Bible Reading & Commentary for the Week December 20 – December 25, 2021

LynnBible Reading Guide

Monday, December 20, Psalm 44

  1. 22 — One of God’s answers in tribulation is this verse of Psalm 44 quoted by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 8:36. In the book of Acts, chapter 14, verse 22, Paul and Barnabas put it this way, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” While hardships depress the world, we Christians, during such times, have soaring hope.  God hasn’t forsaken us.  (Read Rom. 5:3-5 and 8:37-39)

 

Tuesday, December 21, Psalm 45

  1. 6-7 – We know this is a Psalm referring to Jesus. Verses 6-7 are quoted in Heb. 1:8,9. The author of Hebrews in that chapter is talking about Jesus.
  2. 10-12 – These beautiful verses describe the Christian church when we remember who the principle characters are. The King is Jesus. The daughter or bride is the church (Ephesians 5:25-27)
  3. 13-14 – The bride here led to the king, who is Jesus, is the Holy Christian Church. Compare this to II Cor. 11:2 and Eph. 5:22-27.

 

Wednesday, December 22, Psalm 46

  1. 1 – Martin Luther based his great Reformation hymn No. 200, “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” on this Psalm.
  2. 4 – The streams that make glad the city of God, the Christian Church, are the Gospel and Sacraments. That Word sustains our life here until we drink from the heavenly streams in eternity. Rev. 22:1-5.
  3. 8-11 – There are many examples of intervention by God on behalf of His body of believers in the Bible and throughout history. Luther himself and the Reformation movement experienced it.  No powerful human forces at that time which opposed the Reformation were able to prevent its growth and success.  Trusting in Jesus, we, too, need not fear because “the Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our Fortress.”(V. 11)

 

Thursday, December 23, Psalm 47

  1. 5 – A short, but beautiful Messianic Psalm. It’s a fitting one to read for Ascension Day. Verse 5 speaks of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven.  As with Christ’s resurrection, this again assures us that our salvation is absolutely complete and sure.

 

Friday, December 24, Psalm 48

  1. 1-2 – Originally Zion was one of the hills upon which Jerusalem was built. After the building of the temple on Mt. Moriah and the transfer of the Ark to the temple, the whole temple complex was called Zion. Mount Zion in the Psalm is very likely a reference to the Holy Christian Church. Rev. 14:1 and Hymn 1 v. 3 in Christian Worship use Zion in the same sense.  It is a kingdom established forever (v. 8).  Because God is her refuge, it is impregnable (v. 13).  We want to tell other people about her because only in Zion, the Holy Christian Church, do we find everlasting life. (vv. 12-14).

 

Saturday, December 25, Psalm 49

  1. 7-9 – As the Psalmist points out, there is no way we can save ourselves. All the good and money in the world won’t work. It can’t help us live forever and avoid the grave (v. 9). It, above all, can’t buy us eternal life. The New Testament confirms that.  Read Rom. 3:23 carefully.
  2. 15 – How are we saved eternally? God will redeem our souls. That God did through Jesus’ redemption (Eph. 1:7 and Rom. 3:24)