"Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name" — Ps. 63:3-4
Men delight to talk about "the good life." What constitutes the good life may be a matter of debate, and will differ from one to another. Whatever the judgment may be, the "good life" is of short duration and uncertain. The Holy Spirit instructs us through the apostle James, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away [Jas. 4:13-14]."
David has a wiser assessment of life when in verse 1 he declares, "My flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." This world is a barren place, and life a burden, when rightly evaluated, if we are disconnected from God. It is from that perspective that he declares, "Thy lovingkindness is better than life." Oh, there may be moments of ecstasy and seasons of gratification in this life, but underlying it all, if we will give attention to it, is the relentless fact, "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment [cf. Heb. 9:27]."
God's lovingkindness surpasses all. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed." God's lovingkindness has spared us in this life, and provided us with the assurance of life eternal in an arena where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain [Rev. 21:4 see also Rev. 22:3 & 5]." God's lovingkindness is better both for what is is, and for what it has to offer. That is the biblical evaluation of the mercy of God, and it should be ours, if we have been assuredly born again.
There follows, as the logical consequence of this glorious discovery, the writer's declaration, "…my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee…" "Praise," the scripture says, "is comely for the upright." Every born again believer, every heaven-born child of God, should be exalting the Name of the Lord of life. And the supreme evidence of His lovingkindness is the sacrifice of His Son on the cross of Calvary where He gave His life a ransom for many. "By Him, therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto His Name [Heb. 13:15]."
Because His lovingkindness is better than life, our lips should praise Him "in season and out of season." That assessment remains true, whether life in the flesh seems favorable or otherwise. The New Testament injunction is, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you [I Thess. 5:18]." Are we obeying His will in letting this poor dying world hear His praise upon our lips from day to day, or does our conversation not go beyond the mundane things of this "present evil world?"
The degree of David's appreciation is amplified by the duration to which he pledges himself: Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy Name." It is a promise of lifelong devotion. To him it will not matter what tomorrow holds; his praise will be the same. For the discerning committed Christian, worship is not a Sunday thing; every day is the Lord's day, and every day will we praise him. Some time ago I sat with a believer who is going through a profound and protracted trial. Twice during our brief time of fellowship he said spontaneously, "I love the Lord with all my heart." His praise rose above his plight, and in his affliction, he blessed my heart! And that is how it ought to be.
If you are able to see this world for the "dry and thirsty land" it really is, let your thirst be a thirst for God and find rest, refreshment and rejoicing in Him Who is the "fount of every blessing," under the shadow of His wings. (Read the whole Psalm!) Selah!
With eternity in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
Men delight to talk about "the good life." What constitutes the good life may be a matter of debate, and will differ from one to another. Whatever the judgment may be, the "good life" is of short duration and uncertain. The Holy Spirit instructs us through the apostle James, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away [Jas. 4:13-14]."
David has a wiser assessment of life when in verse 1 he declares, "My flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." This world is a barren place, and life a burden, when rightly evaluated, if we are disconnected from God. It is from that perspective that he declares, "Thy lovingkindness is better than life." Oh, there may be moments of ecstasy and seasons of gratification in this life, but underlying it all, if we will give attention to it, is the relentless fact, "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment [cf. Heb. 9:27]."
God's lovingkindness surpasses all. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed." God's lovingkindness has spared us in this life, and provided us with the assurance of life eternal in an arena where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain [Rev. 21:4 see also Rev. 22:3 & 5]." God's lovingkindness is better both for what is is, and for what it has to offer. That is the biblical evaluation of the mercy of God, and it should be ours, if we have been assuredly born again.
There follows, as the logical consequence of this glorious discovery, the writer's declaration, "…my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee…" "Praise," the scripture says, "is comely for the upright." Every born again believer, every heaven-born child of God, should be exalting the Name of the Lord of life. And the supreme evidence of His lovingkindness is the sacrifice of His Son on the cross of Calvary where He gave His life a ransom for many. "By Him, therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto His Name [Heb. 13:15]."
Because His lovingkindness is better than life, our lips should praise Him "in season and out of season." That assessment remains true, whether life in the flesh seems favorable or otherwise. The New Testament injunction is, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you [I Thess. 5:18]." Are we obeying His will in letting this poor dying world hear His praise upon our lips from day to day, or does our conversation not go beyond the mundane things of this "present evil world?"
The degree of David's appreciation is amplified by the duration to which he pledges himself: Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy Name." It is a promise of lifelong devotion. To him it will not matter what tomorrow holds; his praise will be the same. For the discerning committed Christian, worship is not a Sunday thing; every day is the Lord's day, and every day will we praise him. Some time ago I sat with a believer who is going through a profound and protracted trial. Twice during our brief time of fellowship he said spontaneously, "I love the Lord with all my heart." His praise rose above his plight, and in his affliction, he blessed my heart! And that is how it ought to be.
If you are able to see this world for the "dry and thirsty land" it really is, let your thirst be a thirst for God and find rest, refreshment and rejoicing in Him Who is the "fount of every blessing," under the shadow of His wings. (Read the whole Psalm!) Selah!
With eternity in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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