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Daily Devotion: Psalm 107:31-32

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Psalm 107:31-32    "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  (32)  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders."

Today we come to the final declaration in this Psalm that we are to praise the Lord. He truly is good and His mercy endures forever.  "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so." (Psalm 107:2)  Can we agree that the Lord is worthy of our praise? As a child, we prayed "God is great. God is good." Can we agree on His greatness and His goodness toward us? Each day, if we open our eyes, minds, and hearts, we can see God's goodness all around us.  I love this time of the year when the grass is beginning to turn green again. The leaves are coming on the trees once again. The dogwoods and azaleas are blooming. I admit I am not a yard person, but I love to see the handiwork of God as people work in their flower gardens and the colors are abundant all around me. I praise the LORD for His goodness.

The remaining portion of the 107th Psalm speaks of times when the ground is barren and times when the earth brings forth a plentiful harvest.  We observe Thanksgiving each year as a time that is set aside to simply say, "Thank you, Lord, for your blessings this year."  We know we are to give thanks daily, but that one day is set aside so that we, as a nation, can say, "Thank you."  

But in this last part of this Psalm, I see that we are to be grateful for the time of planting and not wait to give thanks for the harvest.  "Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness!"  Some are already planting, some are preparing the soil, and others of us marvel that the earth is able to bring forth such bounty that we are able to be fed.  Yes, the Lord gives rain for the harvest, but He also withholds the rain at times. There are seasons of plenty and there are seasons when the harvest is not so bountiful. This Psalm reminds me that in plenty and in want, the Lord is worthy to be praised even as the seed is placed in the ground.

This application does not only apply to farmers. Each of us have seasons in our lives when we feel the greatness of God as we find success in our daily lives. We may have gotten that raise or promotion at work. Maybe we did great on that Math or Science test. Maybe we just went through the day without a major mess-up. "Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness!"   But maybe we didn't get that raise or promotion. Maybe we didn't do so well on that Math or Science test. Maybe we did make a major mess-up in life. That truth still remains: The Lord is good and He is worthy to be praised.

I can boldly declare today, The Lord has been so good to me in spite of all my insufficiencies. In all seasons of my life, He is worthy to be praised. I praise Him that I am one of His redeemed; therefore, I am here to say - HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER!

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