Meditations on Ephesians 5:18-21

The First Exercise (continued): Psalms

 

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

 

So if Paul encourages us to be filled with the Holy Spirit by singing to each other, what shall we sing? The Psalms of the Bible were the songbook of the early Christians. They were quoted by Christ, Peter, Paul and even the devil!

The 118th Psalm has the distinction of being the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament and perhaps, after reading it today, you can understand why.

 

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

118 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

        Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

        Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

        Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

        Out of my distress I called on the Lord;

the Lord answered me and set me free.

        The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

        The Lord is on my side as my helper;

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

        It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in man.

        It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

10         All nations surrounded me;

in the name of the Lord I cut them off!

11         They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;

in the name of the Lord I cut them off!

12         They surrounded me like bees;

they went out like a fire among thorns;

in the name of the Lord I cut them off!

13         I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,

but the Lord helped me.

14         The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

15         Glad songs of salvation

are in the tents of the righteous:

“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,

16         the right hand of the Lord exalts,

the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

17         I shall not die, but I shall live,

and recount the deeds of the Lord.

18         The Lord has disciplined me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

19         Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the Lord.

20         This is the gate of the Lord;

the righteous shall enter through it.

21         I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

22         The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23         This is the Lord’s doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24         This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25         Save us, we pray, O Lord!

O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26         Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27         The Lord is God,

and he has made his light to shine upon us.

Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,

up to the horns of the altar!

28         You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God; I will extol you.

29         Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

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