The blessed life - share it!

 

If we were to title this psalm in today's language, we might say that David is saying, "I've received God's blessings, and you can, too!" 

Or, "I've been blessed! Here's how you can be blessed, too!"

The entire psalm has that theme. Let's begin at verse three:

Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together. (v. 3)

In today's business meeting terms, David is asking for audience participation! He's trying to engage and involve the people who hear or read his song. Verses four through ten tell us that God rescued David, and He will rescue us, too. So David encourages us to quit being a spectator -- to really prove in our own lives that God will "come through" for us.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (v. 8)

The inference in verse eight is similar to that of a person watching a chef prepare a dish. They can admire the beautiful color of the sauce, and hear the sizzle of the food in the pan, but until they taste it, they can't know for sure. Again in verses eleven and twelve, David invites others to listen as he teaches his testimony of a truly blessed life:

Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
 Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days, (vs 11-12)

I believe that when we experience God's blessings, He expects us to share our experience with others. I believe He also wants us to invite them to experience those blessings, too. He wants us to say "come and listen" to others and share what God has done in our lives.

Back in verse five, David says that those who look to the Lord, who seek Him and revere Him, are radiant . . . the Hebrew word there is also used in Isaiah:

Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame. (v. 5)

Then you will look and be radiant,
    your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
    to you the riches of the nations will come. (Isaiah 60:5)

That Hebrew word has the meaning (the scholars tell us) of a mother's face lighting up with joy when her children who were given up for lost, return home. It speaks of her joy and delight that cannot be hidden or held back. In the same way, when we have experienced God's salvation, our faces should be radiant. When we think about our Savior, we should be delighted! We should want to share our praise with others in word or song.

And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:11, NASB)

and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (I Peter 1:8)

for the kingdom of God is . . . . righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

The joy of our salvation -- let's share it!