Your procession, God, has come into view. (Ps. 68:24)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 68:19-35
I’ll never forget the day Mr. Weber invited six-year-old me to ride in his Model T in our town’s sesquicentennial parade. A few years later, I marched proudly in my Scout uniform. I’ve witnessed New York’s Macy’s parade as well as Philadelphia’s Hummers parade. If the weather permits, my current church provides palms for everyone to carry in a Palm Sunday parade across our neighborhood. A favorite poem describes William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army, leading a stream of converts into heaven. I love parades.
The writer of Psalm 68 devoted several verses to a formal procession entering the temple (vv. 24–27), and I like to imagine this sacred parade. Perhaps the choir sang words from this psalm as Hezekiah led the crowds into the newly restored temple (2 Chron. 29:20).
All our parades, however, anticipate the best of them all: the triumphant march into heaven. As the old hymn goes, “But lo! There breaks a yet more glorious day / The saints triumphant rise in bright array / The King of Glory passes on His way / From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast / Thro’ gates of pearl streams in the countless host / Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia, Alleluia.”
Can you picture joining in that great procession? This heavenly day will be here soon. Why don’t you start practicing your marching?
Praise God in the great congregation!
Phil Bence is a retired pastor living in Nampa, Idaho. He and his wife, Kathy, have two adult daughters and three nearly adult grandsons.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
