By David J. Stewart
“And he [Simeon] came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.” (Luke 2:28-30).
The
most precious gift in the universe is Jesus Christ, Whom Simeon recognized
in Luke 2:30 as THY SALVATION, i.e., God's salvation for mankind. Men cannot
save themselves. Salvation is of the Lord.
So many people today have churchianity without Christianity. They think they are saved because they prayed a prayer or had a religious experience somewhere in the past; but they've never grasped the Biblical truth that we are saved solely by Christ's righteousness (through faith in His redeeming blood sacrifice). Romans 3:25, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."
There are 26 occurrences of the phrase “thy salvation” in the Old Testament and 1 in the New Testament in Luke 2:30 . . .
Genesis 49:18, "I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD."
1st Samuel 2:1, "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."
2nd Samuel 22:36, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great."
Psalm 9:14, "That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation."
Psalm 13:5, "But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation."
Psalm 18:35, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great."
Psalm 20:5, "We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions."
Psalm 21:1, "The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!"
Psalm 21:5, "His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him."
Psalm 35:3, "Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation."
Psalm 40:10, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation."
Psalm 40:16, "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified."
Psalm 51:12, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psalm 69:13, "But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation."
Psalm 69:29, "But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high."
Psalm 70:4, "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified."
Psalm 71:15, "My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
Psalm 85:7, "Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation."
Psalm 106:4, "Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation."
Psalm 119:41, "Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word."
Psalm 119:81, "My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word."
Psalm 119:123: Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness."
Psalm 119:166: LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments."
Psalm 119:174: I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight."
Isaiah 17:10, "Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips."
Isaiah 62:11, "Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."
Hence, we learn from the Scriptures over and over that salvation belongs to the Lord. Man's part is simply to BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 16:31).
When king David sinned, he didn't ask God in Psalm 51:12 to restore unto him salvation. Rather, David simply requested that “the joy of THY SALVATION” be restored unto Him. David knew that salvation belonged solely to God. Though David had sinned horribly, committing adultery and murder, he knew in his heart that salvation was strictly in the hands of God. David did not depend upon his own self-righteousness to merit him Heaven, God forbid. David trusted in God's salvation, i.e., in THY SALVATION.
