Praise The LORD's Goodness and Grace!

Psalms 138:1-8

A Psalm of David.

1 I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.

6 Though the LORD is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

This psalm of king David calls us to join with him in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD for His goodness to we the people of the true Potentate, the Ling of kings.  Praise should be wholehearted and in plain view of the false gods and their followers who are as the swine running off the cliff from the demoniac as the Lord’s command (Matthew 8:32) as a testimony against them, and as a witness of Who alone is God and worthy of praise.  We should worship, not to a particular temple in one city, Jerusalem, as was the case when that was the meeting place with God, but in every place towards Him, and together in our assemblies.  His name is to be lauded with praise for His truth and for His loving kindness of mercy and grace.  Yes, God has exalted His very word above all His name in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14, Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9, 1 John 1:1-2)!  And when we were convicted of our sin and poor standing before Him, we cried out and were answered with salvation, just as we can be delivered from the situations and sin surrounding us even now and find boldness to stand for the truth afterwards, with strength in our souls.  Yes, this testimony from the Word to God’s power in grace will lead some kings and leaders to give God the credit in the form of praise, even though many will not heed it.  Even if there is but one who hears and needs is worth speaking out these words of life which point to the living Word of God (Hebrews 4:12).  Great is God’s glory, and ways worthy of praise, worth singing about by as many who hear.  Yes, God inhabits heaven on high, far above us, yet He does hear and care for the humble in spirit and state, while keeping far from the proud who deny His word and ways.  This is why David and we all who know the Lord can walk through the midst of troubling circumstances without growing weary, for He will revive us again (Psalm 85:6).  He is the one whose mighty hand reaches down to save us from our enemies (which are His enemies) as we humble ourselves before Him (1 Peter 5:5-6, James 4:10).  Finally, we have the certain hope (Hebrews 11:1) of agog finishing His work in us (Philippians 1:6).  He will perfect that which concerns me!  This is due to His great and everlasting mercy in grace, for we know by promise of His word that He will never leave or forsake (Hebrews 13:15) His children who are the work of His mighty hands!  Praise the Lord’s goodness and grace.  Yes, and amen.