Gus Cameron

8 February 2025

Leviticus 7:11-38

Gus Cameron

8 February 2025

Today we are reading the final instructions in this long section about the five types of sacrifice required under the old covenant.

11 Now this is the law of the peace offering that one may present to the LORD: 12 If he offers it in thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil.
13 Along with his peace offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of leavened bread. 14 From the cakes he must present one portion of each offering as a contribution to the LORD. It belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering. 15 The meat of the sacrifice of his peace offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day he offers it; none of it may be left until morning.
16 If, however, the sacrifice he offers is a vow or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, but the remainder may be eaten on the next day. 17 But any meat of the sacrifice remaining until the third day must be burned up. 18 If any of the meat from his peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presented it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.
19 Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it. 20 But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. 21 If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”
22 Then the LORD said to Moses, 23 “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘You are not to eat any of the fat of an ox, a sheep, or a goat. 24 The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
25 If anyone eats the fat of an animal from which an offering made by fire may be presented to the LORD, the one who eats it must be cut off from his people. 26 You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal in any of your dwellings. 27 If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people.’”
28 Then the LORD said to Moses, 29 “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Anyone who presents a peace offering to the LORD must bring it as his sacrifice to the LORD. 30 With his own hands he is to bring the offerings made by fire to the LORD; he shall bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast as a wave offering before the LORD.
31 The priest is to burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons. 32 And you are to give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from your peace offering. 33 The son of Aaron who presents the blood and fat of the peace offering shall have the right thigh as a portion.
34 I have taken from the sons of Israel the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as a permanent portion from the sons of Israel.’”
35 This is the portion of the offerings made by fire to the LORD for Aaron and his sons since the day they were presented to serve the LORD as priests. 36 On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded that this be given them by the sons of Israel. It is a permanent portion for the generations to come.
37 This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the peace offering, 38 which the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the day He commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai.

REFLECTIONS

All the sacrifices were necessary because of what sin has done in making us unclean and guilty before God. But not all the sacrifices focused on sin. I love the emphasis on offering a “sacrifice of thanksgiving” in verses 11-15. That’s where Jesus’ death on the cross leads us. He has completely dealt with the consequences of our sin. The only sacrifice left for us to offer is the one the writer of Hebrews talks about, after he describes Jesus’ suffering for our sin to make us holy: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Gus Cameron

7 February 2025

Leviticus 6:8-7:10

Gus Cameron

7 February 2025

So far, we have heard about how the Israelite people were to offer the five types of sacrifices at the tabernacle. But now God goes through all five again – more briefly – with specific instructions for the priests, who were from Aaron’s line.

LEVITICUS 6

8 Then the LORD said to Moses, 9 “Command Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth of the altar all night, until morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.
10 And the priest shall put on his linen robe and linen undergarments, and he shall remove from the altar the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed and place them beside it. 11 Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.
12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. 13 The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished.
14 Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar. 15 The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil, together with all the frankincense from the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
16 Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. 17 It must not be baked with leaven; I have assigned it as their portion of My offerings made by fire. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. 18 Any male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. This is a permanent portion from the offerings made by fire to the LORD for the generations to come. Anything that touches them will become holy.”
19 Then the LORD said to Moses, 20 “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour[A] as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. 21 It shall be prepared with oil on a griddle;[B] you are to bring it well-kneaded and present it as a grain offering broken[C] in pieces, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 22 The priest, who is one of Aaron’s sons and will be anointed to take his place, is to prepare it. As a permanent portion for the LORD, it must be burned completely. 23 Every grain offering for a priest shall be burned completely; it is not to be eaten.”
24 And the LORD said to Moses, 25 “Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD; it is most holy. 26 The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. 27 Anything that touches its flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in a holy place.
28 The clay pot in which the sin offering is boiled must be broken; if it is boiled in a bronze pot, the pot must be scoured and rinsed with water. 29 Any male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy. 30 But no sin offering may be eaten if its blood has been brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place; it must be burned.

LEVITICUS 7

1 “Now this is the law of the guilt offering, which is most holy: 2 The guilt offering must be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and the priest shall sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar. 3 And all the fat from it shall be offered: the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is to be removed with the kidneys. 5 The priest shall burn them on the altar as an offering made by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt offering. 6 Every male among the priests may eat of it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.
7 The guilt offering is like the sin offering; the same law applies to both. It belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it. 8 As for the priest who presents a burnt offering for anyone, the hide of that offering belongs to him. 9 Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in an oven or cooked in a pan or on a griddle belongs to the priest who presents it, 10 and every grain offering, whether dry or mixed with oil, belongs equally to all the sons of Aaron.

REFLECTIONS

I love the fact that the altar of the burnt offering had to be kept burning constantly, 24 x 7 every day of the year, as a “pleasing aroma to the LORD.” It reminds me that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross happened only once, but it is effective 24 x 7 x 365. It means God’s love for you never fades even for an instant.

Gus Cameron

6 February 2025

Leviticus 5:1-6:7

Gus Cameron

6 February 2025

Today we’ll finish the instructions for the sin offering, and then we’ll read about the final type of sacrifice: the guilt offering.

LEVITICUS 5

1 “If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.
2 Or if a person touches anything unclean—whether the carcass of any unclean wild animal or livestock or crawling creature—even if he is unaware of it, he is unclean and guilty.
3 Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything by which one becomes unclean—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.
4 Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
5 If someone incurs guilt in one of these ways, he must confess the sin he has committed, 6 and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.
7 If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. 8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it; 9 then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 10 And the priest must prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
11 But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. 12 He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the offerings made by fire to the LORD; it is a sin offering. 13 In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, 15 “If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering. 16 Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.
17 If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. 18 He is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the wrong he has committed in ignorance, and he will be forgiven. 19 It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty[D] before the LORD.”

LEVITICUS 6

1 And the LORD said to Moses, 2 “If someone sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit or security entrusted to him or stolen, or if he extorts his neighbor 3 or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit— 4 once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, 5 or anything else about which he has sworn falsely.
He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt. 6 Then he must bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock. 7 In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt.”

REFLECTIONS

In the last part of the passage, it’s clear that the Israelites were to seek to repent and fix up the wrongs they had committed against others. That reminded me of Zaccheaus in Luke 19, who didn’t just give back an extra fifth on top of everything he had stolen from others. When he met Jesus, he gave away half his possessions plus 4 times what he took! Jesus offers a forgiveness that is so much greater than under the law – and he also transforms us to a much greater and more joyful repentance.

Gus Cameron

5 February 2025

Leviticus 4

Gus Cameron

5 February 2025

So far, we have heard about 3 of the 5 types of sacrifices and offerings. Today we will read the first part of the instructions for the next type of sacrifice: the sin offering.

Leviticus 4

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
3 If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He must bring the bull to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the LORD. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the Tent of Meeting. 6 The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. 7 The priest must then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. And he is to pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 Then he shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox of the peace offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and legs and its entrails and dung— 12 all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he must burn it on a wood fire on the ash heap.
13 Now if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly so that they violate any of the LORD’s commandments and incur guilt by doing what is forbidden, 14 when they become aware of the sin they have committed, then the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting. 15 The elders of the congregation are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and it shall be slaughtered before the LORD. 16 Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the bull’s blood into the Tent of Meeting, 17 and he is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil. 18 He is also to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting, and he must pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 19 And he is to remove all the fat from it and burn it on the altar. 20 He shall offer this bull just as he did the bull for the sin offering; in this way the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven. 21 Then he is to take the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.
22 When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the commandments of the LORD his God, he incurs guilt. 23 When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished male goat as his offering. 24 He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering. 25 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 26 He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the peace offerings; thus the priest will make atonement for that man’s sin, and he will be forgiven.
27 And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt. 28 When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for that sin. 29 He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 30 Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
32 If, however, he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he must bring an unblemished female. 33 And he is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 34 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 35 And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the offerings made by fire to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

REFLECTIONS

The sin offering is where things are really getting serious in Leviticus, because this one is tackling the problem of sin head-on. But did you notice that in each case, it says that this will atone for sins committed unintentionally? That really hit home to me today. If this was the cost and burden of dealing with unintentional sins, imagine the cost Jesus paid to deal with all our sins, even the intentional ones? Give him thanks now.

Gus Cameron

4 February 2025

Leviticus 2-3

Gus Cameron

4 February 2025

Yesterday we began reading the book of Leviticus. Chapter 1-7 are about the five different types of sacrifices and offerings that were constantly being offered at the tabernacle. Chapter 1 covered burnt offerings. Today we will read chapters 2 and 3, which give instructions for how the Israelites were to go about the next two types of sacrifices: grain offerings and peace offerings.

LEVITICUS 2

1 “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it, 2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 3 The remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the LORD.
4 Now if you bring an offering of grain baked in an oven, it must consist of fine flour, either unleavened cakes mixed with oil or unleavened wafers coated with oil.
5 If your offering is a grain offering prepared on a griddle, it must be unleavened bread made of fine flour mixed with oil. 6 Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
7 If your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it must consist of fine flour with oil.
8 When you bring to the LORD the grain offering made in any of these ways, it is to be presented to the priest, and he shall take it to the altar. 9 The priest is to remove the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 10 But the remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the LORD.
11 No grain offering that you present to the LORD may be made with leaven, for you are not to burn any leaven or honey as an offering made by fire to the LORD. 12 You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to each of your offerings.
14 If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer crushed heads of new grain roasted on the fire. 15 And you are to put oil and frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall then burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all its frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the LORD.

LEVITICUS 3

1 “If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD. 2 He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.
3 From the peace offering he is to bring an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
6 If, however, one’s peace offering to the LORD is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish.
7 If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he must present it before the LORD. 8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
9 And from the peace offering he shall bring an offering made by fire to the LORD consisting of its fat: the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 11 Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
12 If one’s offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD. 13 He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
14 And from his offering he shall present an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 16 Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.
17 This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”

REFLECTIONS

The thing that stood out to me today was the repeated phrase: “a pleasing aroma to the LORD.” The system of sacrifices meant that these symbolic offerings were delightful to God, like a beautiful aroma. In John’s vision of heaven in Revelation 5, he tells us that because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, the thing that rises to God like a beautiful aroma is our prayers. Picture that now, and pray!

Gus Cameron

3 February 2025

Leviticus 1

Gus Cameron

3 February 2025

Explanation…

This month will be slightly different. We have just started a series on the book of Leviticus in our Sunday sermons. So for our February devotions, we will read all the way through Leviticus. The readings will be a bit longer than normal, so there won’t be much by way of reflections or comments – we’ll mostly just listen to the text and immerse ourselves in the world of the Bible.

We are also going to trial a different modern English translation, called the Berean Standard Bible (or BSB). It is a good-quality public domain translation, so we can use it without restrictions.

To set the scene for Leviticus: Israel is camped at Mount Sinai. In the book of Exodus, God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and brought them to Mount Sinai, the mountain of his holy and glorious presence. There, he made a covenant with them, that he would be their God and they would be his obedient people. He instructed Moses to build a special tent of meeting, or tabernacle, so that his presence would dwell in the midst of his people. At the end of the book, God’s glory filled the tabernacle – which sounds great, right?

But there was a huge problem. The people had shown that their hearts were sinful and rebellious. They broke the covenant about 5 seconds after it was made – and they were almost destroyed as a result.

So the problem is: Sin cannot survive in God’s holy presence. So how will Israel survive with God’s presence in their midst? That’s the question the book of Leviticus starts to answer – though the final answer only arrives with the coming of Jesus.

Leviticus 1
1 Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, you may bring as your offering an animal from the herd or the flock.
3 If one’s offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
5 And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 Next, he is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
7 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood on the altar. 9 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
10 If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male. 11 He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. 12 He is to cut the animal into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and fat, atop the burning wood that is on the altar. 13 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall bring all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
14 If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon. 15 Then the priest shall bring it to the altar, twist off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood should be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 And he is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing the bird completely. And the priest is to burn it on the altar atop the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Tomorrow we’ll continue with the next kind of burnt offering. For now, what were your reactions as you were reading it? Remember that all of this has to do with the drastic measures that have to be taken because of sin – and bring your reactions to God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Text

Gus Cameron

1 February 2025

Psalm 149-150

Gus Cameron

1 February 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

PSALM 149

1 Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song.
Praise him in the assembly of the godly.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator.
Let the people of Zion delight in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing.
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp.
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them.
5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication.
Let them shout for joy upon their beds.
6 May the praises of God be in their mouths
and a two-edged sword in their hands,
7 in order to take revenge on the nations
and punish foreigners.
8 The godly bind their enemies’ kings in chains
and their nobles in iron shackles,
9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies have been sentenced.
All his loyal followers will be vindicated.
Praise the LORD.

PSALM 150

150 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength!
2 Praise him for his mighty acts;
praise him for his surpassing greatness!
3 Praise him with the blast of the horn;
praise him with the lyre and the harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing;
praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!
5 Praise him with loud cymbals;
praise him with clanging cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

31 January 2025

Psalm 148

Gus Cameron

31 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the sky.
Praise him in the heavens.
2 Praise him, all his angels.
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly.
3 Praise him, O sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shiny stars.
4 Praise him, O highest heaven
and you waters above the sky.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
6 He established them so they would endure;
he issued a decree that will not be revoked.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds,
O stormy wind that carries out his orders,
9 you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
10 you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
11 you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaders on the earth,
12 you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
14 He has made his people victorious
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise—
the Israelites, the people who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

30 January 2025

Psalm 147

Gus Cameron

30 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 Praise the LORD,
for it is good to sing praises to our God.
Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate.
2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem
and gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names all of them.
5 Our LORD is great and has awesome power;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The LORD lifts up the oppressed,
but knocks the wicked to the ground.
7 Offer to the LORD a song of thanks.
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds,
provides the earth with rain,
and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.
9 He gives food to the animals
and to the young ravens when they chirp.
10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,
nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.
11 The LORD takes delight in his faithful followers
and in those who wait for his loyal love.
12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem.
Praise your God, O Zion.
13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children within you.
14 He brings peace to your territory.
He abundantly provides for you the best grain.
15 He sends his command through the earth;
swiftly his order reaches its destination.
16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.
17 He throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?
18 He then orders it all to melt;
he breathes on it, and the water flows.
19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the LORD!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

29 January 2025

Psalm 146

Gus Cameron

29 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver.
4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground.
On that day their plans die.
5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God.
6 The one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful,
7 vindicates the oppressed,
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD releases the imprisoned.
8 The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD lifts up all who are bent over.
The LORD loves the godly.
9 The LORD protects the resident foreigner.
He lifts up the fatherless and the widow,
but he opposes the wicked.
10 The LORD rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come.
Praise the LORD!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

28 January 2025

Psalm 145

Gus Cameron

28 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A psalm of praise; by David.
1 I will extol you, my God, O King.
I will praise your name continually.
2 Every day I will praise you.
I will praise your name continually.
3 The LORD is great and certainly worthy of praise.
No one can fathom his greatness.
4 One generation will praise your deeds to another
and tell about your mighty acts.
5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor
and your amazing deeds.
6 They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts.
I will declare your great deeds.
7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness
and sing about your justice.
8 The LORD is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
9 The LORD is good to all
and has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works will give thanks to you, LORD.
Your loyal followers will praise you.
11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;
they will tell about your power,
12 so that mankind might acknowledge your mighty acts
and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
14 The LORD supports all who fall
and lifts up all who are bent over.
15 Everything looks to you in anticipation,
and you provide them with food on a regular basis.
16 You open your hand
and fill every living thing with the food it desires.
17 The LORD is just in all his actions
and exhibits love in all he does.
18 The LORD is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely.
19 He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers;
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
20 The LORD protects all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
21 My mouth will praise the LORD.
Let all who live praise his holy name forever.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

27 January 2025

Psalm 144

Gus Cameron

27 January 2025

A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

By David.
1 The LORD, my Protector, deserves praise—
the one who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for war,
2 who loves me and is my stronghold,
my refuge and my deliverer,
my shield and the one in whom I take shelter,
who makes nations submit to me.
3 O LORD, of what importance is the human race that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind that you should be concerned about them?
4 People are like a vapor,
their days like a shadow that disappears.
5 O LORD, make the sky sink and come down.
Touch the mountains and make them smolder.
6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter the enemy.
Shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach down from above.
Grab me and rescue me from the surging water,
from the power of foreigners
8 who speak lies
and make false promises.
9 O God, I will sing a new song to you.
Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
10 the one who delivers kings
and rescued David his servant from a deadly sword.
11 Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners
who speak lies
and make false promises.
12 Then our sons will be like plants,
that quickly grow to full size.
Our daughters will be like corner pillars,
carved like those in a palace.
13 Our storehouses will be full,
providing all kinds of food.
Our sheep will multiply by the thousands
and fill our pastures.
14 Our cattle will be weighted down with produce.
No one will break through our walls,
no one will be taken captive,
and there will be no terrified cries in our city squares.
15 How blessed are the people who experience these things.
How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

25 January 2025

Psalm 143

Gus Cameron

25 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A psalm of David.
1 O LORD, hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea for help.
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me.
2 Do not sit in judgment on your servant,
for no one alive is innocent before you.
3 Certainly my enemies chase me.
They smash me into the ground.
They force me to live in dark regions,
like those who have been dead for ages.
4 My strength leaves me;
I am absolutely shocked.
5 I recall the old days.
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments.
6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer;
my soul thirsts for you in a parched land.(Selah)
7 Answer me quickly, LORD.
My strength is fading.
Do not reject me,
or I will join those descending into the grave.
8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning,
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
because I long for you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD.
I run to you for protection.
10 Teach me to do what pleases you,
for you are my God.
May your kind presence
lead me into a level land.
11 O LORD, for the sake of your reputation, revive me.
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble.
12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies.
Annihilate all who threaten my life,
for I am your servant.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

24 January 2025

Psalm 141-142

Gus Cameron

24 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

PSALM 141

A psalm of David.
1 O LORD, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me.
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you.
2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
3 O LORD, place a guard on my mouth.
Protect the opening of my lips.
4 Do not let me have evil desires
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly.
I will not eat their delicacies.
5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me.
May my head not refuse choice oil.
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.
6 They will be thrown over the side of a cliff by their judges.
They will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 Surely I am looking to you, O Sovereign LORD.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger.
9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me
and the traps the evildoers have set.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I escape.

PSALM 142

A well-written song by David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.
1 To the LORD I cry out;
to the Lord I plead for mercy.
2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about my troubles.
3 Even when my strength leaves me,
you watch my footsteps.
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see.
No one cares about me.
I have nowhere to run;
no one is concerned about my life.
5 I cry out to you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security in the land of the living.”
6 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble.
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
7 Free me from prison
that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble,
for you will vindicate me.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

23 January 2025

Psalm 140

Gus Cameron

23 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the music director, a psalm of David.
1 O LORD, rescue me from wicked men.
Protect me from violent men,
2 who plan ways to harm me.
All day long they stir up conflict.
3 Their tongues wound like a serpent;
a viper’s venom is behind their lips. (Selah)
4 O LORD, shelter me from the power of the wicked.
Protect me from violent men,
who plan to knock me over.
5 Proud men hide a snare for me;
evil men spread a net by the path.
They set traps for me. (Selah)
6 I say to the LORD, “You are my God.”
O LORD, pay attention to my plea for mercy.
7 O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 O LORD, do not let the wicked have their way.
Do not allow their plan to succeed when they attack. (Selah)
9 As for the heads of those who surround me—
may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them.
10 May he rain down fiery coals upon them.
May he throw them into the fire.
From bottomless pits they will not escape.
11 A slanderer will not endure on the earth;
calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.
12 I know that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor.
13 Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name;
the morally upright will live in your presence.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

22 January 2025

Psalm 139

Gus Cameron

22 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the music director, a psalm of David.
1 O LORD, you examine me and know me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
even from far away you understand my motives.
3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest;
you are aware of everything I do.
4 Certainly my tongue does not frame a word
without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it.
5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;
you place your hand on me.
6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.
7 Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence?
8 If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there.
If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be.
9 If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn
and settle down on the other side of the sea,
10 even there your hand would guide me,
your right hand would grab hold of me.
11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me,
and the light will turn to night all around me,”
12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see,
and the night is as bright as day;
darkness and light are the same to you.
13 Certainly you made my mind and heart;
you wove me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing.
You knew me thoroughly;
15 my bones were not hidden from you,
when I was made in secret
and sewed together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb.
All the days ordained for me
were recorded in your scroll
before one of them came into existence.
17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God!
How vast is their sum total.
18 If I tried to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Even if I finished counting them,
I would still have to contend with you.
19 If only you would kill the wicked, O God!
Get away from me, you violent men!
20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully;
your enemies lie.
21 O LORD, do I not hate those who hate you
and despise those who oppose you?
22 I absolutely hate them;
they have become my enemies.
23 Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts.
Test me, and know my concerns.
24 See if there is any idolatrous way in me,
and lead me in the everlasting way.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

21 January 2025

Psalm 137-138

Gus Cameron

21 January 2025

Instead of asking you to think about the two usual questions, Stephen has written a reflection on today’s psalms.

PSALM 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon
we sit down and weep
when we remember Zion.
2 On the poplars in her midst
we hang our harps,
3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs;
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:
“Sing for us a song about Zion!”
4 How can we sing a song to the LORD
in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down,
right to its very foundation!”
8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated,
how blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us.
9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies
and smashes them on a rock.

PSALM 138

By David.
1 I will give you thanks with all my heart;
before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.
3 When I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me.
4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks to you, O LORD,
when they hear the words you speak.
5 Let them sing about the LORD’s deeds,
for the LORD’s splendor is magnificent.
6 Though the LORD is exalted, he looks after the lowly,
and from far away humbles the proud.
7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, you revive me.
You oppose my angry enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The LORD avenges me.
O LORD, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made.

REFLECTIONS

I’m sure you find Psalm 137 difficult and troubling to read. I do. But Psalm 137 is good for us, precisely because it is so confronting.

It’s not an excuse for Christians to hate their enemies (Jesus told us to love them). This is a song about Zion, the city of God, which represents God’s plan to redeem people from sin and death and bring them to his place of life and joy. In the Old Testament, Jerusalem symbolised that plan, but with Jesus we are now looking forward to the true, heavenly Zion – the eternal city where God will dwell with his people (Hebrews 12:22).

When the earthly Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, the pagan nations around responded with mocking glee and ruthless destruction. That is why the singer of this Psalm is so agitated. The Psalm is about people who stubbornly set themselves against God’s purposes to save people and to build his kingdom.

We were made to honour God. The heart of sin is to mock him and his gracious plan – and Psalm 137 tells us that mocking and reviling God is the greatest evil and corruption that there is. It deserves a judgment far worse than we appreciate.

But we also need to read this in the light of Jesus. That’s not because (like some people think) the Old Testament is about judgment and Jesus is about love. It’s because only Jesus is qualified to decide both judgment and salvation. Jesus is the one who, on the day of judgment, will say to some, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). But this same Jesus, as he hung dying on the cross, prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). I can’t untangle those things – I can only bow before Jesus, who can and who is worthy and qualified to judge the world.

I find it helpful to remember that every time we pray, “Your kingdom come,” we are praying both those things at once – and leaving God to do the untangling. We are praying for unbelieving rebels to turn to Jesus and enter God’s kingdom; and for those who refuse to the very end, we are praying for God’s kingdom to come in power, as he judges all evil and raises his people to life in his eternal city.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Come, Lord Jesus!

Gus Cameron

20 January 2025

Psalm 136

Gus Cameron

20 January 2025

A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures.
4 To the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures.
5 To the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures.
6 To the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures.
7 To the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
8 the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures.
10 To the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
11 and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures.
13 To the one who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his loyal love endures,
14 and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
15 and tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures.
16 To the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures.
17 To the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
18 and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
22 as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures.
23 To the one who remembered us when we were down,
for his loyal love endures,
24 and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures.
25 To the one who gives food to all living things,
for his loyal love endures.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

18 January 2025

Psalm 134-135

Gus Cameron

18 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

PSALM 134

A song of ascents.
1 Attention! Praise the LORD,
all you servants of the LORD
who serve in the LORD’s temple during the night.
2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.

PSALM 135

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the name of the LORD.
Offer praise, you servants of the LORD,
2 who serve in the LORD’s temple,
in the courts of the temple of our God.
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good.
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant.
4 Indeed, the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel to be his special possession.
5 Yes, I know the LORD is great,
and our LORD is superior to all gods.
6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
including both men and animals.
9 He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He defeated many nations,
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
13 O LORD, your name endures,
your reputation, O LORD, lasts.
14 For the LORD vindicates his people
and has compassion on his servants.
15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold;
they are man-made.
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe.
18 Those who make them will end up like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
19 O family of Israel, praise the LORD.
O family of Aaron, praise the LORD.
20 O family of Levi, praise the LORD.
You loyal followers of the LORD, praise the LORD.
21 The LORD deserves praise in Zion—
he who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Gus Cameron

17 January 2025

Psalm 132-133

Gus Cameron

17 January 2025

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

PSALM 132

A song of ascents.
1 O LORD, for David’s sake remember
all his strenuous effort
2 and how he made a vow to the LORD,
and swore an oath to the Powerful One of Jacob.
3 He said, “I will not enter my own home,
or get into my bed.
4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber,
5 until I find a place for the LORD,
a fine dwelling place for the Powerful One of Jacob.”
6 Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the territory of Jaar.
7 Let us go to his dwelling place.
Let us worship before his footstool.
8 Ascend, O LORD, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength.
9 May your priests be clothed with integrity.
May your loyal followers shout for joy.
10 For the sake of David, your servant,
do not reject your chosen king.
11 The LORD made a reliable promise to David;
he will not go back on his word.
He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the rules I teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
13 Certainly the LORD has chosen Zion;
he decided to make it his home.
14 He said, “This will be my resting place forever;
I will live here, for I have chosen it.
15 I will abundantly supply what she needs;
I will give her poor all the food they need.
16 I will protect her priests,
and her godly people will shout exuberantly.
17 There I will make David strong;
I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.
18 I will humiliate his enemies,
and his crown will shine.”

PSALM 133

A song of ascents; by David.
1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers truly live in unity.
2 It is like fine oil poured on the head,
which flows down the beard—
Aaron’s beard,
and then flows down his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which flows down upon the hills of Zion.
Indeed, that is where the LORD has decreed
a blessing will be available—eternal life.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.