Can You Believe It?

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. —Psalm 12:9-11

DAVID ends this psalm with praise, expressing his gladness for God’s salva- tion, His faithfulness, and His kindness. This psalm also contains one of the great Messianic verses, establishing for us why there is hope! David says that God’s Holy One will not undergo the decay of His flesh in the grave (v.10).

Flash forward to the New Testament book of John. In chapter 11, Jesus has come to the home of Martha and Mary, sorrowing with them over the death of their brother Lazarus. We read in verse 38: “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said . . . ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. . . .’” Jesus did return life to Lazarus’s body, but it had already begun the natural process of decay and would need to be restored by the Lord.

Jesus’ human body did not go through that decay process, even in the grave, just as the Lord had promised. To believe that Jesus conquered death for all of us is one more factor in proving our own godliness.

Summing up the lessons of these last three days in Psalm 12, when we truly believe all that has been revealed here, what are the wonderful results?

  1. We will willingly submit to God as our Lord and Master.
  2. We will have a love for the things and people of God.
  3. We will live by faith in God, no matter what life brings.

Life has its problems, but the source of our hope and joy is that we, too, will rise one day to immortal incorruptibility and forever be with the Lord! God has shown us the path of life through Jesus Christ, and at the end of that path, we, through faith and trust in God, await fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore! Let’s go out today with that promise in our hearts.

Excerpt from “Beside Still Waters” now available on Amazon.

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BARRY STAGNER