Who Can Compare With You?

Psalm 71:19-24

19Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.

You have done such wonderful things.

Who can compare with you, O God?

20You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,

but you will restore me to life again

and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

21You will restore me to even greater honor

and comfort me once again.

22Then I will praise you with music on the harp,

because you are faithful to your promises, O God.

I will sing for you with a lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

23I will shout for joy and sing your praises,

for you have redeemed me.

24I will tell about your righteous deeds

all day long,

for everyone who tried to hurt me

has been shamed and humiliated.

Michael Jordan is the best there is at what he does. Although there are many other good basketball players, over the course of his career Jordan has proved incomparable. You could make similar claims for actress Meryl Streep, poet Maya Angelou, baseball pitcher Greg Maddux, or even game show host Alex Trebek. In business a Fortune 500 company wants to retain the best consultants in their field. A first-rate hospital searches for the best surgeons. A wealthy crime suspect hires the best lawyers. And what else can brighten a mother’s day like the phrase “Mom, you’re the best”?

We forget sometimes that the Israelites lived in a world that believed in many gods. The neighboring nations had deities of their own, to whom they prayed for success. Various Scriptures depict the God of the Israelites being pitted against these other gods and emerging victorious.

But the Israelites took it a step farther. Psalm 71:19 asks: “Who can compare with you, O God?” The God of Israel isn’t just better than the others, he is incomparable—the best there is. In fact, he is the only one who matters.

Today many people worship the gods of money and entertainment. They are willing to make sacrifices to them, such as giving up their family life to work eighty hours a week. How silly! The true God isn’t just better than these other pursuits—he’s simply the best. Once you’ve met him, nothing else compares.

Great God of wonders!

All thy ways are matchless, Godlike and divine;

But the fair glories of thy grace,

More Godlike and unrivaled shine.

SAMUEL DAVIES

Bible Networking

To see more on how great our Lord is, see Ephesians 1:21; 3:14-21.

Notable Quotable

“A traveler among the high Alps often feels overwhelmed with awe. Much more is this the case when we survey the holiness of the Lord.”

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON