Psalm 145:4–21
4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The LORD is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.]
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
(ESV)
Look to the Lord
Every day we find ourselves caught up in “mini-salvation stories.” We wake up looking for something to cover our shame, free our guilt, heal our pain, or provide us with the life we are longing for. We look to climb the corporate ladder or receive the praise of our boss to validate our worth. We look to relationships and demand they fill the emptiness inside. We look to the entertainment industry to escape the pain and trouble of this world. From innocuous binging on Netflix to destructive binging on alcohol, the story of our days is a search for salvation.
But the joy and miracle of the Advent season is that salvation has come to us. Our longings to be known, to be freed from shame, and to be taken care of have all been met in the person of Jesus Christ. All of our mini-salvation stories are swallowed up by the one true story. And more than looking for something to heal us, we have someone who has come near to save us. This is the good news of Christmas.
Look at the list of things Psalm 145 says about all who look to the Lord. They will be provided for, satisfied, and near to the Lord. Their desires will be fulfilled, their cries will be heard and their lives will be preserved. The salvation we wake up looking for isn’t found in our work, our relationships, or the media. It is found by looking to Him (v. 15), calling on Him (v. 18), and praising Him (v. 21).
The psalmist emphasizes how vast and complete the scope of the Lord’s work is. The word “all” is used ten times in just these eight verses. The Lord upholds all who are falling (v. 14), He satisfies every living thing (v. 16), and He preserves all who love Him (v. 20). Praise God this Advent season that we are not the individual authors of our “mini-salvation stories.” There is One Story and One Lord over all and He has sent His Son to come near to us, bringing salvation to all who will look to Him.
Malissa Mackey