Psalms – ​​The Journey to Easter: Part 1​ – Sermon – Pastor Marlee Page

The journey to Easter begins with a cry for deliverance. In Psalm 120, the psalmist laments his dwelling among those who hate peace. He longs for deliverance from deceitful tongues and lying lips. If you think specifically, that is precisely the state of Humanity as well when Jesus is sent to free us all from the bondage of sin. Listen to His words….

Luke 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, “

As we reflect on this psalm and its cry for deliverance, and then on what Jesus said about Himself we are reminded of our own need for deliverance from sin and brokenness. Just as the psalmist cried out to God for help, so too must we acknowledge our need for God’s intervention in our lives.

Acknowledge Our Need for Deliverance

As we prepare for Easter, and Church family, we should, each of us, be intentional about preparing our Hearts for the Easter Season, we would encourage you to reflect upon and then to acknowledge the places in our own lives where we need deliverance. This is a very special time, one that we can use confess our sins and shortcomings before God, knowing that He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, recognizing that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Psalm 121: The Assurance of God’s Protection

In Psalm 121, the psalmist declares his confidence in God’s protection. He affirms that his help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The psalmist acknowledges that God is the one who watches over him, neither slumbering nor sleeping.

Do you know that same confidence? Confidence like that can be life changing.

“… God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'”

(Hebrews 13:5-6)

Do you know how to tell if someone truly walks in the confidence of God’s protection? Those who walk in the confidence of God have the marks of contentment:  They live a life without covetousness,  they are satisfied with what they have,  and they experience the constant companionship and care of Almighty God. They live with the confidence that the Lord Jesus will never leave them nor forsake them.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews states a powerful truth,

“…What can man do to me.” (Hebrews 13:6)

According to God’s Word, all peoples throughout history stand in some relationship with God, whether living in rebellion and disbelief, or living in acceptance and faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Regardless of their ‘stance’ the truth is they are under God’s sovereign control. Therefore, the child of God who is walking in the center of God’s will need not fear any other person for all are under the power of the living God.

As you ponder this psalm, be both reminded and assured of God’s faithfulness and care for His people. Church family, you are His people!  Just as the pilgrims trusted in God’s protection on their journey to Jerusalem, so too can we trust in His provision as we journey toward Easter.

Psalm 124: Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance

The Psalmist is thanking God for the very deliverance he was crying out for earlier. Basically, what the Psalmist says here is that the battle against us is so great that

“If the Lord had not been on our side all our enemies would have swallowed us alive.  The waters would have completely swept over our soul. We would have been drowned by the flood of opposition. They would have torn us by their teeth. They would have trapped our soul like a bird.” 

How well equipped is our world today to make us feel these very same thoughts!! Despite considering the frightful reality of being swallowed alive, drowned by a flood of opposition, torn by our enemies’ teeth, this psalm is not a song of discouragement.  It is a song of praise!  It is a song of boastful confidence in the Lord!  **If the Lord HAD given us up, we would be destroyed. But (verse 6) he has NOT given us up, to our enemies, to be torn by their teeth!  And he never will!  So praise the Lord, bless the Lord! Exalt the Lord!

No matter how much you feel trapped in a bad situation, or torn up by sharp and painful attacks, the Lord has not given you up!  What if, this Psalm became YOUR personal song of praise!  Blessed be the Lord who has not given us up!!  What an encouraging thing to just say that!

Here’s something to really consider as you prepare for the Easter Season…at the closing of the book of the Old Testament, Malachi, God is silent for 400 years until John the Baptist appears on the scene saying “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” That’s the reason we are thankful, that rather than giving up on us, God sent His own Son into the world to deliver us from the greatest danger and adversity there is – ourselves.  As you contemplate the approaching season of Easter, prepare your hearts to offer Him heartfelt thanks and praise for His unfailing love and faithfulness. It’s that promise of unfailing love and a demonstrated faithfulness that fuels our Hope.

Psalm 130: Hope in God’s Forgiveness

Humans have to have Hope. But when the news of the day is filled with war and climate change and other disasters, remaining hopeful about the future can feel impossible. But psychologists’ research has found that hope is not an unrealistic luxury, but a necessity. Cultivating hope, researchers have found, can help buffer people against the stress and trauma of adversity and can prompt us all to work to do good in the world.

Ever wonder how that works??  
How can hope help people who are facing adversity and pain?  
What are the greatest sources of hope in people’s lives?  
Is hope always positive? Or can having unrealistic or naive hope ever cause problems?
All good questions and the answer is the same for each – In Jesus Christ, God sent us Hope!

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The world we live in today is full of people who conclude that God cannot be seen and therefore does not exist. The fault in that does not lie with God but with the barrier between them and Him, a barrier of darkness. God has always existed but that barrier must be lifted and only then can we truly understand the light of God’s glorious presence. And the Hope that His presence affirms.

In the psalmist’s case his sin created the barrier and all looked dark and dismal, but the stars were still shining. The right perspective will always show us that. When the darkness seems to be blotting out your view of God, hope is fading, and you cry to Him, remember the stars are still shining…and Hope is still there. Find hope in the assurance of God’s forgiveness and redemption.

Psalm 132: The Promise of God’s Presence

Look at verse 10 again:

“For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one.”

Psalm 132:10

This verse is also a part of Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple. In fact it is a condensation of the final two petitions in his prayer:

“O Lord God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant.”

2 Chronicles 6:42

Now in the immediate context then, “the anointed one” refers to the present king, in this case, Solomon himself, but in the context of the whole Bible, the anointed one is another word for the Messiah. The word “Messiah” actually means “anointed one.” And so this is a prayer not only not to reject the present king but also to fulfill the promise of the coming Messiah.

Notice that Solomon, or whoever the reigning king was, seeks God’s favor not on the basis of himself but “for the sake of David.” In a similar way we approach God not on our own basis, but through Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of David. And so here in the middle section of this psalm, we are reminded of God’s promise of the Messiah.

Now look at verses 13-14 where we find God’s promise to dwell with his people:

“For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling. This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.”

Psalm 132:13-14

These verses tell us that God has chosen Zion, the people of God, for his ultimate dwelling place. Zion here is not just the physical city of Jerusalem on Mount Zion, but in the whole scope of Scripture it refers also to the New Jerusalem and the heavenly Zion.

The Scriptures told us all along that we could never really build a house for God. Remember that little pillar Jacob built – a rock in the ground? That wasn’t much of a house for God. Then we come to David and Solomon and this magnificent temple, one of the most amazing structures ever built with cedar panels and overlaid with gold. It was a beautiful temple but compared to God’s majesty and glory, it was still on the same level as Jacob’s pillar, just a stone in the ground. Do you really think we can build a house for God? We read in Isaiah 66:1:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?’”

Isaiah 66:1

God doesn’t live in houses built by men (Acts 7:48), but he does come to live in and among his people.

First he came as Jesus who was God with us in the flesh. John 1:14 says:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

And so verses 13-14 of this psalm tell us of God’s promise to dwell with his people. God dwelt with us symbolically through the ark in the temple.  He dwelt with us physically through the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  He dwells with us spiritually today through the Holy Spirit and the church.  
He will dwell with us ultimately in the new heaven and the new earth.

Here might be one of the most important ways you can prepare yourself for the coming Easter Season – Long for the presence of God in your life.

Seek to dwell in intimate communion with Him, knowing that He delights to make His home in the hearts of His people.

Church family, as we journey toward Easter, may we heed the lessons of the Psalms of Ascent. They help us to acknowledge our need for deliverance and trust in God’s provision for our lives, and one of the most important promises He provides is His presence. As we do so, may our hearts be prepared to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with joy and thanksgiving. May the journey to Easter transform us, renewing our faith and deepening our relationship with God. Amen.