privileged

“Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge! Selah

Psalm 50:5-6

Israel is a privileged people as evidenced by two things in this passage. First, they are privileged to be God’s covenant people. This unique relationship is sealed in the blood of sacrifices. They had a priesthood that offered sacrifices so that sin could be atoned and the nation could enter into relationship with God through the Law and sacrifices. As they obeyed in these matters, God blessed and kept them.

The second evidence of privilege is in God’s commitment to judge them, not necessarily in a punitive way, but in an evaluative way. The judge does not just condemn sin, but also rewards faithfulness to the covenant. By being a covenant people bought by the blood of sacrifice, the Israelites could confidently stand before the judge forgiven and upheld by His mercy. Grace could accompany judgment. Reward could attend their review.

O God Who is Judge of all,

I come to You only by the merits of Your Son. His sacrifice has forever atoned my sin, and You have called me to Yourself by faith in Jesus to now live privileged as Your child. This holy adoption into the family of God lets me know that I am free to follow Jesus in love. And He is the Judge of the living and the dead. He wishes to reward faithful servants who will follow Him. May I steward the grace of the gospel today, my Lord, for Your glory! May I live to one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Amen