The LORD is Great!

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

August 29, 2022

The LORD is Great!

 

But may all who search for you

    be filled with joy and gladness in you.

May those who love your salvation

    repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”

Psalm 40:16

When reading the psalms of David, I find it helpful to remember James Moore’s book, When You're a Christian... the Whole World Is from Missouri. David was God’s anointed; he was a leader. He was watched closely by his followers, and his detractors, alike. Christians are also closely observed by others. Moore’s book has the sub-title, Living the Life of Faith in a "Show Me" World.” While Missouri may be the "Show Me" state, for Christians, it is the whole world that says, "If you're a Christian, then show me!" Christians, in the normal course of life, can experience many of the same feelings of the psalmist.

In Psalm 40, David is agonizing over both his own sinful failures, and the persecution by his enemies. How did he respond to these issues? He spends the first two-thirds of the psalm remembering the faithfulness of God! In verses 6-8, He recalls the substance of worship. In verses 9-10, he recalls the foundation of faith-sharing. Then, he lifts his confession and petitions to God’s throne of mercy.

My Takeaway: The passage in verses 13-17 is repeated in Psalm 70 because it became a regular part of the liturgical worship of God by Israel. Perhaps you will want to remember parts of this passage in your prayers, and then you can join the psalmist is singing:

“As for me, since I am poor and needy,
    let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
    O my God, do not delay.”

Psalm 40:17

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.