2026 Epiphany Devotions
Thursday, February 12
Psalm 2:7-12
7 I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear;
with trembling 12 kiss his feet,
or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Happy are all who take refuge in him.
“… 11 Serve the Lord with fear; …”
Scriptures remind us that the kings of Israel and Judah had a mixed record in terms of faithfulness to the Lord. Hezekiah, Josiah, David, and a few others were faithful to the Lord serving God with fear. However, many rebelled against God’s rule. As the psalmist reminds us, such kings will perish and their rule with them.
For the people of ancient time, as the king went, so went the king’s realm. Ultimately, because of the disobedience of the king and his people, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah both were destroyed. Not serving the Lord with fear led them to destruction.
While those ancient kings and kingdoms are long gone, the message of the psalmist remains clear. Serving the Lord with fear is the way to life and peace. Rather than disobedience and unfaithfulness, we are called by the psalmist to trust in the Lord, follow God’s commands, and seek out the Lord’s directives for our lives. This is the way to hope, health, and peace.
Prayer: Lord, you call us to serve You with fear, trusting in Your mercy and grace. Guide me according to your way that I may know your hope, healing and peace. Amen.