By the way we reckon time, it has been a month since my mom died from this life and entered the presence of Jesus. Her dear friend Lois has preceded her in death just three years earlier. Mon and Lois were both widowed and each other’s companion for many years. I came across a devotion I wrote just after the death of Lois based on Psalm 118, and decided to share it again today.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. 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. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off. They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

There is a lot of hope and comfort in there. I’d like to highlight a few of the promises we have from God in this psalm.

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.

Fear is natural when we think about death, when we think about life going on without a loved one with us any longer. It will be different. There will be tears. It will be lonely. But there will also be smiles and laughter as we remember. And even though that loved one is gone, God is not. He remains. He is constant. He is with us every step of the way, no matter what. To the very end of the age.

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation

We need strength in our lives. There are so many things going wrong all the time. There is always something “wrong” that causes stress and demands our attention. That is why you need to draw on the strength of the one who said He would never leave you or forsake you. You don’t have the power to face the problems that come your way. But God does, and He makes it available to you. That is why we sing His praises. eHe

God became your salvation by keeping His promise. He said He would provide the solution to our sin, our separation from Him, and He did that by coming down here Himself. When Jesus was born of Mary as one of us, He came for the expressed purpose of saving. He would live without sinning and offer His life of perfection on the altar of the cross as payment for the sins of the world. He declared His work accomplished as He died by proclaiming “It is finished.” He died and was buried. But wait, there’s more. He rose from death on the third day to share His victory over death with everyone who believes in Him. He has become our salvation.

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

Every believer needs this confidence: I will not die but live!  That is what Jesus did for the world. That means He did it for each of you. And that is too good to keep to yourself. We need to tell others what the Lord has done.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is true even when someone dies. The message of Easter does not change. Because He lives, we will live also. And this confidence we have in Jesus allows us to acknowledge that He is always in control, He is always with us, and He will one day welcome us into His presence in heaven.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.