Praising Scripture - Dec 13

Introduction...

12/13 Psalm 40:6-11 Praise for God’s Will
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 6-8）

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.


[Sharing]
The larger context of our psalm today is a prayer for help when trouble abounds. David begins by praising God for His past mercies before another appeal to the gracious Lord for deliverance. Sandwiched fittingly between these is this testament to the king’s faithfulness to God’s will. That’s really the heart of the matter here - true praise includes true obedience to the Lord. David knows God mandated animal sacrifices but if they were offered without genuine repentance and faith, God did not want them because that would not be true worship. The great praise here is both that the psalmist delights and does God’s will and God has chosen to reveal His will to David and put it within his heart.

Praise You, dear God who has opened our ears!

Let us all praise our Lord who has graciously revealed His will to us and wonderfully moves our hearts to delight in His ways, even writing His law within our hearts!
Praise You dear Jesus for Your righteousness, faithfulness and your salvation!
Let us all praise the Christ for His lovingkindness, His truth, and His tender mercies!
Let us offer such praise even when trouble abounds.
Let us offer this praise in the great assemblies where all can hear and join in.