Devotions

I Will Walk Before Yahweh (the Lord)

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Jeremiah is in Egypt with these who have resisted the word of the Lord at every step. Now they complain that they were better off when they made, in Jeremiah 44:17 “smoke offerings to the queen of heaven”. Jeremiah reacts and says in Jeremiah 44:22 “Yahweh was no longer able to bear it, because of the evil of your deeds” and the Lord says to these in Jeremiah 44:26 ‘surely my name will no longer be called in the mouth of any man of Judah (those that went to Egypt)’. But not everyone is rebellious and we read a declaration of victory in Psalm 116:9 “I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living”. and though there may be a time when we also believe as in Psalm 116:10 “I am afflicted greatly.”, we come to a place where we remember Psalm 116:18 “I will pay my vows made to Yahweh in the presence of all his people” as it says in Hebrews 13:15 Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name”. 

You Promised With Your Mouths and With Your Hands Fulfilled

Jeremiah 44:20–30
The people had been telling Jeremiah that they were better off when they made, in Jeremiah 44:17 “smoke offerings to the queen of heaven and to pour out to her libations just as we did”. This provokes the prophet and in Jeremiah 44:20 “Jeremiah said to all the people”, this was not the Lord speaking, but Jeremiah defending the Lord in Jeremiah 44:21 “did not Yahweh remember them, and did it not come to his mind?” their actions had certainly been offensive to the Lord and he goes on in Jeremiah 44:22 “Yahweh was no longer able to bear it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the detestable things that you committed. Thus your land became as a site of ruins”.

Now comes “the word of Yahweh” in Jeremiah 44:24. And it is a statement of their actions against the Lord in Jeremiah 44:25 “You and your wives have promised with your mouths and with your hands you have fulfilled” but it wasn’t their vow to the Lord they carried out. It is their vow to, in Jeremiah 44:25 “the queen of the heavens” and then he says “You must certainly keep your vows”. But in this ‘“ye will make your vows and perform them,” there is unmistakeable irony, in which the reference is to the wilfulness of the people in this idolatry’.1

And from this, the Lord also makes a vow in Jeremiah 44:26 “I hereby swear by my great name,’ says Yahweh, ‘surely my name will no longer be called in the mouth of any man of Judah”. There is an end to the long suffering of the Lord and they have reached it as they refused to turn to the Lord in Jerusalem, refused the captivity of Babylon, and now willfully went to Egypt seeking protection that they will not find.

My Mouth is Filled With Your Praise

Psalm 71:1–12

My Mouth Will Tell of Your Righteousness

Psalm 71:13–24 

I Will Walk Before Yahweh in the Land of the Living

Psalm 116:1-9
It is only possible to make this statement after the Lord has delivered you. This is not a prayer for salvation. And, this is not a statement of faith in God that he will deliver me. This is a declaration of victory in

Psalm 116:9 “I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living”.

In Psalm 116:1 “Yahweh has heard”. In Psalm 116:2 “he has inclined his ear to me”. In Psalm 116:3-6 “death encircled me … I called … but he gave me victory”.

Now I can say in Psalm 116:7 “Return, O my soul, to your repose” because in Psalm 116:8 “you have rescued me”. And now in Psalm 116:9 “I will walk before the Lord” but not with tears and stumbling. Now I will walk with rest for my soul. 

I Will Pay My Vows Made to Yahweh

Psalm 116:10–19
In this life, there are trials as Jesus said in

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

We can get caught up in the trials of life and we often say things out of our pain, rather than our understanding. For example, in

Psalm 116:10 ‘I believed when I spoke, “I am afflicted greatly.”’

and then in

Psalm 116:11 ‘I said in my haste, “Everyone is a liar.”’

Then, somehow, we remember the goodness of God and we remember in Psalm 116:12 “all his benefits to me”, and in Psalm 116:13 “the cup of salvation”. Now, as we remember the Lords love for us we say in

Psalm 116:14 “I will pay my vows made to Yahweh in the presence of all his people”.

and we remember in Psalm 116:16 “you have loosed my bonds” and “thanksgiving” rises in Psalm 116:17 we repeat again, in

Psalm 116:18 “I will pay my vows made to Yahweh in the presence of all his people”.

I Will Break His Yoke From Your Neck

Jeremiah 30:1–12

I Will Make Them Honored

Jeremiah 30:13–24

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Jeremiah 44:20-30
  • Psalm 71:1-24
  • Psalm 116:1-19
  • Jeremiah 30:1-24

References

  • 1. Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 8, p. 360). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.