Day 87: God Keeps His Promises

Today's readings: Joshua 19-21 and Psalm 131.

I. Oh no. Joshua 19 continues to give the areas allotted to the remaining tribes of Israel. Necessary to understand the history, but still a bit tedious.

The next chapter then describes the establishment of the Cities of Refuge, which God had commanded through Moses. This actually was more interesting to me as it shows the mercy of God.

Finally, Joshua 21 assigns some cities to the Levites, the tribe set apart for priestly and liturgical service. Unlike the other tribes, they didn't receive a territorial inheritance because God Himself was their inheritance. This shows that God cares for the well-being of his servants.

The BIY Companion, Vol I, notes:

These are more than just lists; they are historical records that touch on God's interaction with his people. The final lines today sum up the reason why all those tribes and places are presented: "The Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers; not one of all their enemies had withstood them ... Not one of all the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed" (Joshua 21:44-45). (p. 186)

II. Psalm 131 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of trust. It advocates humility as the proper spirit of prayer and the way to inner peace. The Psalmist renounces pride, compares himself to a small child feeling safe in his mother's lap, and encourages the people of Israel to draw close to God in the same way. (p. 944)

That's it for today!