Steadfast Love: Open the Gates

Psalm 118:1-2,19-29; Luke 19:28-40

“Open for me the gates of righteousness…peace…and salvation.”

"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” the crowd shouted as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. They might have sensed that Jesus was fulfilling the 118th Psalm by entering the city gates in triumph. Indeed, this was the day that the Lord had made, and they rejoiced and were glad in it! The Psalmist declares, “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.” We have been invited to join Jesus in passing through those gates to give thanks to God, whose steadfast love endures forever.

Palm Sunday serves as a transition point between the season of Lent and Holy Week. The opening lines of Psalm 118 provide a perfect conclusion to our Lenten emphasis on the covenants God made with the people of Israel. This is because God’s steadfast love is the foundation of these covenants.

The Hebrew word translated here as “steadfast love” is chesed. This powerful word conveys assurance, but perhaps the translation could be even stronger. That’s what my former professor, John Holbert, believes, as he translates chesed as “unbreakable love” or “unbreakable connection.” In other words, as Holbert puts it, “There is finally nothing you and I can do to stop YHWH (God) from seeking connection with us.” [Patheos, 3/25/2015].

Chesed is a covenant word that signifies God's promise to be present with His people through every circumstance. This constancy is evident throughout Israel's history. Therefore, when the people encountered a crisis, they would cry out, as the Psalmist does: “Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!” (Verse 25). This plea for success is not a request for material wealth; instead, the Psalmist is asking God to provide the necessary resources to overcome the current crisis. This reflects a deep trust in God's covenant promises, which are rooted in God’s unbreakable love. With this understanding, the people can express their gratitude to the Savior.

The crowd in Jerusalem during Jesus' triumphal entry was filled with excitement. In the words of Thomas Troeger (Chalice Hymnal 193), it was “a cheering, chanting, dizzy crowd” that was “hailing Christ as king aloud” while “waving branches in the air.” They recognized the presence of God in Jesus and welcomed him to the city by laying their cloaks on the road and waving palm branches. Many expected Jesus to rally the people and seize power in Jerusalem, much like Simon Maccabeus had done a century and a half earlier when he was welcomed into the city after driving out the Syrians (1 Macc. 13:51). Perhaps they hoped Jesus would follow in Simon's footsteps and expel the Romans, but Jesus chose a different path. Instead of claiming the throne, he was ultimately crucified by the Romans.

Reflecting on Troeger’s hymn, “Lest we be fooled because our hearts have surged with passing praise, remind us, God, as this week starts where Christ has fixed his gaze” [CH 193], we are reminded of the profound truths behind Jesus' journey. While the cross lay ahead for Jesus, it ultimately symbolizes God’s unbreakable love for us. Although we may not fully understand the reasons behind Jesus' actions, we can take comfort in knowing that He is with us during our most challenging times. Unlike the world’s perspective, which often follows "seeing is believing," the Christian faith teaches us that "believing is seeing." We must open our eyes and hearts to recognize Jesus' presence in our lives. This means looking for Him in places we might hesitate to explore and taking the time to reflect on His presence.

On this Palm Sunday, as we find ourselves currently in unexpected situations and ponder an uncertain future, let us pray that God would open our eyes and hearts to find hope in the promise that God’s steadfast love has been revealed in Jesus.

With the promise of God’s steadfast love as the foundation of our faith, let us wave our palm branches and shout words of praise to Jesus as He enters the gates of righteousness, peace, and salvation. Today is the day the Lord has made! Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad as we join all the saints of God in proclaiming, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”