October 31, 2018 - - Psalm 149:4 - - vivified and beautified

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Psalm 149:4 NKJV

A couple of the reasons to bring praises to God is given here in our text this day.

~The LORD--when His Name is all in capitals it emphasizes He is the covenant-keeping God of our salvation. He is faithful even when His people falter and stumble.

~Can you imagine it--the LORD taking pleasure in you? in me? When we truly realize He takes pleasure in us, we, the beloved strive to live up the way in which the lover sees us. As the bride of Christ, in Whom Christ delights, we long to live up to His love and joy in us.

~For the record, I hate Halloween. Men and women, teens and children, often dress us in the most disfiguring and disgusting costumes. It feels to me as if they are parading their own inner darkness. Here we are promised that the LORD will beautify us, those humble enough to walk with Him, will be made beautiful with His salvation.

~We are no longer hell-bound, dead men walking, but we are changed to heaven-bound, living representatives of Jesus Christ who are beautiful in His sight.

~A man, who in the eyes of the world, is not chiseled and handsome radiates the beauty of Christ. A woman who is not considered lovely or attractive is suddenly compelling because of the Spirit of the Lord Who is within. We are drawn to one another because of the beauty of Christ in us.

Who am I, O LORD of Glory, that You should condescend to look at me? Yet You have lifted me from the ash-heap and given me Your Name. You have made me Your child. You have taken the rags of my sins and the stench of death from me and in Christ have vivified me and clothed me with beauty. Great are You my God and my King. Praise the LORD! Let His praise be sounded in the assembly and in the streets, in the places of work and in the homes of His people. Praise the LORD: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Amen.

(vivified: brought to life, animated)