Dawn's Devotions- The Hallel Psalms

 " The Hallel Psalms. "

First, I would like you to imagine the scene in the upper room.
Jesus was gathered with His disciples to celebrate the Passover, and His final meal with them until after the resurrection.
The disciples were probably aware that they were part of living history, but they didn't know how.
I doubt that any of them understood the deep significance of this last supper and what was about to take place.

As part of the passover celebrations they would have sung or chanted the Hallel Psalms.
The Hallel or Hallelujah psalms are songs of praise, they are sung at celebrations of great joy.
The Hallel Psalms are Psalms 113- 118
They begin, and end with a call to praise God.

On the first evening of the passover the Israelites would have sung the,
" Great Hallel, " Psalms 118 - 136.

During the Seder/Passover  meal between the 2nd and the 4th cups, these songs of remembrance would be recited.
I recently discovered that word,  Jew comes from the Hebrew " Yehudi, "which means; " Praiser. "

The first Hallel is thought to have been sung when the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea.
They had left the land of slavery behind and were now a redeemed people.
The Hallel is sung in praise and remembrance of God for all that He has done.

The bible reminds us to remember 250 times!

In Exodus 12 God exhorts the Israelites to remember the " Passover, " and keep it, as a lasting ordinance 3 times.

During Passover the Israelites would have remembered the 4 promises of God,
in Exodus Chapter 6.

These four promises correspond to the four cups of the Passover meal.

The first cup, is the cup of sanctification. God says, "I will bring you out!"

The second cup, is the cup of deliverance. God says, " I will free you from being slaves to them! "

The third cup is the cup of redemption. God says, " I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. "

The fourth cup is the cup of Praise. God says, " I  will take you as my own people and I will be your God. "

I heard once, that the whole of the bible, from Genesis to Revelation, could be summarised in one sentence,

" God gets His family back! "

As Jesus, raised the 2nd cup, He would have recited Psalms 113 and 114.

Psalm 113, calls for everyone to praise the Lord, from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
Why? Because God is good! He lifts the needy and seats them beside Him as princes in His royal family!

In Psalm 114,  Nature joins in with the symphony of praise.
 Nature bears witness to the glory of our glorious God!
The Red Sea parted and the Jordan fled! Nature rejoices as the Israelites enter the promised land! ( See also Joshua 3)

Jesus may well have taken the 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, to establish the new covenant.
Establishing forever the Last Supper, which began as a Passover meal.
Matthew 26 v 17-30

After the 4th cup, Jesus and His disciples would have recited Psalms 115 - 118.

In Psalm 115, The people ask, " Where is your God? " " Our God is in heaven! "
Their God could not be seen!
They did not put their trust in idols, but in an unseen God.
Jesus would soon face the same taunts, " Where is your God? "
(Matthew 27 v 43.)

This psalm tells us to, " Trust in God! " The simplest and yet the  hardest thing to do!
Every step from the Exodus to the Promised Land was a step of faith.

God calls us to live by faith!

I can hardly imagine, how Jesus would have felt reciting Psalm 116.

Did it spur Him on and give Him courage? 

Or did His heart begin to break?

The psalms do not shy away from showing despair!

40% of the Psalms are laments!
Even for believers, there are dark times, between the past and the promise!

My favourite line is right  in the middle. I often say it to remind myself, when I am overwhelmed with negative thoughts.

" Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. "

It is as though, the psalmist, in the midst of his gloom, pauses to remember, the Lord has been so good!
I too, remember the goodness of God.
So often we have to shift our focus from the problem to our great big, faithful, problem solving God!

Psalm 117, Should be our anthem, as missionaries, to see the nations' praise the Lord!
 To see His name glorified in every tongue, in every tribe, all over the world.

Psalm 118,  would have been the final hymn of praise for Jesus and His disciples after the Passover meal.
This is likely to be the psalm they sung before leaving to go to the Mount of Olives.
See  also, Matthew 26 v 30 and Mark 14 v 26.
Ending the meal Jesus would have lifted His hands and said,

" You are my God, and I will praise you!

You are my God,  and an will exalt you!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

His love ensures forever. "

Jesus was about to demonstrate just how great and deep is the Fathers love!
After the meal, Jesus would go out and face an enemy far greater than Pharoah.

" The stone the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone.
The Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes! "

I recently heard that the place where Jesus was crucified,  was possibly a disused stone quarry!

I have also read, that there is a 5th cup and this is the cup of God's wrath!
The cup that Jesus begged to be taken from Him, in the Garden of Gethsemane!

Psalm 118 is quoted 35 times in th New Testament.

It is quoted so many times, so that we remember, so that we see the beautiful synchronicity of the scriptures and the beauty of our glorious God.

Let us read the Hallel Psalms and remember!

Let us Praise God with exuberant joy!

Giving thanks to the Lord for He is good,

His love endures forever!