THE TIME SEQUENCE BIBLE
1095 Devotional “Trips”!
Rix W. Tillman, D. Min
Reading assignment: __Psalm 132 __Psalm 134 __Psalm 137 __Psalm 146 through Psalm 147
Focal verse(s): Psalm 146:9: “The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
Psalm 134 is only three verses long and seems to have been sung at a group of evening meetings held during the Feast of Tabernacles. This Psalm was sung responsively between priest and congregation, leading the people to raise their hands in adoration of God. The 137th Psalm is a Psalm of mourning for those Jews who were not in their homeland, reflecting upon the period of captivity for the Israelites. Psalms 146 through 150 are five hallelujah Psalms which conclude the book of Psalms. All five begin and end with the phrase “Praise ye the Lord”. Psalm 146 praises God for his magnitude and marvelous grace. The 147th Psalm praises the Lord for His capacity to support all creation as well as for His healing powers to the sick. In 1873 a group of women at Hillsboro, Ohio met and prayed and then read the 146th Psalm. Then they prayed and pleaded with the saloon keepers to give up their business. Church bells rang simultaneously with the crusade of prayer and persuasion. On the second day one saloon keeper capitulated. He gave his entire stock to the women saying, “Do as you please with it.” At the end of eight days, every one of the 11 saloons in the town closed. The brewers of Cincinnati offered $5,000 reward to anyone who would break up the movement. One usually courageous male tried to do so, but threw up his hands and surrendered to the women after four days. This crusade of prayer and persuasion led to the formation in 1874 of “The Women’s Christian Temperance Union.” These Psalms remind this writer of the little praise chorus which says, “Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah, praise ye the Lord!” (Source unknown) If you know it, pause now and sing it to God. If you do not, sing the chorus of “0 Come All Ye Faithful” (0 come let us adore him …).
Chrono Bible Devotions 