For I will YET praise Him!

I came across a verse yesterday in Psalm 43 that I've been dwelling on.

Psalm 43

¹ Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.
² You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
³ Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Something about verse 5 resonates with me. It's easy to be downcast. It's easy to dwell on our troubles. But we have hope and joy and delight in the Lord. Oooooo He is so good to us! "For I will YET praise Him!" When I start to dwell on the Lord, He turns my sadness into joy indescribable and I want to shout from the mountain tops because I'm so blessed. I feel filled to the brim with the goodness of the Lord. My cup runneth over. 

Psalm 23:5-6

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

My cup overflows. I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever! God is soooo good! Ooooo He is so good! 

God is good. Put your hope in God.

Blessings on your week!

Naomi

God’s Goodness

Have you ever wondered why it is that we, as Christians so often turn our back on our Father, who loves us and gave us Christ to bring us back to Himself? It completely befuddles me sometimes to think about why it is that we continue in sin when we have so greatly been blessed by the love of God. I find some comfort in Romans chapter 6, knowing that it is the flesh that we are battling, and also in the knowledge that I have been made a new creature in Christ. However, my heart still longs to be set free from the battle with sin and with Satan. Sometimes I wonder how it is that God can keep loving me after I continue to sin against Him time and time again, despite what He has done for me.

It always amazes me though, when He brings me back to Him and in confession and repentance I find forgiveness from Him. I relish the times that we have together where He takes the time to deal with and heal underlying motives for the sin in my life. He doesn’t necessarily just want our actions to be changed, but He is also, more so, concerned about the nature of our heart. I love that He desires to bring us healing and cleansing where it is so desperately needed in each and every one of our lives. In Jeremiah 33:6-9 God talks about how He is going to bring His people health and healing; abundance, prosperity, and security; and how He is going to cleanse them from their guilt and forgive them of their sin against Him. He then says that the city would be a name of joy to Him, and a praise and glory before the nations because of God’s goodness to them. What a great picture that paints of God’s love in our own lives as well. As God brings us back from our own sin and rebellion against Him we find forgiveness, health, healing, abundance, prosperity, and security in our own lives resulting in our name being a joy to Him and a testimony of praise and glory to those around us because of God’s goodness in our lives.

As I think about these things I am so grateful that God can take the sin and disgusting things in my life and because of His goodness towards me, use it as a testimony of how great and amazing He is. He can do the same with yours as well. Could it be that you are now in a time of sadness or depression because of sin and the constant battle that is taking place? Then take heart. God wants to take your battles, your sin and rebellion against Him, and bring to you forgiveness and healing. In which He is brought much glory, honor, and praise.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted November 2008