In thinking about a message for this Thanksgiving-eve, I considered several Psalms. Many of the Psalms are great texts for Thanksgiving, because they voice praise in such poetical ways. Psalm 113, for example, along with so many others are happy and warm. They are the kind we might write or sing, when we are having really good day, and if we could write and sing. But, then, generally speaking, really good days seem to come and go. Most nice days have a rain shower, or frost on the windshield, or a paper cut somewhere along the way.
For the sake of argument, let’s say that the man who wrote Psalm 116 was David. We are not told this was the case, but he wrote others similar to this, so he might be the author. Through some of that man’s psalms, an untrained reader might think David’s life was spent in Camelot. But like every other child of Adam, his life had almost as many downturns as upswings. This psalm, at times, sounds like a man in great despair, and at other times like the father of septuplets – or maybe that is the same thing. I am going to call this “a Psalm of Poignant Praise.” This is a realistic psalm of praise. The thanksgiving is genuine, but it is not as boisterous as it might have been two weeks ago.
The Psalmist’s condition was much like yours and mine, except perhaps doubled or tripled.
Despite the periodic “happiest days of life” his life was not all roses, turkey dinners, lemon pie and crescent rolls. At one point he sobs, “the sorrows of death compassed me.” You see David was a man of death – a warrior who was fully acquainted with the subject. He had seen his enemies, many of his friends, his family and his associates fall in one way or another. He was often fearful for his own life. He saw the leaves fall – and even entire trees fall right onto the electrical lines of his life. He had heard of people hurrying home in the midst of storms – struck by lightning or falling branches. David knew, if were not for the grace of God, his life too could be snatched away without a moment’s warning.
This Psalmist had far more respect for death than we find in most people today. We are surrounded by deadly poisons – cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gluttony and dare-devil acts. Not to mention the simple task of driving from your house to church. But we don’t bother to think how close these bring us to the grave. I once had a co-worker who smoked, and periodically I would teased him about his filthy habit. Then his doctor told him that there was a spot on his lung, and more tests were needed. Immediately he quit smoking, and began to take a very serious look at his life – at least physically. But the additional tests showed that the spot was scar tissue from an earlier pneumonia – not cancer. Almost over night he was back to his unconcern and dangerous life-style. Hebrew 9:27 reminds us, “It is appointed unto men, once to die, and after this the judgment.” David may not have been able to quote the New Testament verse, but he was aware of the reality and proximity of death.
Besides speaking of death, verse 3 refers to “hell.” I know that the word “hell” has several meanings, but perhaps David was referring to the worst of them. There are many people today who know that Hell is ahead, but they little realize the enormity of danger. They know the word – they may often use the word – but they don’t know the true definition. They have seen the caricature, but haven’t considered the Lord’s photograph. A place where “the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.” A place devoid of mercy – a place of only torment, anxiety and pain. A place of everlasting punishment and eternal damnation. Modern man may not consider these things, but they had adhered to the heart and mind of David. Often in these Psalms and in David’s biography we see him squirming under the conviction of sin. Often we hear him mentally review what Hell holds for the wicked. Often we see the king with the pains of Hell strangling the joy out of his life. But then in the next verse we hear his song of praise.
Beyond the eternal and spiritual, there are the simple, and not-so-simple, problems of day-to-day life. Again in verse 3 – “I found trouble and sorrow” – he was brought low by great affliction. Every age, every day and time have their particular problems – even for a wealthy and powerful king. We think things aren’t going well – what a terrible “Thanksgiving Day” this is going to be. But how many of your children have raped or murdered other members of your family? That occurred in David’s family. How many of our children are plotting patricide against us? No matter how bad things may appear to be, they could be much, much worse. At times David was brought low – spiritually broken – with to place to turn. Friends, relatives gone; money, food, home – gone. On the other hand what a blessed position it can be when we have no other direction to look but up. When things are really bad – and most of us have no real idea of what “bad” really is. When things are really bad, there are only two alternatives – death or deity – eternity or Elohim. David looked at the first one – but then chose the other. When he could have quit altogether, he chose to praise the Lord altogether. This was the condition of this Psalm writer. The cause of the condition was sin, on several plains and through many people – the psalmist and others. The cause of death and Hell is sin.
But then we are told what action which the Psalmist took.
“Then I called upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.” Notice how David approached the Lord. He didn’t come with incense, bullocks or turtle doves – blood sacrifices. His sacrifices had already been offered. He didn’t come pointing at his baptism, denominationalism or ceremonialism. He didn’t seek God in privation, in penance or in pretense. He came to the Lord in faith, calling on Him to save him. There is only one way of approach towards God – “According to your faith be it unto you.” “If you shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believed in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” The only step David took to be delivered from his problems was to reach out to the Lord by faith.
And what was the action taken by God? “He heard my voice; He inclined His ear unto me.” God’s ears are always attuned to the sound of a repentant heart. He showed grace, righteousness and mercy towards David. “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and he helped me.” God showed David His grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, freely bestowed on all who believe.” And the Lord preserved Him. The Lord dealt bountifully with his saint. One of my favorite verses is found in Romans 8 – “He that spared not his son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him, freely give us all things?” “No good thing will He withhold form that walk uprightly.” “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
The Psalmist had his difficulties, but God countered it with His abundant grace.
So while still in the midst of his problems, David could find reason to rejoice and to praise the Lord.
Verse 12 – “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” Verse 1 – “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.” It is a somewhat popular thing for people to say, “I love God” or “I love Jesus.” I heard a wicked man say something similar to that just last night. What he said was, “my best friend is Jesus.” Yah, right.
For the last week or so, while in the car, I have been listening to a classic of American literature. Yesterday, I heard the lawyer in that story ask a truly ignorant young girl – in an extremely dysfunctional family – if she loved her Father. Immediately the girl started stuttering and stammering, because she could not understand the question. It was at that moment I got home and turned off the car, so I didn’t hear how the lawyer defined love, but in my head I tried to anticipate his answer. How would you define, describe or explain love? More specifically – what is it to love Jehovah – the Lord? I think David knew what it was, and this makes what he says even more interesting. Just to know the Lord hears my voice and my supplications is sufficient for my faith and my love. I don’t have to be indulged by God, filled up by God, made rich and healthy by God – before I love him. Just to know that He hath incline his ear unto me, is enough to fill me with praise.
In verse 9 David said, “I will walk before the Lord.” In verse 12, the king of Israel said, “I am pleased to be a servant of God.” “Walking before” the Lord suggests that we are under His direction, not our own. In some societies the servants don’t trail their master, they make sure that the way is cleared for them.
“I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.” “In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.” The psalmist says, “I will not cease to thank God for his benefits.” “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Even when it appears that at the moment those benefits are running a little thin. “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.” How can I be even slightly displeased with my current earthly problems in the light of the eternal problems which have been covered by the blood of the sacrificial lamb? “What shall I render unto God for all His gifts?” Verse 10 – “I have believed on Him, and now they can’t shut me up. That man next door will hear me praise my God. The whole city will know that I worship and thank God.”
This is a psalm of poignant praise, because it is real – it is genuine. In the midst of ordinary and extraordinary problems, the man could still glorify God. While suffering much loss, there was still much for which to be thankful.