To the choirmaster: according to
Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
I will give thanks to
the Lord with my whole heart. I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I
will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your
name, O Most High {vs. 1-2
ESV}.
My heart is full, and I am thankful to Him. He has spoken into the depths of my soul and awakened me to His life. I was dead, lifeless. God's goodness is immeasurable—it never ceases. He has performed miracles in my life; in the driest desert and in the midst of drought, and He has filled me with Living Water. David is not praising one specific act of God’s deliverance; rather, it seems to be a summation of many.[1] We, too, have experienced many good things from the hand of the Lord; some are gloriously magnificent, and some more subtle. Perhaps it comes in the way of a friend offering encouragement or a note saying that you have been lifted before the Throne of Grace. His comfort is always near when we are in a trial. Wisdom would have us remember both the magnificent and the subtle and give Him all the praise and glory.
God’s praises should always
be upon our lips, “‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of
his heart will flow rivers of living water’” writes the beloved disciple in the book that bears his name (Jn. 7:38). He saved me; filled me with His Spirit and gave me hope and a future and
an expected end (see Jer. 29:11). How can I stand before God, absent of a heart
filled with gratitude? How can I not thank Him with my whole heart? 
When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before
your presence. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the
throne, giving righteous judgment. You have rebuked the nations; you have made
the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy
came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very
memory of them has perished {vs. 3-6}.
David praises the Lord for the
destruction of the nations and his enemies, which implies their long-ago
destruction, most likely during the conquest of the promised land. David does
not let this pass from memory and still brings it for a thanksgiving offering.
In the face of enemies who seek his destruction, he knows that Yahweh is sovereign.
But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his
throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the
peoples with uprightness. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a
stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in
you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you {vs. 7-10}.
Is this not reason enough to be
grateful before Him? He is my refuge and fortress; He does battle on my behalf.
He is the Righteous Judge the Shohet. He has plans of ruin for the
wicked. He has a purpose for the righteous. He is God, and He rules sovereign
over all the world. His justice is rooted in His very character and nature. He
is the Judge over all the earth and, therefore, the only One who can measure hearts
and motives. When David prays to the Shophet he is addressing the One
whose righteousness demands perfect justice.[1] We should look forward to this judgment, for He is a
stronghold for the oppressed, avenges blood, and responds to the cry of the
afflicted.
Sing praises to the Lord,
who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! For he
who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of
the afflicted. Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who
hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may recount
all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I
may rejoice in your salvation {vs. 11-14}.
What a beautiful promise for the
righteous. David anticipates being delivered from the gates of death and delivered
to the gates of the daughters of Zion.
God is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.
He is wonderful and glorious. He is Elah Eloah—the Adorable One. He is
the King of Glory. He is more than deserving of our praise. The Lord remembers
those who fear Him. He remembers those who are thankful for His deliverance.
God is always present in our lives, even during times when we may be in despair
due to our circumstances. We all face times of darkness, but He is always there
when we call upon Him. He is ever faithful. He hears those with a thankful
heart who give Him praise for His goodness and mercy.
Then those who feared
the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention
and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those
who feared the Lord and esteemed his name {Mal. 3:16}.
God has not forgotten those who fear
Him; He has not forgotten those who don’t:
“The nations have sunk in the
pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been
caught. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed
judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
The wicked shall return to
Sheol, all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not
always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before
you! Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are
but men! Selah” {vs. 15-20}.
He remembers those who remember Him
and forgets those who do not; “for since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly
seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without
excuse” {Rom. 1:20}.
The last five verses call upon God’s
justice and mercy. The nations need a paradigm shift—they are but dust. Higgaion means
meditation or consideration, and probably an interlude giving
musical expression to the feelings uttered by the psalmist. God wants this to
be deeply rooted in our thoughts and hearts, to meditate on His judgment and His
mercy for the nations and for men. We are but dust…
“Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all
your strength” {Mk. 12:30 NIV}.
Cultivate a grateful heart. We must
thank Him for what He has already so generously and graciously given. Was His salvation
not enough? He has performed wonders in our lives and loved us when we were
filthy and unlovable. We must remember Him and how He has delivered us from
darkness. How can I not thank Him with my whole heart?
To read all the Psalms in this series, click here: Psalms
To See Me Through
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