you will see what the Lord was talking about, and you may even find a familiar song from your childhood in there …..

Psalm 118:1–29 (KJV): 

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 

Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that -fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 

 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 

Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. 

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 

 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 

—The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 

 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 

God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the —sacrifice with cords, even unto the —horns of the —altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. “

Hallelujah!!!!!!