I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness,
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness to all generations,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
(Written by James H Fillmore)
This was the first melody of praise that flooded my soul this morning when reading the first few lines of thanks from David. It’s an old song of my childhood and is still a great chorus of praise for our Creator and Redeemer! David, the King known for running after the heart of God since he was a shepherd boy in the fields, loves singing praises to God as habitually as breathing. The following is another example of a psalm/hymn of worship that proclaims David’s love of God prompted by his gratitude for God.
What is our habit of praise for God?
Psalm 138, The Message
Of David.
1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!”
Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
and say it again: “Thank you!”
Thank you for your love,
thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength.
4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God,
all earth’s kings will say “Thank you.”
They’ll sing of what you’ve done:
“How great the glory of God!”
And here’s why: God, high above, sees far below;
no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.
7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble,
keep me alive in the angry turmoil.
With one hand
strike my foes,
With your other hand
save me.
Finish what you started in me, God.
Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We learn of the greatness of God through the eyes of His beloved. Their stories of imperfections but with faith in a Perfect God were written by inspired historians and writers of God so we would know God—personally. We learn how our own stories fit into the story of God as we read. Our first response should prompt a litany of praise and thanksgiving to God who created us in Him own image because He loved us dearly and forever. When we walk away from God in shame because of our sins, God does not stop loving us, instead He made a Way, The Way, for us to come back to Him. The Way was/is/always will be Jesus who is Truth, lives Truth, and leads us to God’s ultimate gift of Eternal Life—to all who believe in Him.
There was no work to be done to earn this relationship with God; there were not enough sacrifices given to deserve His redemption from all our sins—only to believe and love Him back in surrender to His greatness and faithfulness! The Way, Truth, and Life is Jesus. Believe Him and be saved for eternity!
Jesus is the Only Way to God. (Stop looking for love in all the wrong places!) God gives eternal life which begins immediately with a new life of a personal relationship with God upon our surrender to Him. All because of Jesus—not because of our sentiments and admiration of Jesus but because of our repentance of our own personal sins in His Name who has all authority to remove our sins. Surrender of our will to God’s will is the Way to the peace we seek.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
This is the love of God who sent Jesus to save us from our sins—Yes, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever! There is NO ONE like our God! GREAT is our God!
The heart of Psalm 138 is pure worship to God and is a reminder of God’s care for the humble. The Lord does not direct his favor toward David because David is better than everyone else; to the contrary, David confesses that he is “lowly”. The reason for the Lord’s unfailing love toward David is that the Lord’s love “endures forever.” And David understands this about God and his relationship with God.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
Lord,
I will sing of your love forever beginning with today, right now, as I sit and speak with you and wait to listen to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will do in my life so that I will grow in our relationship to be more like you in every way and so others will know you, too. Lead me, mold and shape me, as I sing of your love, mercy, and grace. To you be all glory, honor, and praise!
In Jesus Name, Amen
