Morning By Morning #32

May they sing of the ways of the LORD.

Psalm 138:5

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Christians begin to “sing of the ways of the LORD” when they first lose their burden at the foot of the cross. Not even the songs of angels sound as sweet as that first song of rapture that gushes forth from the inner soul of a forgiven child of God. In The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan (1628–1688) says that when poor Pilgrim left his burden at the cross, he made three giant leaps and then went on his way, singing:

Blessed cross! Blessed Tomb! Blessed rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!

Dear believer, do you remember the day your shackles fell away? Do you recall the place where Jesus met you and said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3); “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isa. 44:22); and “‘None of the offenses [you have] committed will be remembered against [you]’ (Ezek. 18:22) forever”?

Oh, what a sweet day it is when Jesus takes away the pain of sin! When the Lord first pardoned my sin, I was so joyful, I could barely refrain from dancing. On the way home from the house where I had been set free, I felt like telling even the stones on the street the story of my deliverance. My soul was so full of joy I wanted to tell every snowflake falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus—He who had blotted out the sins of such a terrible rebel.

Yet it is not only at the onset of the Christian life that believers have reason to sing. As long as they live, they discover new reasons to “sing of the ways of the LORD.” And as they experience His constant love they are led to proclaim, “I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips” (Ps. 34:1).

O Christian, “Glorify the LORD with me” (Ps. 34:3)—today!

Long as we tread this desert land,
New mercies will new songs demand.

Philip Doddridge, 1702 – 1751

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Certainly King David was not a new believer when he “danced before the LORD with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:14). He rejoiced because “the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David” (v. 16) after a long absence. And although his wife Michal “despised him in her heart” (v. 16) for it, he would not be deterred. He explained that his dancing was “before the LORD” and then went on to say, “I will celebrate before the LORD” (v. 21).

It was David who wrote our text verse today: “May they sing of the ways of the LORD.” The same psalm says, “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart…I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name” (Ps. 138:1 – 2). Notice David’s determination in these words.

Father, may the attitude of David be in me, to praise You “with all [my] might” and “with all my heart,” regardless of what others may think.

I will “call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise” (Ps. 18:3).