Daily Lesson for Saturday 9th of March 2024

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Read for This Week’s Study

Psalms 84:1-12; Revelation 21:3; Psalms 122:1-9; Psalms 87:1-7; Galatians 3:28-29; Matthew 28:18-20; Psalms 46:1-11; Psalms 125:1-5.

Memory Text:

“My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalms 84:1-12:2, NKJV).

The songs of Zion are joyous hymns that magnify the beauty of Zion and the sovereignty of the Lord, who reigns from His holy mountain. These psalms often praise the merits of the Lord’s house and express a love for the sanctuary that can be found in other psalms, as well. Many of these psalms were composed by the sons of Korah, who had firsthand experience of the blessedness of the Lord’s house as the temple musicians (1 Chronicles 6:31-38) and keepers of the temple gates (1 Chronicles 9:19).

What makes Zion the source of hope and joy? Zion represented God’s living presence among His people. As the people of Israel are God’s chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6), so Zion is God’s chosen mountain (Psalms 78:68, Psalms 87:2). God reigns from Zion (Psalms 99:1-2) and founded His temple on Zion, as well (Psalms 87:1). Thus, Zion is a place of divine blessings and refuge. Zion is often referred to in parallel, or even interchangeably with, Jerusalem and the sanctuary, the center of God’s work of salvation for the ancient world.

The blessings of Zion overflow to the ends of the earth because the Lord’s person and grace exceed the boundaries of any holy place. Zion is the joy of all the earth (Psalms 48:2), affirming that the whole earth belongs to God.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 16.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-11-longing-for-god-in-zion/