Psalm 118:5
When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
He brought me into a spacious place.
Psalm 119:45
I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.
These two verses seem to convey two different sentiments, although they are related. The first speaks to me with the choice of the words “spacious place.” We need not be closed in and trapped by fear or anxiety when we can call on God. The second verse is part of a description of the freedom that comes from following God and his law. We don’t focus much on “laws” in our Christian faith, but God’s commandments are clear to us, and form the backbone of our moral beings. When we know where we are going, we are free to look around and enjoy our journey.
Holy Lord, you are here, now, and always. You have given me the gift of freedom, knowing you always are with me, and are providing a path. I need not be trapped by fear or anxiety. Help me to seek you and call on you, as you have encouraged me to do. Amen
Becky, transforming
Psalm 119:45 and Psalm 118:5
As a parent and former teacher I understand that rules (commandments) offer us freedom. With them we know how to behave, learn, and understand. Not obeying God’s commandments leads to sin, worry, guilt, and a less than peaceful life.
Prayer: Gracious God help people understand that your commandments are not to fence people in but to set them free. Amen
Freedom
May 29th, 2024
Psalm 118:5
In my anguish I called to the Lord; and he answered by setting me free.
Psalm 119:45
And I shall walk about in freedom for I have sought out your precepts.
Many times in my lifetime, I have cried out to God, for so many issues that were happening. I never thought he loved me, because I never received any answers. Now that I am older I have learned In order to know God and what to expect from him I need to know his word, because they are both one. It is not possible for God to say one thing and do another. That when we break free from deep hurts they don’t jus…
Psalm 118:5/Psalm 119:45
As I read these verses, I get the sense that can complement one another even though they are from different psalms. It would be interesting to know how close in time the two were composed. In the first, the writer turned the troubles that oppress over to God, who freed him into “a spacious place.” In the second, he acknowledges that obedience to God is the source of the freedom he enjoys. So it is with us today. The choice remains clear - slave to sin or freedom in Christ. Satan will continue to deceive and cloak sin in the perception of pleasure, power or control, but those perceptions eventually enslave in a cycle of sin that…