1I will praise You, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done. 2I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2 (NLT)
Myriads of raindrops make a river or ocean, but they are all the same. They are H2O. Humanity is like these drops of water; it is an ocean of human beings. Like each water drop is H2O, each person is the same. God makes each person in His image. Each person has another thing in common; God offers each person salvation. We, each, can choose Jesus or not. The person who chooses to believe in Jesus for salvation becomes different and has a lifeboat, of sorts. The one who told him or her about Jesus sits in that boat with millions of other people who have believed in Jesus for salvation. Being a Christian should involve more than just being saved from sin and death, being more than a saved water drop. It should involve telling and bringing people to the lifeboat so they can be more than one water drop among myriads. In Psalm 9:1-2, David explains this.
In Psalm 9, David began his song with a testimony about God in verses one and two. The original Hebrew text states David said, “I confess You, LORD.” People confess (testify) to what they saw and heard, what/who they know, and of what they have been a part. David received joy by living with Yahweh as His God and by confessing Him. In this psalm, David’s confession about God came from the joy he received because of being God’s child. The joy from God, the inward attitude, expresses itself outwardly. For David, his joy expressed itself in worshiping who God is (praise) and what He has done (thanks). H expressed his inward attitude outwardly with worship and praise.
God acts from His character, just as people act from their character. Sometimes He casts judgment and enforces truth. Other times, God provides food or protection. Upon occasion, He disciplines. God is active in our world. He did not create humanity and all creation, then sit back and watch us figure out life. God acts upon that which comes from within Himself. He loves, shows kindness, offers mercy and forgiveness, judges, disciplines, helps, protects, etc. Each of these actions comes from His character. He said in verse one, “I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done.” David was more than a drop of water. He was more than a passenger in the lifeboat. David loved God and wanted other people to learn about and love Him, too. He wanted all people to know God personally then confess praise and thanks to Him so other people would learn about Him. David said in verse two, “I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High.”
David “confessed” about God in Psalm 9. Joy is the outward expression of confessing God. David praised God for who He is, was, and will be as his expression of the joy he received. He expressed joy to the Lord because of what He had done for him. David took joy in the Lord because he understood God’s blessings would be upon His children. He took joy because he realized God’s love, mercy, kindness, goodness, etc. forever touched the lives of His children. David received joy from the Lord because of His character. His joy sprang forth in praise and thanks to the “Most High”. David’s trust in who the Lord is sprang from his being. It caused his praise and thanks to bubble forth joyously to God and about Him so all people would learn about the LORD.
Where are you today? Are you experiencing hard times and wonder where God is? He is right there with you. Trust in His love and goodness for you. Praise Him for who He is, what He has done in the past, and what you recognize He can do now. Testify of the hope you receive from Him because of Jesus' death and resurrection. Receive the joy that hope gives you. Expect to experience His hand in your situation. Are you experiencing wonderful times in your life? Did you praise God for His love, goodness, and provision, and thank Him with your whole being? Have you testified about His love? Have you proclaimed God is in control, He is good, and He is faithful, so other people will learn about Him? Have you received good things, claimed them for yourself, and not offered them back to God for His purposes? You may not be the person for whom He gave the gift. You may be the conduit whom God uses to help another person recognize Him and His love and goodness. This may lead that person to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, too. Receive God’s blessings with joy and joyously share them with other people. The biggest blessing God offers to each person is salvation from his or her sins and death. Have you joyously shared about the depth of God’s love? Have you told of His deep love that willingly allowed His Son, Jesus, to die to give salvation to each person who believes?
No matter what your situation is now, confess about God. Because
of whom He is, you receive joy, then praise Him. You receive joy and
show it by thanking Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do. Receive
joy from God like David did. God’s not done with you. He is not finished with
this world. Many still will hear from Him and receive His help. Will you be the
one who confesses Him to them and shares His goodness with them? You may wonder
what you can do. Realize you are more than one drop among a multitude in the
ocean. Be like David. His psalm ensured people knew about God and his own
relationship with Him. David was more than a drop of water. He confessed about
God and His actions to each person who would listen. David did not idly and
quietly sit in the lifeboat.
Be more than one water drop in the ocean.
Be in the lifeboat confessing hope and help.
Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. Psalm 9:11 (NLT)
