Sat, 29 April, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
God has acted in such a great way on our behalf. He has richly provided everything we need. He has granted us life, health, and protection. More than that, He has done everything to save us from our sins, as we come to Him in faith.
As we recall all that God has done for us, what should be our reaction? What impact should this have not only on us, but on those around us? David tells us in Psalm 40.
What do we learn from this?
David waited patiently on the LORD, and saw God save him from the trouble he faced. Think of all that David went through, and how God preserved him. God saved David from wild animals and giant soldiers. He save David from enemies (both foreign and domestic). God preserved David as king even when his own son rebelled against him. Again and again, David witnessed how God drew him up from the pit of destruction.
The result? David sang praise to God. David saw how God worked in his life, and this caused David to praise God.
How about you? God has greatly worked in your life also. Does the thought of this cause you to praise Him? It should. Or are you so complaisant about what God has done (and is doing) in your life that you don’t think about it at all. Do you just expect that God will bless you, and it doesn’t even occur to you to praise Him for it. It should not be. We should praise God for His answers to our prayers.
But also note the reaction of others. When we praise God for what He has done, like we are supposed to do, those around us will see it, fear God, and put their trust in the LORD. As we praise God and give Him the glory for what He has done, it will cause other’s to come to faith, and they too will praise God for what He has done.
We should be thankful people. And our thanksgiving should redound to the glory of God, as we praise Him and those around us come to praise Him as well.
Where is Christ in this passage?
David says that God has saved him from the pit of destruction. David saw God save him from many physical dangers. But the greatest salvation David ever received from God is salvation from the guilt of sin. The pit of destruction due to sinners is hell itself.
Because of the work of Jesus Christ, God has promised to save all who come to Him in faith. The guilt of their sins has been laid upon Jesus Christ, and they receive Christ’s righteousness that they need to be right with God.
We should praise and thank God every day for what He has done for us in Jesus Christ. And we should tell others, so they too can come to saving faith and praise Him as well.
