For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living. Psalm 116:9.
I cried out to You, O LORD; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Psalm 142:5.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? Isaiah 53:8.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
The land of the living. I will set glory in the land of the living. Ezekiel 26:20. You shall walk before Me in the land of the living.
What is the land of the living? It is the place of grace accessed by faith, the land where those who are alive live. You have been made alive in Christ. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22. It is for those who live at a higher level, seated with Christ at My right hand, whose minds are focused above, on My Word, and not below on the things of the world only. There is more, MUCH MORE, and it is yours in Christ Jesus. I am the LIVING God and with Me is the fountain of life and in My light you see light. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you.” Isaiah 60:1. A people living in darkness have seen a great light, and it is the light of life which shines on those and in those who walk in the land of the living. My place of rest.
The land of the living is what Jesus came to bring to you. He came that you might have life and have it more abundantly, until it overflows. It is a land like the first land I put man in, the Garden of Eden. “Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and sound of a melody.” Isaiah 51:3. Look at that again. Do you see what is in the land of the living? Joy and gladness, thanksgiving and the sound of melody. Does that sound familiar? “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” Ephesians 5:15-20.
The land of the living is Philippians 4:4-8 territory. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:4-8. If you do this you will have great peace, a double portion of peace, and I the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9; Isaiah 26:3.
The land of the living is Kingdom living on earth. It is days of Heaven upon the earth. It is living in My house as your home forever. “O LORD, how lovely is Your dwelling place.” And it is the promised land of rest in the abundance of things. It is a land flowing with milk and honey, the pure milk of the Word and the honey from the rock. “Those whose minds are stayed on You, You will keep in perfect peace (actually this in Hebrew is “shalom, shalom,” that is, the double portion of peace) because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in our LORD, the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4.
You must be vigilant over your heart to stay in the land of the living all day and all night, every day and every night. It is a place where you quiet your soul and find answers to your questions. And how do you access it? The way lies in Psalm 116. It begins, “I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.” Psalm 116:1-2. Here is the beginning of entering, it is by faith, the psalmist knows that I exist and that I reward those who seek Me. Hebrews 11:6. I hear and I answer.
“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” Hebrews 4:1-2.
And the psalm continues, for your journey along the path to life does not stop there, “The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.” Psalm 116:3. Here is the condition of those that have not experienced salvation and are still trapped in their sins. Those who have no faith in My Son, who is the resurrection and the life, have a life of distress and sorrow. They fear death. “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Hebrews 2:14-15. But the psalmist knows how to be saved from this life of death, “Then I called upon the name of the LORD: ‘O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!’” Psalm 116:4. “Whoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation (Yeshuah).” Psalm 91:14-16. I will lead those who love Me and call on Me to Yeshuah. Grace and truth come to you in Him.
“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is compassionate.” Psalm 116:5. Jesus is My compassion reaction to your sins. In Him, your sins are all taken away from you, as far as the east from the west. I remember them no more for He has borne them and taken you condemnation so you are free.
“The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 116:6-10. Humbled, he was exalted, and entered into My rest with gratitude for the abundance of things. Grateful and strong, rescued from death, he shall walk before Me in the land of the living.
And how will he stay there? “I believed when I said, ‘I am greatly afflicted.’ I said in my alarm, ‘All men are liars.’ What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD.” Psalm 116:11-13. He stayed at rest by believing in My benefits even when greatly afflicted and taking communion as he called upon My Name. Covenant. There is no other Name by which you are saved.
“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11.
“O LORD, surely I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid, You have loosed my bonds.” Psalm 116:16. In the land of the living there is always a desire to serve and this looses you from the bonds of the enemy as he tries to isolate you to live for self alone, but serving self alone will destroy you, it will never bring you to the throne. “To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the LORD.” Psalm 116:17. Yes, here we are back to the voice of thanksgiving again that is followed by wonders.
And how does the Psalm end? “Praise the LORD!” Psalm 116:19. It all began with praise and there it ends. Praise is strength. As your praise so shall your strength be.
I love you. If today you hear My voice harden not your heart. Just come and walk with Me in the land of the living. Even in the midst of a storm, it is a refuge of heavenly peace.