Psalm 98:1
Three short words, spoken the day Jesus rose from the dead, should have tremendous significance for us today. The angel said to the women who came to Jesus' open tomb, "Fear not ye." The soldiers appointed to watch the tomb were so frightened when the angel appeared, that they fell to the ground as if they were dead men. And they had reason for fear. The women, however, because they were of Christ's sheep, had reason to sing (PRC Psalter):
Come, let us sing before the Lord
New songs of praise with sweet accord;
For wonders great by Him are done,
His mighty arm has vict'ry won.
And the angel had told them this as well, for he said, "He is not here. He is risen as He said." The psalmist had stated this prophetically in Psalm 98:1 with these words, "O sing unto the Lord a new song: for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory." Yes, it was a victory over sin and death.
When sin is conquered, death is destroyed! When guilt is gone, punishment vanishes into thin air. And Christ, as God's holy arm, removed that guilt by His death. Christ, as God's right hand, had broken the shackles of death and the grave, because our sins were paid for in full. What a victory! What a day to remember with songs of praise to God!
As Paul wrote in Romans 4:25, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised for our justification." And the word "for" means "because of" or "on account of," so that it was on account of our justification that He was raised. He was not raised in order to justify us, but because He had done so.
The world has its Easter rabbits and Easter eggs which have nothing to do with the removal of sin. They in no way even suggest this marvelous work of God accomplished through the cross of His Son. They sing the old song of sin that Satan gave them to sing, turning their thoughts away from Christ and His cross.
Fear not ye, but sing this new song of a glorious victory over sin.
Read: Matthew 28:1-10
Psalter versification: #264:1
Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #207
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Deuteronomy 23; Deuteronomy 24; Deuteronomy 25
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14
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Quote for Reflection:
What a high relationship is that of a son to his father! What privileges a son has from his father! What liberties a son may take with his father! and oh! what obedience the son owes to his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ. "Behold!" ye angels! stop, ye seraphs! here is a thing more wonderful than heaven with its walls of jasper. Behold, universe! open thine eyes, O world. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
Additional Info
- Date: 3-April
