Matins Devotion: June 4, 2025

Psalm 118:19-25

Psalm 118 begins with the refrain of “His steadfast love endures forever.” “Let Israel say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let the house of Aaron say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let those who fear the Lord say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’” And so, this should frame our understanding of verse 19 when the psalmist says, “open to me the gates of righteousness that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.” 

Where can you find the gates of righteousness? Where can you find entrance into the kingdom of God? Where can you find the tender embrace of your Father? You’ll find these all at the place where the steadfast love that endures forever was manifest, at the cross of Christ.

Once you were outside the righteous kingdom of God, a slave of dust and bones. But then the gates opened when the veins of Christ were opened upon the tree. Once you were unrighteous. But then blood poured out upon you in the wilderness and made you worthy to enter those gates and join the kingdom. The Stone the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone. And the Cornerstone has now blessed you to leave behind the world of death and sin, just as He has delivered you into the eternal embrace of your Father, the One whose steadfast love endures forever.