When we listen to Handel’s Messiah, the music builds and the story unfolds. The mood of the music enhances the sequence of events which move from Isaiah’s prophecies about the coming Messiah through His crucifixion and death and culminating finally in His triumphant resurrection. “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” is a part of a finale that still moves those who sing and those who listen even though it was written in the 1700’s. As I re-read Psalm 18 this week, I felt like David had written an oratorio as well. His musical, written centuries ago, equally told a story – the story of how his God had rescued and protected him in unbelievable ways through his life. His finale, too, declared that “the LORD lives and He is The ONE WHO SAVES”. I love knowing that what was true for David and for Handel is true for me, too and it will be true for generations to come – until Jesus, the Messiah, returns.
