Singing Your Praises with Thanks

joy from mourning…

2 'O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. 3 You brought me up from the grave, O Lord . You kept me from falling into the pit of death. 4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” 7 Your favor, O Lord , made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!' Psalms 30:2-7,11-12

in all things we are taught to give thanks. david did the same regardless of what he was going through. definitely a lesson i can work on myself.

verse 2: healing of illness and injury; i’ve had my share of them - including now my back and recently with bad case of covid.

verse 3: while neither of these 2 recent events were life-threatening, there definitely has been times God has saved me from death - drowning while surfing (several occasions).

verse 4: praising and worshipping should always be on our lips and definitely with mine.

verse 5: the commentary i read describes this as a momentary nature of God’s anger with His people, with me when i fail or stumble; while His goodness, mercy, & grace He shows us/me is forever.

verse 6: the favor of God shown to those who listen/follow Him; hopefully pride does not set in or you will boast of yourself vs. what The Lord has done.

verse 7: showing a relationship with God where when all is good you can be so stoked, while on the flipside, when you don’t feel the presence of God you feel crappy. not that God is hiding from us, instead only when we are not close to Him that causes you to feel that way.

verse 11: an opportunity to reflect and appreciate what God has done to turn the bitterness of life into the sweet tasting fruit it eventually bears.

verse 12: that we would bear witness to the goodness of God; that He will receive all the glory, honor, and praise that is His due alone.

there is always time to reflect and thank God for what He has done in my life, our lives. it isn’t always easy because we focus so much on the problem instead of the one who has the solution. sometimes it is due to timing - His and not ours, that causes one to be so distraught or frustrated.

in any of the situation that david faced, he ultimately reflects on who God is - provider, protector, etc. and that none of what was created or done for him was of his doing. if The Lord’s hands were not in it, he would not have had the successes he did. though he struggled at times, cried out to God, questioned himself and the situations he face, he gave all the credit to God who saw him through to the end.

dear Heavenly Father, may i always have gratitude on my lips and to live out my life in appreciation of who you are and what you have done for my family and i. may i reflect on everything that you are working out for my good, not just when things are great. teach me to follow you, Lord Jesus, as you commanded and lived out your life in obedience to God. in your Holy and Precious name i pray, amen!