<< Psalm 135 >>
New American Standard Bible

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2You who stand in the house of the LORD,
         In the courts of the house of our God!

3Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
         Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

4For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
         Israel for His own possession.

5For I know that the LORD is great
         And that our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatever the LORD pleases, He does,
         In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.

7He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
         Who makes lightnings for the rain,
         Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

8He smote the firstborn of Egypt,
         Both of man and beast.

9He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,
         Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.

10He smote many nations
         And slew mighty kings,

11Sihon, king of the Amorites,
         And Og, king of Bashan,
         And all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12And He gave their land as a heritage,
         A heritage to Israel His people.

13Your name, O LORD, is everlasting,
         Your remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations.

14For the LORD will judge His people
         And will have compassion on His servants.

15The idols of the nations are but silver and gold,
         The work of man’s hands.

16They have mouths, but they do not speak;
         They have eyes, but they do not see;

17They have ears, but they do not hear,
         Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.

18Those who make them will be like them,
Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19O house of Israel, bless the LORD;
         O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;

20O house of Levi, bless the LORD;
         You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD.

21Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
         Who dwells in Jerusalem.
         Praise the LORD!

Talking about the house of the Lord.

Talking about the house of Israel.

Talking about those who stand in the house of the Lord,

And the praise, blessing, and reverence that they are to sing out!

The house of the Lord is a place of protection.

It is a place of heritage and remembrance.

He provides it for His children- for those He has called-

for those who call upon His Name- for His servants.

Next week, my husband and I are traveling to Meredith’s house

in Chincoteague.  We are going to work- but it is a welcoming

place and we are blessed even as we work.

Thinking about the long drive and the work ahead is not

daunting, because we are accomplishing a work of love.

And it is a time of communion for us- a time just for the

two of us to talk and work together.

It is good.

And last week Aidan and I put together a gingerbread house.

While we were working I told him a careful story of Hansel and Gretel.

There were no scary witches  to worry about.  He’s not even three

yet, so we talked about children leaving bread trails in the woods and finding

a wonderful house made of gingerbread and candy.  And how happy their parents

were to find them after looking all day.  And how their stomachs were too

full of candy so they were a little upset, but they felt so much better in their

own beds that night, safe and sound.

Because that is what we are looking for.  A house that is our home.

A place where we belong.  Where we are safe and sound.

The house of the Lord is that place.

We have come from unsafe situations in houses where there are

false gods.  We have lived amongst the “Egyptians” –looking for

safety and assurance in a place we don’t belong.  We lived in a land full

of idols- and are seeking a place with the one true God.

We  

“know that the LORD is great
         And that our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatever the LORD pleases, He does,
         In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”

Psalm 135 – there is no place like home- in the house of the Lord.