Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It!

Daily Devotional – Sunday, July 9, 2023
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
Psalms 107:2 (NKJV)

In the Old Testament, God established various mechanisms for protecting the poor and vulnerable. One of these strategies was redemption. A person who redeemed another performed one of the greatest acts of love and kindness.

Enslaved for Indebtedness

According to Mosaic Law, a creditor could turn a person who was unable to pay a huge debt into a slave. The enslaved person was largely responsible for his predicament. Perhaps he had borrowed to spend on luxury. Maybe he was just a lazy person who refused to work and resorted to unbridled borrowing. Probably he was paying for stealing another person’s property.

Now, imagine this. The slave begins his lifetime sentence of servitude. He gives up on ever becoming free again. Although he regrets his actions, he cannot alter his situation. He accepts that he will live and die a slave.

Redeemed From the Hand of the Enemy

Nevertheless, one fateful day, a close relative offers to pay the slave’s debt. The price is quite high but the kind and generous man clears it. The slave is free once again! He has done nothing to deserve freedom. Redemption has occurred. The redeemer has paid the price and the slave is redeemed.

The psalmist applies this concept to the rescue of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, in a thanksgiving song. He exclaims, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” (Psalms 107:1-2). The Israelites were hopeless slaves in Egypt until God sent Moses to redeem them hence the celebration alluded to in this psalm.

Redeemed with the Precious Blood of Jesus

Similarly, humanity, mired in the slavery of sin needed a redeemer. Apostle Peter clearly identifies the redeemer, stating, “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

While we were yet slaves to sin, Jesus died for us. He knew were had no power to escape this bondage. We had nothing of worth to pay for our sins. Left to ourselves, we would serve sin and eventually die eternally. Out of His infinite love and mercy, Jesus paid our debt of sin. He paid it all. We owe all to Him.

Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It

With this realization, we can agree with the late Fanny Crosby’s powerful lyrics to the song, ‘Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It‘.
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

Refrain
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for redeeming me and paying the price to rescue me from sin.