R³ Devotional - Day 141

You could call Chapter 22, David’s Song of Thanksgiving.  David was a skilled musician who played his harp for Saul (1 Samuel 16: 23), instituted the music programs for the tabernacle and temple (1 Chronicles 25), and wrote more of the Psalms than anyone else.  Writing a song like this was not unusual for David.  This royal hymn of thanksgiving is almost identical to Psalm 18.

In verses 22-24, David was not denying that he had ever sinned.  Psalm 51 shows his tremendous anguish over his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba.  But David understood God’s faithfulness and was writing this hymn from God’s perspective.  He knew that God had made him clean again – “whiter than snow” (Psalm 51: 7), with a “clean heart” (Psalm 51: 10).  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we also are made clean and perfect.  God replaces our sin with His purity, and He no longer sees our sin.  
Continuing in verse 27, “With the crooked You prove Yourself shrewd” means that to those who sin, God is a judge who will punish them for their sins.  God destroys those who are evil.

Finally, in verse 47, David begins praising God wholeheartedly.  Praise is not just a song about God; it is a song to God.  In this song, David uses many word pictures such as rock, lamp, and shield to portray God’s marvelous attributes.  Praising God has several aspects to it.

Real, Relevant and Ready:

We praise God when we:

(1) Say thank you to Him for each attribute of His divine nature.  As you read the Bible, look for other characteristics of God for which to thank Him.

 2) Focus our hearts on God.  Take one attribute of God, such as His mercy, then concentrate on it for an entire week in your meditation and prayer.

 (3)  Thank God for His many gracious gifts to us.  Make a list and count your blessings.
 
 (4)  Thank God for our relationship with Him.  Through Christ you have been given the gift of salvation.  Tell God afresh how much you appreciate it.