Humility To Praise Series

Remember that the Ark represents the presence of God among His people. Jesus is “God with us.” John says he “tabernacled among us” – God in the flesh.

11 – 12

In 2 Samuel 7 God promised that David’s throne would go on forever. We know this was a promise of the Messiah Jesus, who is descended from David. He will keep the covenant perfectly for all time, and give us that obedience in the form of life, purchased through His sacrifice on Calvary.

13 – 18

The Israelis thought Jerusalem would never fall. But it wasn’t about the city; it was about the God of the city. Jerusalem will be God’s home forever—but not just the physical Jerusalem in Palestine but the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven.

It will be a place of satisfaction, of grace, and of great joy!

The “horn” and “lamp” of verse 17 speak of the authority and permanence of the Messiah’s kingdom.

Anyone who comes against Him will be put to shame!

Psalm 133

By putting your trust in God’s Messiah you have God’s goodness but you also have something else: peace. Psalm 133 celebrates what happens when man is at peace with God – it starts rubbing off on our brothers and sisters.

1 – 3

Most feel that this psalm was written when Israel returned from Babylon—a time when there was no more division between the tribes of Israel.

This idea of unity was not uniformity. Unity is when different people live together in harmony despite their differences. We don’t all sing the same note but we all sing the same song—that of Jesus!

The psalmist describes the unity in terms of consecration and provision.

In Exodus 29:7 oil was to be poured on Aaron the High Priest’s head, but it didn’t stay there. It poured down his beard and onto his collar. So too does unity flow down from our head, Jesus, to the rest of the body of Christ.

Jesus said in John 17:22 “I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one.”

Unity is also spoken of as provision. Mt. Hermon is the highest peak in Israel at nearly 10,000 feet. Dew would fall on the dry ground at that height—a place of continual refreshment.

When we gather around Jesus, it becomes so refreshing compared to the squabbling that we see among the people around us.

John 13:34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

It’s all about Jesus!

Psalm 134

Psalm 134 finishes off the songs of ascent with the culmination of what we’ve seen in these last four psalms: realizing our sin, depending on God for salvation, looking to Jesus as the king, and looking to those around us in the body of Christ as our brothers.

Now, as the pilgrims have finished their journey to Jerusalem, all they can do is praise. Prayers were often given to God in the evening (vs 2).