Meditation on Psalm 138:1-2

"I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness..."

This is a Psalm of David. Read those words again...slowly...hear how happy David is in God, how deeply he is satisfied in his Lord. He gives thanks with his whole heart. You might ask, "What does it mean that David sings God's praise "before the gods". He sings the praises of the one true God right in the face of any rivals that try to distract him for his Master. For you and me that might mean we say to that dark sin or addiction, "No! Jesus is my Master, He is enough. I don't need or want you!" It means for us that we choose Jesus over and above all rivals (materialism, wealth, health, safety, entertainment, etc.). Oh, how our souls long to be satisfied by God in this way! When we are enjoying God like this we can't help but "give thanks to [his] name for [his] steadfast love and [his] faithfulness".

So far David has told us what he does - thank God and sing his praises - but he hasn't mentioned why...until the end of verse 2, "...for you have exalted above all things your name and your word." WOW! There it is - the secret of being so satisfied and pleased in God that you sing His praises right in the face of all would be rivals! He is filled with love for God because God made priority of His Name (reputation) and His Word. When God is seen as great and His word is seen as most important we can enjoy Him and be satisfied. If God would have "exalted" David "above all things" David would not have been able to bask in the greatness of God. He would have been left looking at himself to satisfy...which would have left him disappointed.

Let God show you Himself today (the best place to see Him is in His Word - which He exalts above all things). Then sing His praises and enjoy His steadfast love and faithfulness.

For His Names' Sake,
-Keith