And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Psalm 148:14
The word ‘horn’ in this verse signifies strength and the New Living Translation reads, “He has made his people strong.” The Message Bible has expressed it as, “he’s built a monument—his very own people!”
God longs for a community of believers, he can show off to the world, like a monument. We’re that monument when we live in a trusting relationship with God, believing he will provide for our needs. We become a community he can shower his blessings upon.
This was God’s desire when he first made a covenant with Israel. He gave them his laws to protect them from physical and emotional harm and he promised to provide for their needs for love, acceptance and security. However, the Israelites didn’t continue to trust that God would do this. They lived in a pagan world where other nations had statues of their gods. This seemed easier. A god they could see and touch. So they disregarded the true God and his laws and chose to meet their needs for love, acceptance and security elsewhere.
However, everyone having their own way led them further and further away from God’s ideals and into all kinds of destructive behaviours, oppressing the poor, neglecting the widows, and even sacrificing their own children to pagan gods.
Today, we live under grace, but we acknowledge that God’s laws provide a framework, which instead of restricting our freedom, protects us from harm. God’s desire for people to live in safety remains.
As God’s people we still have the opportunity to be a monument to him, and show the world how good it is to live God’s way.
