Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Psalm 71:23

By

Psalm 71:23    "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed."

This 71st Psalm is a beautiful Psalm and one that we should take with us each day. Throughout this Psalm, David sings of the glory of the Lord.  I'm reminded of the Church Camp Song:  "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord."  (James H. Fillmore)

Let's see what some of these mercies were that moved David to write this song. Of course, first we know He was moved by the Holy Spirit to write these words inspired by God.  David was rejoicing in the fact that God hears our prayers. Isn't it wonderful to know we serve the only true and living God Who does His will among the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of earth?  He rejoiced in the stability and security that is found only in the Lord.  The Lord gives life and sustains it by His mercy and grace.  He is a very present help to each of us. We do not have to take a number or stand in line for God to hear our cries unto Him.  

We read in verse 21, "Thou shalt increase my greatness."  As I read this portion of the verse, my mind can take me to a dangerous place where pride dwells. I say it can take me there if I focus on the last two words, "my greatness."  If I think of myself as doing great things, then I can swell with pride. We know what the Lord says about pride. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) But this passage becomes beautiful when taken in its full context. "Thou (God) shalt increase my greatness."  Humility becomes a part of our daily walk as we persist in placing God before any of our actions. If there is anything good or great about me, it belongs unto the Lord.  It is because He has added any greatness that might be in my life.

The conclusion of this Psalm consists of David declaring His determination to praise and honor the Lord God Almighty. Lord, you have redeemed me; therefore, I will greatly rejoice and my lips, heart, and soul shall sing of your mercies. You are worthy of praise! "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord."

How about you? Can we make a determination that this is the year of praise and glory and honor unto the Lord?  You might say, should that not be every year?  Yes, it should. But can we be as David in making the determination, "My lips shall greatly rejoice."  My lips shall greatly praise.  "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever."

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: An Important Question

By
In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...
Read more