May all kings bow down to our king. May all nations serve him. ” In this psalm of King David, he sings about King Solomon, and how all should "bow down" to him, and that "all nations [would] serve him." None of this is surprising, as one would expect a king's subjects to "bow down" to him, and one might even assume that other nations that respect the king would serve and revere him as well.
However, as with a number of other Davidic psalms, this one is considered "messianic"-meaning, it speaks of events during the life of David, but it also prophetically looks forward to a time when the Messiah would come. In this case, King Solomon typified Christ, and it was too Christ that all would "bow down" and of whom "all nations [would] serve." Truly, Jesus is the "King of kings" and the "Lord of lords."
For you and me, however, this messianic psalm invites us to do some introspection. Of course, as the Apostle Paul pointed out, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." (Romans 14:11) So, you and I can expect to kneel before the Lord at the judgement day, and be required to "confess" our sins, our measure of repentance, and even our failings. However, this inspired psalm also calls upon each of us to ask ourselves to what degree we are "bowing" before or submitting to the Lord here and now! To what degree are our lives about "serving Him" and building His kingdom, as opposed to serving ourselves and building up our own kingdoms? That future day of "bowing" and "confessing" will go much better for each of us if here and now we are "submissive" to and "serving" of Him as part of our day-to-day lives. If Jesus is our king here, we will be blessed to dwell with Him for eternity there. Indeed, there is no other way that will can gain eternal life in His presence.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
