NEVER GIVE UP HOPE –

As in the preceding psalm, the writer of this Hallelujah Hymn uses David’s benediction in 1 Chronicles 15:36; along with parts of Daniel’s prayer where he appeals to God’s steadfast love for forgiveness and deliverance (Dan. 9:4-19); as well as wording from the Levite Prayer after they returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 9:5-37). His focus was on confession and making things right with God. For him, most of man’s distress stems from willful sinning and hardheadedness. However, he compares that to the remarkable patience and forgiveness of a compassionate and understanding God. His great faith and hope was for a day when it would all be over and we would be together forever with the one who loved us and came to get us when no one else would, or could.

“Hallelujah! Let us thank the LORD Eternal, for He is good and His undying love lasts forever. Can anyone count all the great things He’s done for us, or give Him enough praise for doing them? Count your blessings when you follow His Word and treat others fairly in every situation. So I ask, O LORD Eternal, include me when You shower blessings on Your people. And don’t forget me when You come to bring deliverance, so I can experience what You have prepared for Your chosen and share in the joy Your people will experience as they celebrate being part of Your family. At one time all of us fell short of Your expectations, just like our ancestors did; yes, we’re all guilty of making mistakes and doing things unpleasing to You. But we await Your arrival, O LORD Eternal, our God above all gods, to gather us up out from among unbelievers, so we can worship You for who You are, and join together in jubilant praise to You. Even now we lift You up in praise, O LORD Eternal, the believer’s God above all gods; the same yesterday, today and forever. So let everyone say, ‘Amen!’ O Hallelujah!” Psalm 106:1-6, 47-48

Reflection: Two American boys grew up in the same small mid-western town; went to school together; played sports on the same teams; went on double-dates together, thereby becoming inseparable friends. When they joined the Army during the Korean Conflict they insisted on being in the same unit; on the same squad. They ended up in Korea assigned to the same reconnaissance platoon. One night they both were sent out to check on enemy positions. But when all the scouts in their squad began to straggle back in, after enduring gunfire and explosions, one of these two boys noticed that his life-long buddy did not return. He insisted on going out to find him, but his commanding officer forbade it. But that didn’t stop him, he snuck out anyway. After crawling for hundreds of yards toward enemy lines, he heard a familiar groan. He quickly went in the director of the sound and found his best friend lying in a pool of blood, his body mangled by a mortar shell. As he rolled him over, his long-time friend looked straight into his eyes, and then whispered something before he died. The GI brought his pal back into camp slumped over his shoulders. Right away the sergeant started chewing him out for disobeying the Captain’s orders. The boy calmly looked back at the Non-commissioned officer, and speaking slowly as tears streamed down his face, “Sorry Sarge, but when I got to him and rolled him over, right before he died he told me that he knew, if anybody would come back to find him it would be me. So do whatever you want, I just couldn’t let my buddy down.” The Psalmist says much the same thing about his God. No doubt if the lyrics of Squire Parson’s touching song about God’s love were available to him back then, we might hear the psalmist begin singing, “He came to me, O, He came to me. When I could not come to where He was, He came to me.” To anyone feeling somewhat isolated, maybe even lost in their despair, there’s no need to panic. Take the psalmist and this soldier boy at their word, when you cannot get to where Jesus is, He will surely come to where you are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MsgOvfccu0