THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
My greatest emotional pain comes when I know one of my children is suffering. One of our daughters was diagnosed with an incurable disease when she was a child. My wife and I were devastated as we made plans for her immediate treatment.
On the morning we were to take her to the hospital, I was up early, praying. In my pain, my words seemed almost meaningless. Then, while struggling to pray, for some reason I simply said, “Thank You.” Those words were an extreme contrast to the circumstances we faced. For thirty minutes I knelt in the dark and whispered, “Thank You.” In light of our daughter’s diagnosis, it seemed strange to pray a prayer of thanksgiving, but I kept praying.
Later that morning at the hospital, after a series of tests, the doctor informed us they had found no sign of the disease—and he had no explanation why. Had the original diagnosis been incorrect? Had our daughter been healed? We don’t know, but thirty years have now passed with no sign of the disease.
I learned God is worthy of our gratitude even before we know His plans!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Psalm 138:1-2
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Offering a word of thanks to God is a fairly universal reaction to good news. Even non-believers sometimes will do that. Most people have expressed prayers of gratitude at some point. In one survey, eighty-eight percent of those interviewed said they often offer prayers of thanks.1 When good things happen, we’re drawn to thank God because we know He’s responsible for our blessings.
When Jesus gave us the Model Prayer, He began by teaching us to honor God. He called us to praise God
for His holiness. “Hallowed be your name” (Matt. 6:9b). In like manner, David lifted thanks to God for His
name. “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name” (Ps. 138:2). While praise and thanksgiving are closely related, there is a difference. Praise focuses on who God is, and thanksgiving focuses on what God has done. We have so much to thank God for, but David focused on two attributes of God for which he was especially thankful.
- God’s constant love. The Hebrew word for love, hesed, refers to more than emotion or sentiment. God’s love toward His people has revealed itself in acts of loving kindness and gestures of mercy. The psalmist could thank God for His love because he had tangible evidence of it in his life.
In those moments when we struggle to pray or have difficulty getting started in a conversation with God, the simplest prayer of thanks can get us started—and we can always thank God for His love. Simply pausing to whisper the prayer, “Lord, thank You for loving me,” can bring us into an awareness of God’s presence. In his psalm, David described the love of God as constant, and therefore undiminished by either our faithlessness or our failures.
- God’s truth. God has not left us in the dark. He has revealed Himself to us. God has taught us the truth of who He is, who we are (sinners), and who we can be in Christ. A simple and practical way to express our thanks to God for His truth is to read Scripture as a part of our daily routine. As we read and see the truth in His Word, we offer thanks.
A dear Christian lady who resided in assisted living expressed it this way: “I get my Bible and read until I can’t read anymore. Then I open my hymnal and I sing until I can’t sing anymore. Then I pray until I can’t pray anymore. Then I just sit in this chair and let God love me.”
Psalm 138:3-6
3 When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. 4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. 5 May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. 6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar.
We’ve all experienced periods of being tired, especially if we try to “burn the candle at both ends.” But a friend of mine knew fatigue on a whole different level. After returning from a South American mission trip, he learned he had contracted the Zika virus. His strength was sapped. It took him weeks to fully recover, and he said the worst part of the illness was the constant fatigue and exhaustion he felt.
David also experienced a season of life when his strength was gone. It appears to have been more than just a physical fatigue; his complaint seems to have stemmed from a spiritual or emotional weariness. It happened to David, and it can happen to us. Regardless of the cause, spiritual and emotional discouragements can leave even the strongest believers drained of strength.
All of us will need God’s renewal at some point. Even the most spiritually mature Christians can feel burnout and fatigue when the work seems never ending and feels unrewarding. Charles Spurgeon is widely regarded as one of the most effective preachers in history. His influence was unequaled during his lifetime, yet he battled with depression. It often kept him out of the pulpit and in need of rest.3
Discouragement can leave any of us weakened and feeling as if our strength is gone. And while it’s vitally important to seek medical attention for a person who is dealing with clinical depression, prayer always plays a role in rekindling our spiritual fire.
When God renews our strength and vigor, we should thank Him in prayer. He provides and we should respond with gratitude. Furthermore, when God is exalted through both His work and our thanks, others will take note. “All the kings of the earth praise you, LORD, when they hear what you have decreed.” God is great and far beyond His creation, yet “he looks kindly on the lowly.” He responds to us out of His great love and compassion. God will not forget our needs. As we seek Him in prayer, God renews our strength and passion—and we can trust Him with every need in our lives.
Psalm 138:7-8
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. 8 The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
King David understood political and personal insecurity. He was a warrior king who had enemies both inside and outside the borders of Israel. David walked “in the midst of trouble.” We might even say constant danger was his normal experience. The danger he faced was intense and unpredictable, yet David trusted God. For David, God’s protection was a matter of life or death.
So why, given the threat levels against him, could King David be so confident of God’s protection? We find the answer in his sense of knowing God’s purpose for his life. “The LORD will vindicate me.” Since that was true, it stood to reason God would protect him from
his known enemies, as well as the shadowy threats that might lurk in his fears.
In verses 7-8, we hear David express his trust that God would finish His work. King David could pray with such faith because he knew he was part of God’s larger plan. David could thank God for preserving his life even though he lived in a dangerous time.
We might think we aren’t important in God’s plan like King David. That is simply not true. We serve the same God; the only question is do we trust God in the same way David did? We can still trust God to carry out His plans—both small and great—through His people. We can live with faith, believing God will protect us from danger. When we live with such faith, it is a tribute to God’s protection rather than our own sense of well-being.
Trust in God is the basis of all prayer. When we pray with thankfulness, it is an expression of faith that God will fulfill His purposes for us.
LIVE IT OUT
The celebration of Thanksgiving Day can mean different things to different people, but the heart of giving thanks is tied to faith and prayer.
Choose one of the following applications:
- Be thankful. Every day this week tell God something you are thankful for.
- Write out your thanks. Make a list—a long list!—of all the reasons you have to be thankful. Pray through the entire list and thank God for the different ways He has blessed and touched your life.
- Thank someone. Write a handwritten note to someone for whom you’re thankful for and tell that person why you thank God for him or her. Include a prayer of thanksgiving.
If we want to have a fully developed prayer life, we have to learn to regularly offer thanks to God in prayer. And as we’ve been reminded, God is worthy of our gratitude even before we know His plans.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher's Notes:
Leonard: How has God’s love and truth affected the way you have lived your life?
Points: The Lord is deserving of our deep praise. The Lord acts toward us with love and faithfulness; therefor, we can count on Him to be compassionate and dependable. Because of His love, faithfulness, and responsiveness, we know the Lord to be a reliable source of hope.
Context for this psalm being written.
[Verse 1] Matthew 6:9-13 assures us our Father listens when we pray. When we grasp the reality that God hears our prayers, our hearts fill with gratitude. If we follow the path carved into the first two verses of Psalm 138, we thank God for His love and truth. Some Bible scholars have suggested David wrote the psalm after he reflected on God’s promise to him about his future. (See 2 Sam. 7.) However, the psalm could have been the product of David’s review over his long life and God’s goodness in every part of it. Either way, he obviously wrote it to express sincere gratitude to God. David could have written about his troubles or chronicled his royal successes and boasted about his military victories. He could have written about his achievements and the trophies he had collected. But he didn’t. Instead, David gave himself to praising God alone, allowing the light of glory to shine only on God. By singing, David channeled the thankfulness that overflowed in his heart through his voice. With his song, David bore witness to the truth that only the living God of Israel deserved his praise. His testimony of praise sent an important affirmation about God’s presence. In surrounding kingdoms, people worshiped idols they considered to be divine beings. They bowed before lifeless deities in futile devotion while David worshiped the living God with a thankful heart. [Verse 2] For David, bowing accompanied singing. A gesture of humility, bowing before the Lord expressed David’s response to being in His presence. Singing praise to God ushered David into worship. As he continued to worship, however, David became more aware of the precious holiness of the moment. His awareness that he had come into the presence of God brought him to his knees in humility. Worshiping God has the same effect on growing believers. In personal or corporate worship, we do well to begin with praising the Lord for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done. Our praises beckon us into His presence. There we find ourselves humbled by the reality that God has given us the honor of being His children through Christ. In response, we humble ourselves before Him in sincere submission and grateful devotion. As David continued to worship with a thankful heart, he turned his thoughts to God’s great name. A person’s name said something about his or her character. When David wrote about God’s name, two traits of His character came into view. David had seen for himself that God loved him. He also knew from his personal walk with the Lord that God always told the truth. The Lord had shown David that He could be trusted to be faithful in His love and true to His word. The reliability of God’s great name had a powerful effect on David’s life. Because God took His name very seriously, His people could count on Him to keep His promise. David didn’t live with doubt casting a shadow over his relationship with God. He knew that if God made a promise, He would honor it without fail. Therefore, David learned how to abide in the assurance of God’s promise to him.
II. Thank God He Provides All We Need
Psalm 138:3-6
When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar.
David experienced a season of life when his strength was gone. It appears to have been more than just a physical fatigue; his complaint seems to have stemmed from a spiritual or emotional weariness. It happened to David, and it can happen to us. Regardless of the cause, spiritual and emotional discouragements can leave even the strongest believers drained of strength.
Leonard: Is there a time when you cried out to the Lord and He answered with compassion, faithfulness, and mercy to provide what you needed?
Points: When we cry out to the Lord, He hears and responds. Our lives are made stronger through our relationship with Him. The Lord is great and glorious. If not now, the day will come when the whole earth will resound with praise and see the great glory of the Lord. God comes in love, grace, and power to the humble, but refuses the proud.
How David thanked God for His faithfulness.
[Verse 3] Along with God’s love and truth, we thank Him for providing what we need. David celebrated the faithfulness of the Lord to him when he asked for help. With his recollection of God’s answering his prayer, David reminded God’s people about the value of a long memory. Remembering how God provided made a huge difference to David. Not only did God meet his need, something else happened to him. By answering his prayer, God strengthened David spiritually to the point he could become extremely bold. His fierce courage came from his unbending assurance of the Lord’s provision. He knew he would have what he needed so he could carry on with God’s work each day. [Verse 4] Such a deep and abiding sense of assurance enabled David to serve the Lord in a day when the kings of surrounding nations worshiped idols. As David thought about them, he wrote about the anticipated day to come when the Lord would be the center of their worship and service too. He went on to be specific about what would make them turn to the Lord in complete devotion. They would be prompted to give themselves to the Lord once they encountered His promise for themselves. Instead of cold and empty silence from lifeless deities, they would experience profound hope in a relationship with the living God. [Verse 5] Just like David broke out in song over the Lord’s care for him, the kings in the surrounding nations would also sing about Him. Their song would center on God’s involvement in their lives and kingdoms. The Lord would work with them in ways that would result in their adoration of Him. God alone would be worthy of their praise. They would be captured by His intimacy as well as His majesty. As the kings of the earth came to the Lord and bowed in grateful worship before Him, they would affirm His greatness. They would exalt Him as the Lord. No other ruler would receive greater acclaim. They would refuse to cast the light on themselves or their kingdoms or their accomplishments. The light of glory would shine only on God, and He alone would be exalted. [Verse 6] The kings who sang about the Lord would agree on one aspect of His reign. He exerted sovereign rule over them and their kingdoms and looked with favor on people who walked in humility before Him. The lifeless deities they worshiped before they came to the Lord didn’t have hearts of compassion for humble people. But the Lord’s compassion prompted Him to reach down to help the humble. For God’s people, humility came to be an important feature of acceptable worship because they recognized His ultimate authority. But the Lord would not allow a person consumed by selfish pride to come into His presence. Kings expected everyone to bow before them in humility. The notion of being humble themselves would have been repugnant to them. A king who humbled himself before the Lord and sang praises to Him for His greatness would be difficult to find. Yet, David knew that any king who knew the Lord intimately would bow before Him in grateful humility.
III. Thank God that He Keeps and Protects Us.
Psalm 138:7-8
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
King David understood political and personal insecurity. He was a warrior king who had enemies both inside and outside the borders of Israel. David walked “in the midst of trouble.” We might even say constant danger was his normal experience. The danger he faced was intense and unpredictable, yet David trusted God. For David, God’s protection was a matter of life or death. Trust in God is the basis of all prayer. When we pray with thankfulness, it is an expression of faith that God will fulfill His purposes for us.
Leonard: How have you experienced God’s protection?
Points:
· We are grateful to the Lord because He keeps and protects us from that which would destroy us and saves us to an abundant life in Him. The Lord has a plan for us that will fit into His eternal purpose. The love and mercy of the Lord is everlasting. We can count on the Lord. Period!
Express gratitude and trust in the One who hears our prayers.
[Verse 7] Our God provides for us, and He also keeps us and protects us. David drew us to that affirmation as He directed attention to God’s ways and our future. Fear did not factor into his life because he had learned to trust the Lord completely. Because he had been protected through some terribly dangerous events, David refused to live in fear so long as the Lord guarded his path. But notice that David brought up the anger of his enemies. Anger moved David’s enemies to take extreme measures. However, such measures did not succeed because God protected David. At times in David’s reign, he probably observed anger swelling in the hearts of his adversaries that could have provoked them to kill him. Of course, any attempt failed, and David made sure he expressed his gratitude to God for protecting him. When David incorporated the image of God’s hand, he had God’s awesome power in mind. Throughout the Old Testament, writers used the idea of God’s hand to describe His limitless strength and His ultimate authority. Writing about God’s right hand in this verse gave David the picture he needed to describe His tremendous strength. God’s peerless power insured victory for His people when He used it in their favor. [Verse 8] David’s statement about God’s vindication gives us confidence about what He’s doing in us. It brings to mind the instruction Jesus gave us in the Model Prayer. Jesus instructed us to pray with a heart of submission to the Father. (See Matt. 6:10.) Surrendering to God when we pray means we give up on building our own kingdoms. Instead, we devote ourselves to His kingdom and His will. When we take our devotion to Him seriously, we tap into an encouraging assurance. We rest assured that God has given us a purpose in keeping with His kingdom. When we live it out, we abide in His joy and contentment. Growing believers want to fulfill God’s purpose. Just as important, we trust God to work within us so His purpose for us can be fulfilled for His glory. Suddenly, David stopped writing about God and started talking directly to Him. Specifically, he focused his attention on God’s loyal love or mercy to His people. David lived with the abiding certainty that God’s unending love would be demonstrated in His faithfulness. God’s people could depend on Him to be at work in their lives, enabling them to fulfill His purpose for them. His unique love had a persevering quality that would make it extremely durable. Accordingly, His steadfast love for them would last longer than a lifetime. Once more, David brought up God’s hands. Earlier, he used the picture to describe God’s power to protect His people. Here, he incorporated the image to convey the truth about God’s initiative. Because the Lord loved His people faithfully, He would enable them to carry out His purpose. He would take the lead in their lives so they would not falter in carrying out His purpose. Thus, David asked the Lord to never allow them to leave His work unfinished. David didn’t want anything to stand in the way of God’s people fulfilling His purpose for them.
LIVE IT OUT
This lesson has reminded us of the faithfulness of God to respond to our cries for help, His willingness to reach out to us even though we are not worthy, and the plans He still has for our lives. Therefore, He is deserving of our praise and thanksgiving, and not just when we think about it or feel like it. We need to worship and praise Him every day.
Leonard: What do you want people to remember about you?
I. Thanks for His past goodness. The psalmist said he would sing praise to God “before the gods”. Scholars disagree over the meaning of this statement. Some believe he was referring to angels. Others say he was talking about kings. In light of the context, “before the gods” seems most likely. God had shown Himself superior to all false idols. While their promises had failed, the promises of the true God had proven true. The psalmist could praise Him in defiance of the false gods. He thanked God for His past blessings. He had answered the psalmist’s prayers. If David wrote this psalm, he had certainly experienced his fair share of tribulation. As he looked back on his life, he could see many instances in which God had taken care of him.
Do we thank God for what He’s done in the past?
a. His protection from harm.
b. His provision of various needs.
c. His salvation through Jesus Christ.
II. Thanks for His present goodness. The psalmist was confident that kings would give thanks to God. David was a king, and God had given him many victories. David was always quick to give God the glory. Other kings of the earth saw his victories, and he hoped they would recognize his God as the true God. He knew his God was different from the pagan idols. Though He is highly exalted, He cares for the lowly. “The proud he knows afar off” – In other words, the arrogant are not able to hide from Him (Proverbs 15:3). ‘’
How does God keep blessing us in the here-and-now?
1. He continues to love us in spite of our failures.
2. He has not only saved us, but He also keeps us (John 10:28-29).
3. He keeps blessing us, even when we don’t deserve it.
III. Thanks for His future goodness. The psalmist was confident of God’s continued protection. “Though I walk in the midst of trouble” – God had not promised us a life free of trouble. We still live in a fallen world, and thus we still experience sickness, injustice, tragedy, and death. In some ways, being a follower of Christ only increases your troubles (1 John 3:13). God has promised to be with us through our troubles. He will give us strength to endure. He uses hardships to accomplish His purposes (Romans 8:28). We can trust God because His lovingkindness is everlasting. Human affection is often fleeting.
God, on the other hand, will love us forever. He loves us even when we continue to fail Him. He has prepared an eternal home where we will enjoy His love forever.
Teacher's Notes:
I. Thank God for His Love and Truth
Psalm 138:1-2
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Offering a word of thanks to God is a fairly universal reaction to good news. Even non-believers sometimes will do that. Most people have expressed prayers of gratitude at some point. In one survey, eighty-eight percent of those interviewed said they often offer prayers of thanks. When good things happen, we’re drawn to thank God because we know He’s responsible for our blessings.
We have so much to thank God for, but David focused on two attributes of God for which he was especially thankful.
Psalm 138:1-2
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Offering a word of thanks to God is a fairly universal reaction to good news. Even non-believers sometimes will do that. Most people have expressed prayers of gratitude at some point. In one survey, eighty-eight percent of those interviewed said they often offer prayers of thanks. When good things happen, we’re drawn to thank God because we know He’s responsible for our blessings.
We have so much to thank God for, but David focused on two attributes of God for which he was especially thankful.
- God’s constant love. God’s love toward His people has revealed itself in acts of loving kindness and gestures of mercy.
- God’s truth. God has not left us in the dark. He has revealed Himself to us. God has taught us the truth of who He is, who we are (sinners), and who we can be in Christ.
Leonard: How has God’s love and truth affected the way you have lived your life?
Points: The Lord is deserving of our deep praise. The Lord acts toward us with love and faithfulness; therefor, we can count on Him to be compassionate and dependable. Because of His love, faithfulness, and responsiveness, we know the Lord to be a reliable source of hope.
Context for this psalm being written.
[Verse 1] Matthew 6:9-13 assures us our Father listens when we pray. When we grasp the reality that God hears our prayers, our hearts fill with gratitude. If we follow the path carved into the first two verses of Psalm 138, we thank God for His love and truth. Some Bible scholars have suggested David wrote the psalm after he reflected on God’s promise to him about his future. (See 2 Sam. 7.) However, the psalm could have been the product of David’s review over his long life and God’s goodness in every part of it. Either way, he obviously wrote it to express sincere gratitude to God. David could have written about his troubles or chronicled his royal successes and boasted about his military victories. He could have written about his achievements and the trophies he had collected. But he didn’t. Instead, David gave himself to praising God alone, allowing the light of glory to shine only on God. By singing, David channeled the thankfulness that overflowed in his heart through his voice. With his song, David bore witness to the truth that only the living God of Israel deserved his praise. His testimony of praise sent an important affirmation about God’s presence. In surrounding kingdoms, people worshiped idols they considered to be divine beings. They bowed before lifeless deities in futile devotion while David worshiped the living God with a thankful heart. [Verse 2] For David, bowing accompanied singing. A gesture of humility, bowing before the Lord expressed David’s response to being in His presence. Singing praise to God ushered David into worship. As he continued to worship, however, David became more aware of the precious holiness of the moment. His awareness that he had come into the presence of God brought him to his knees in humility. Worshiping God has the same effect on growing believers. In personal or corporate worship, we do well to begin with praising the Lord for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done. Our praises beckon us into His presence. There we find ourselves humbled by the reality that God has given us the honor of being His children through Christ. In response, we humble ourselves before Him in sincere submission and grateful devotion. As David continued to worship with a thankful heart, he turned his thoughts to God’s great name. A person’s name said something about his or her character. When David wrote about God’s name, two traits of His character came into view. David had seen for himself that God loved him. He also knew from his personal walk with the Lord that God always told the truth. The Lord had shown David that He could be trusted to be faithful in His love and true to His word. The reliability of God’s great name had a powerful effect on David’s life. Because God took His name very seriously, His people could count on Him to keep His promise. David didn’t live with doubt casting a shadow over his relationship with God. He knew that if God made a promise, He would honor it without fail. Therefore, David learned how to abide in the assurance of God’s promise to him.
II. Thank God He Provides All We Need
Psalm 138:3-6
When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar.
David experienced a season of life when his strength was gone. It appears to have been more than just a physical fatigue; his complaint seems to have stemmed from a spiritual or emotional weariness. It happened to David, and it can happen to us. Regardless of the cause, spiritual and emotional discouragements can leave even the strongest believers drained of strength.
Leonard: Is there a time when you cried out to the Lord and He answered with compassion, faithfulness, and mercy to provide what you needed?
Points: When we cry out to the Lord, He hears and responds. Our lives are made stronger through our relationship with Him. The Lord is great and glorious. If not now, the day will come when the whole earth will resound with praise and see the great glory of the Lord. God comes in love, grace, and power to the humble, but refuses the proud.
How David thanked God for His faithfulness.
[Verse 3] Along with God’s love and truth, we thank Him for providing what we need. David celebrated the faithfulness of the Lord to him when he asked for help. With his recollection of God’s answering his prayer, David reminded God’s people about the value of a long memory. Remembering how God provided made a huge difference to David. Not only did God meet his need, something else happened to him. By answering his prayer, God strengthened David spiritually to the point he could become extremely bold. His fierce courage came from his unbending assurance of the Lord’s provision. He knew he would have what he needed so he could carry on with God’s work each day. [Verse 4] Such a deep and abiding sense of assurance enabled David to serve the Lord in a day when the kings of surrounding nations worshiped idols. As David thought about them, he wrote about the anticipated day to come when the Lord would be the center of their worship and service too. He went on to be specific about what would make them turn to the Lord in complete devotion. They would be prompted to give themselves to the Lord once they encountered His promise for themselves. Instead of cold and empty silence from lifeless deities, they would experience profound hope in a relationship with the living God. [Verse 5] Just like David broke out in song over the Lord’s care for him, the kings in the surrounding nations would also sing about Him. Their song would center on God’s involvement in their lives and kingdoms. The Lord would work with them in ways that would result in their adoration of Him. God alone would be worthy of their praise. They would be captured by His intimacy as well as His majesty. As the kings of the earth came to the Lord and bowed in grateful worship before Him, they would affirm His greatness. They would exalt Him as the Lord. No other ruler would receive greater acclaim. They would refuse to cast the light on themselves or their kingdoms or their accomplishments. The light of glory would shine only on God, and He alone would be exalted. [Verse 6] The kings who sang about the Lord would agree on one aspect of His reign. He exerted sovereign rule over them and their kingdoms and looked with favor on people who walked in humility before Him. The lifeless deities they worshiped before they came to the Lord didn’t have hearts of compassion for humble people. But the Lord’s compassion prompted Him to reach down to help the humble. For God’s people, humility came to be an important feature of acceptable worship because they recognized His ultimate authority. But the Lord would not allow a person consumed by selfish pride to come into His presence. Kings expected everyone to bow before them in humility. The notion of being humble themselves would have been repugnant to them. A king who humbled himself before the Lord and sang praises to Him for His greatness would be difficult to find. Yet, David knew that any king who knew the Lord intimately would bow before Him in grateful humility.
III. Thank God that He Keeps and Protects Us.
Psalm 138:7-8
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
King David understood political and personal insecurity. He was a warrior king who had enemies both inside and outside the borders of Israel. David walked “in the midst of trouble.” We might even say constant danger was his normal experience. The danger he faced was intense and unpredictable, yet David trusted God. For David, God’s protection was a matter of life or death. Trust in God is the basis of all prayer. When we pray with thankfulness, it is an expression of faith that God will fulfill His purposes for us.
Leonard: How have you experienced God’s protection?
Points:
· We are grateful to the Lord because He keeps and protects us from that which would destroy us and saves us to an abundant life in Him. The Lord has a plan for us that will fit into His eternal purpose. The love and mercy of the Lord is everlasting. We can count on the Lord. Period!
Express gratitude and trust in the One who hears our prayers.
[Verse 7] Our God provides for us, and He also keeps us and protects us. David drew us to that affirmation as He directed attention to God’s ways and our future. Fear did not factor into his life because he had learned to trust the Lord completely. Because he had been protected through some terribly dangerous events, David refused to live in fear so long as the Lord guarded his path. But notice that David brought up the anger of his enemies. Anger moved David’s enemies to take extreme measures. However, such measures did not succeed because God protected David. At times in David’s reign, he probably observed anger swelling in the hearts of his adversaries that could have provoked them to kill him. Of course, any attempt failed, and David made sure he expressed his gratitude to God for protecting him. When David incorporated the image of God’s hand, he had God’s awesome power in mind. Throughout the Old Testament, writers used the idea of God’s hand to describe His limitless strength and His ultimate authority. Writing about God’s right hand in this verse gave David the picture he needed to describe His tremendous strength. God’s peerless power insured victory for His people when He used it in their favor. [Verse 8] David’s statement about God’s vindication gives us confidence about what He’s doing in us. It brings to mind the instruction Jesus gave us in the Model Prayer. Jesus instructed us to pray with a heart of submission to the Father. (See Matt. 6:10.) Surrendering to God when we pray means we give up on building our own kingdoms. Instead, we devote ourselves to His kingdom and His will. When we take our devotion to Him seriously, we tap into an encouraging assurance. We rest assured that God has given us a purpose in keeping with His kingdom. When we live it out, we abide in His joy and contentment. Growing believers want to fulfill God’s purpose. Just as important, we trust God to work within us so His purpose for us can be fulfilled for His glory. Suddenly, David stopped writing about God and started talking directly to Him. Specifically, he focused his attention on God’s loyal love or mercy to His people. David lived with the abiding certainty that God’s unending love would be demonstrated in His faithfulness. God’s people could depend on Him to be at work in their lives, enabling them to fulfill His purpose for them. His unique love had a persevering quality that would make it extremely durable. Accordingly, His steadfast love for them would last longer than a lifetime. Once more, David brought up God’s hands. Earlier, he used the picture to describe God’s power to protect His people. Here, he incorporated the image to convey the truth about God’s initiative. Because the Lord loved His people faithfully, He would enable them to carry out His purpose. He would take the lead in their lives so they would not falter in carrying out His purpose. Thus, David asked the Lord to never allow them to leave His work unfinished. David didn’t want anything to stand in the way of God’s people fulfilling His purpose for them.
LIVE IT OUT
This lesson has reminded us of the faithfulness of God to respond to our cries for help, His willingness to reach out to us even though we are not worthy, and the plans He still has for our lives. Therefore, He is deserving of our praise and thanksgiving, and not just when we think about it or feel like it. We need to worship and praise Him every day.
Leonard: What do you want people to remember about you?
I. Thanks for His past goodness. The psalmist said he would sing praise to God “before the gods”. Scholars disagree over the meaning of this statement. Some believe he was referring to angels. Others say he was talking about kings. In light of the context, “before the gods” seems most likely. God had shown Himself superior to all false idols. While their promises had failed, the promises of the true God had proven true. The psalmist could praise Him in defiance of the false gods. He thanked God for His past blessings. He had answered the psalmist’s prayers. If David wrote this psalm, he had certainly experienced his fair share of tribulation. As he looked back on his life, he could see many instances in which God had taken care of him.
Do we thank God for what He’s done in the past?
a. His protection from harm.
b. His provision of various needs.
c. His salvation through Jesus Christ.
II. Thanks for His present goodness. The psalmist was confident that kings would give thanks to God. David was a king, and God had given him many victories. David was always quick to give God the glory. Other kings of the earth saw his victories, and he hoped they would recognize his God as the true God. He knew his God was different from the pagan idols. Though He is highly exalted, He cares for the lowly. “The proud he knows afar off” – In other words, the arrogant are not able to hide from Him (Proverbs 15:3). ‘’
How does God keep blessing us in the here-and-now?
1. He continues to love us in spite of our failures.
2. He has not only saved us, but He also keeps us (John 10:28-29).
3. He keeps blessing us, even when we don’t deserve it.
III. Thanks for His future goodness. The psalmist was confident of God’s continued protection. “Though I walk in the midst of trouble” – God had not promised us a life free of trouble. We still live in a fallen world, and thus we still experience sickness, injustice, tragedy, and death. In some ways, being a follower of Christ only increases your troubles (1 John 3:13). God has promised to be with us through our troubles. He will give us strength to endure. He uses hardships to accomplish His purposes (Romans 8:28). We can trust God because His lovingkindness is everlasting. Human affection is often fleeting.
God, on the other hand, will love us forever. He loves us even when we continue to fail Him. He has prepared an eternal home where we will enjoy His love forever.
