Was Psalm 69:9 Jesus’ Life Verse? - Crosswalk the Devotional - June 20

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [View this email in your browser]( [Crosswalk.com Home]( Was Psalm 69:9 Jesus’ Life Verse? - Crosswalk the Devotional - June 20 [Crosswalk the Devotional]( Was [Psalm 69:9]( Jesus' Life Verse? by Alex Crain “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” ([Romans 15:4]( There’s a good chance you won’t find the term “life verse” in a theological dictionary. For anyone who hasn’t heard the phrase before, “life verse” has become a semi-popular term used by Christians to describe the fact that a certain part of the Bible can be a long-term, recurring source of encouragement… perhaps, throughout one’s entire life. I’ve heard some Christians say that the act of singling out a life verse can lower a person’s view of the rest of Scripture. In other words, a life verse can be a bad thing. That seems a little picky though. Really, how bad can it be for a Christian to recognize the good effect that a certain Bible verse has on his attitude toward God, life, and whatever problems he’s facing? Besides, doesn’t it sound a little pompous to say, “My life verse is the BIBLE?” To be honest, I’ve never given much thought about the merits or demerits of life verses. More than once I’ve had to stop and ask myself why I am even writing a devotional about them. But here’s what sparked my interest in the subject. Recently, I saw a phrase in [Romans 15:1]( made me curious if Jesus, perhaps, had a life verse during His time on earth. Paul quotes an Old Testament phrase in [Romans 15:3]( that Jesus (apparently) had the habit of thinking on as He walked the earth. If this is so, I’m not sure how Paul would have known this. We can speculate that perhaps other people who were close to Jesus during His earthly life may have observed Him quoting it on a fairly regular basis. Maybe Paul overheard something about it during the days he spent visiting the other apostles. Or, possibly, it was revealed to Paul directly during his three-year period of discipleship before he ever met any of the early church leaders in Jerusalem (cf. [Galatians 1:15](. Whatever helped Paul to learn about the mental habits of Jesus, what is clear is that the Lord Jesus Christ characteristically overcame temptation for any and all self-indulgence. “Christ did not please Himself,” is the near context of the Old Testament quote that Paul cites next. The way that the rest of the verse strikes me is that Paul seems to imply that Jesus overcame temptation while meditating on a phrase from [Psalms 69:9]( which says: “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” This passage from [Psalm 69]( would have been a clear reminder to Jesus that the scorn He received on earth was actually the scorn that people bear in their hearts for God. Such a verse would align His expectations about this life and reinforce Him in His earthly mission. Now, notice what Paul tells the Romans immediately after his quotation from [Psalm 69](. See especially verse 4…  2 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” [Finish Reading Your Devotional Online >>]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [+1]( [Forward]( [Get Inspired >]( [Send an e-Card >]( [Watch Online >]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. You received this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive email from a Salem Web Network website. We respect and value your time and are committed to protecting your privacy. Use the links below to update your profile and subscriptions, unsubscribe from this email, or find out more about Salem Web Network (SWN). [Manage my Subscriptions]( | [Unsubscribe from this List]( | [Read about SWN]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Salem Web Network | Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. | 111 Virginia St., Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219 [Link](