Proclaiming His goodness

 

As we worked our way through Psalm 40, did you notice how many times David proclaimed the goodness of God? He really kept beating that drum, didn't he? He wanted us to know that when the Lord rescues us from the pit, we should proclaim His goodness.

Look at these verses:

He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him. (v. 3)

He felt like singing!

Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare. (v. 5)

And again in verses nine and ten:

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.

Why in the world did David keep repeating himself?  Why, indeed! Because he KNEW that if he didn't make it plain that it was the Lord Who had done great things for him, others might "chalk it up" to good luck. Or to David's natural intellect. He figured out a way to escape the pit. Or his strength. Or creativeness. Or whatever. 

But David wants everyone to know that he was helpless. He was in a pit, sinking into slimy mud. He could never have rescued himself -- so he cried out to God and waited expectantly for God to deliver him.  And when his faithful God delivered him, David made sure that God got every bit of the praise.

In our business, we once worked with a group of designers who had collaborated on a huge telescope that now orbits the earth. That telescope can take what appears to be a tiny object in the darkness of the night sky and magnify it. We can get some idea of how awesome and how large it really is. After all, many stars are anything but little -- they dwarf our own sun! 

Many people today either ignore God or they think of Him as small and distant. Not a part of their lives. As Christians, we have cried out to the Lord to save us from the pit of sin. We were stuck in that mire with no way out.  God sent His son to offer Himself on the cross on our behalf . . . since He has delivered us, we are to be like that telescope. . . we are to magnify the Lord and His great salvation to a world that shrugs and says, "So what?" while they waste their lives watching television, texting on their phones, posting on Facebook, pursuing wealth, sex, power, or fame -- all of which will perish when they die.

We must tell others about how He rescued us from the pit, so that they can believe, accept His great salvation, and join us in saying, "The Lord be magnified!"

One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts. (Psalm 145:4)

Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:3)