Thoughts & Devotions on Psalm 138
The 5th Sunday After Epiphany—C
Psalm 138
“It’s Just Another Ordinary Day.”
Oh Really??
Propers: 5th Sunday after Epiphany; Series C
Isa 6:1-8, 9-13
It was just another ordinary day for Isaiah. He went to the temple as he had always done before. Today, however, would be not “just another ordinary day” for him. God gave him a unique experience that changed his life from that day forward. God allowed Isaiah to experience and see God’s eternal council. It was real as he experienced it all with his five senses; he saw, he smelled, he heard, he felt, and he tasted the burning coal.
Rather than condemning Isaiah, like he thought would happen to him, Yhwh did what He always enjoys doing; He forgave Isaiah his sins and restored a sinner to the holiness he needed to be in the presence of the almighty and all-holy God. The LORD then commissioned Isaiah for His purpose. In his renewed life and spirit, Isaiah went out to do the LORD’s work.
1Cor 14:12-20
Paul challenged the Corinthian Christians to use their God-given gifts directed in the proper way. Rather than striving to see who was the best, or who belonged to what group in the congregation, Paul directed their attention and efforts to do things God’s way. Rather than doing things for their own purposes, Paul reminds them that they were to do things for God’s purpose since it was God who called them God who made them Saints in His eyes (1Corinthians 1:2), God who gave them their various gifts, and God who by His Holy Spirit dwelled among them and empowered them for service. “Are there any further questions?”, asks Paul. “If not, then excel in building up Christ’s Church.”
Luke 5:1-11
It was just another ordinary day for Peter and the other fishermen. They had come in from a long time of fishing catching nothing. They’re probably tired, pooped out, and frustrated.
Jesus is just in the beginning of His earthly ministry and He’s seeking helpers. Why not fishermen? Well, yes. They’re rough around the edges, but God uses some of the unlikely people to carry out His work.
Jesus tells Peter and the others to give it one more try, so at His word they do. Never have they ever witnessed, let alone experienced for themselves, something of this magnitude. Certainly, this Jesus is no ordinary mortal.
Like Isaiah, they realized they were in the presence of God. At that moment, like Isaiah, they realized that they were sinners who should not be in the presence of this Jesus. Nevertheless, this is why Jesus came to earth as one of us. He came to save sinners, restore them with His holy precious blood and His resurrection. And He came to commission and use broken sinners for His work for His Kingdom.
Collect: O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power. Amen.
826 Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying
1 Hark, the voice of Jesus crying,
“Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting—
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth;
Rich reward He offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying,
“Here am I, send me, send me”?
2 If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.
3 If you cannot be a watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Off’ring life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what God commands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophet’s hands.
4 Let none hear you idly saying,
“There is nothing I can do,”
While the multitudes are dying
And the Master calls for you.
Take the task He gives you gladly,
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me!”
Text: Public domain
Summary/Overview of Psalm 138
New window, fresh eyes
It was one of those occasions when a single experience opened up a whole new vista—on the nature of the Lord (1-3), the future of the world (4-6) and personal security (7-8). Of the experience itself we only know that prayer was answered in a way that gave David new vitality so that he wanted to sing the Lord’s praise into the face of every so–called ‘god’. He felt he knew the Lord as never before (2). He knew that no trouble or foe (7) could ever beat him or prevent the realisation of the Lord’s purpose (8).
Maybe it all happened in 2 Samuel 5:17-21 when the Philistines challenged David’s infant kingdom, and in answer to enquiring of the Lord, a signal victory was won and the ‘gods’ of Philistia became the litter of battle. Maybe, but it all arose simply through prayer and answered prayer. The place of prayer is the place where the Lord’s revelation of himself takes on new dimensions (2), the place of renewal (3), world–vision (4) and confidence in God (7-8).[1]
Overview: A sincere confession of sins means confession of all sins, not just a particular sin or one category of sin (JEROME). God-pleasing worship includes, among other things, an awareness that we are praising God in the presence of angels (BEDE). God directs his attention to those who are humble and lowly; the proud and mighty he knows only from a distance (AUGUSTINE). We must lift up our hearts only to God; to lift them up to anyone else is pride (CAESARIUS).[2]
[1] Motyer, J.A. The Psalms. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Edited by D. A Carson, R. T France, J. A. Motyer, and Gordon J. Wenham. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.3. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994. 577.
[2] Blaising, Craig A. and Carmen S. Hardin, eds., Psalms 51–150. ACCS 8. ICCS/Accordance electronic edition, version 2.6. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2007. 331.
Monday, February 10, 2025
Just Another Ordinary Day: Uhg or Wow!
Psalm 138:1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
“It’s just another day. Uhg!” “It’s just another day! Wow!” What’s your attitude when you wake up in the morning, especially a Monday morning when the work or school week is facing you? When Monday arrives it sure seems like a looooong road to Friday! How you awake can affect how you’re going to go through the day, or the week for that matter.
King David had a Wow! attitude in this Psalm. He knew how Yhwh had acted on his behalf in the past and in the present. With a bold approach David comes before Yhwh with a Wow! in his heart; before the gods I will sing your praise! Yhwh had been with him through thick and thin, and Yhwh promised to be there for David today and into the future.
Yet David also knew that he was in the presence of Yhwh. He knew that he really didn’t deserve to be there; I bow down toward Your holy temple. This is what happened to Isaiah when he actually witnessed Yhwh upon His throne and saw into the heavenly, eternal council. This is what happened to the fishermen in Luke 5 when they realized that this Jesus is no ordinary man.
In both cases, however, God acted in His grace and mercy. He restored Isaiah and used him for His purpose. Isaiah was ecstatic because of what Yhwh had done for him; Here am I! Send me! Every day after that was a far different just another day.
Your sins have been forgiven, which really means quite a lot when you truly consider your sins against the almighty, holy, and righteous God. This moves the Christian to humble boldness as we awake each day—even on Monday mornings.
Have an “it’s just another day! Wow!!” today.
729 I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus
2 I am trusting Thee for pardon;
At Thy feet I bow,
For Thy grace and tender mercy
Trusting now.
3 I am trusting Thee for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting Thee to make me holy
By Thy blood.
Text: Public domain
A Redeker Respite 