I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like I don’t thank or praise God enough. It’s comforting to hear David say “who could ever praise Him enough?” He’s right. No matter how much we praise, of course it won’t be “enough”. And I think God is okay with that.
It leaps out at me today that David is praising God for things that happened ages ago, with no mention of the wonderful things that God has done more recently. I mean, why talk about how the nation was delivered from Egypt with the crossing of the Red Sea, and the miracles associated with that time, and not mention how God stopped the Jordan from flowing so the people could enter the promised land? Why not mention something more recent, like the deliverance from Saul, or the Battle of Jericho, or the return of the woman and children when Ziklag was plundered? Why go all the way back to Sinai?
I think it’s because that happens to be where the writer is focusing today. No matter what day we look at, or what period of human history, or what events in our own life….there are ample reasons to praise the Lord. I can walk outside on a chilly wet, overcast day and find reasons to praise the Lord simply by looking around. God is everywhere, affecting everything and continually interacting with His creation. I can stay indoors and chat with a couple of other people, and find more reasons to praise God than I can express. There’s no end to the reasons to praise. Because of that, whatever else my prayer life consists of, there should always be an element of praise within in it. All of my requests, complaints, questions and other expressions should always be on top of the background of praise. “Lord, you are worthy to receive praise, honor and glory” Isn’t that what heaven sings in Revelation? God is good, and He has the right to be praised. And we have the privilege of praising Him. We have the wisdom and insight to be able to praise Him….not everyone is wise enough to do so. Some have become so caught up with themselves that they have missed the opportunity.
In the second Psalm, I notice a pattern (frequent in the Psalms) of repeated lines. Kind of like a chorus in a song. Each section talks about a specific group of people who pushed God to the side to pursue their own agenda. “some” is mentioned in 4, 10, 17 and 23. So the author is listing four groups. Sounds like a four point sermon coming up. In one case they wandered, in the next they were imprisoned, the third were foolish and the fourth were distracted. Have I ever “wandered into a dry place?” Yes. Those who were imprisoned were captured by their emotions “chains of misery”….have I ever been held “captive” by my thoughts and emotions? Yes. Have they ever foolishly led me astray? Yes. Have I ever been distracted by opportunity, and wandered away from what was truly important? Yes.
Good heavens…this whole psalm is talking about me!
In every case there were consequences for the errors that “some people” made. They suffered, they went hungry, they were punished, they had physical problems, financial problems, all kinds of problems… And I also notice that in every stanza, there is another repeated line:
“Lord, help! they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress”. Did you notice that as well? All four times, all different circumstances, God always rescues those who cry out for help. Even if you were foolish. Even if you wandered, or were distracted. Hey, when did switch over to talking about “you”? I thought this was about me. Even when I am foolish. Even when I wander.
That’s better. Devotions are better when they’re personal.
I just found another reason to praise the Lord. And, hey…..guess what? there is a third repeated line in this Psalm.
“Let them praise the Lord for His great love, and the wonderful things He has done for them”. God always rescues those who cry out to Him.
So then, the church..and the earth in general, should be filled with people who have been foolish, wandered, been distracted and who have emotional issues. Actually, that’s exactly what the earth is filled with. And the only difference between the rest of the world and the church is that the very same type of people in the church are praising God for His love and His deliverance.
“Lord, I don’t ever want to wander away from Your perfect will in my life. But if I do, I am so glad to know that You don’t refuse to help, but will come quickly even as I cry out to You.”
I should really share what God has done for me more often. Psalm 107:2……right?
Faithfully,
PR