1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Questions to Consider
- What do we learn about God from his actions; his works, acts, and deeds in v.1-7?
- What seems to change from how God is described once we reach v.8? Imagine this was all that we knew about God – how would that shape your connection with Him?
- Which sections of the Psalm paint God as powerful and glorious? Relational and compassionate?
- What desires have you seen God satisfy in the past? What desires could you bring before him that have yet to be met?
- Which set of traits do you need to meditate on? Do you need to remember God as being in control and in your corner? Or intimate and deeply caring?
Closing Reflection
After the bath, I gave Buster a treat for… well not exactly for good behavior. Maybe more as a recognition of how difficult his first bath must have been for him. Then, I proudly presented him with a new dog bed and a few toys that we’d bought in preparation for ‘new puppy day’.
He never used his own bed once that night. Instead, he used all of his puppy strength to jump up onto the hotel bed and sleep right next to me, which is still his preference even now. At the end of the day, Buster just wants to be close to the people that love him, and to experience the affection and attention that we enjoy giving him.
Obviously, this analogy breaks down at some point, as we aren’t God’s pets – he’s called us friends. He’s adopted us into his family. And while many of us grew up with a clear view of God as powerful and in control, the Psalmist here also notes the tender care that He has for all of his creatures, and how God delights in meeting our desires – not just our needs. He is certainly in control and mighty, glorious and powerful. But he is also gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
My hope is that this scripture passage reminds you of the spectrum of characteristics of our God; infinitely powerful and intimately present in every moment of your life.
Do you want to listen to the podcast recording of this devotional? Available now anywhere you get your podcasts! Here is the link to this week's episode.
