I don’t know about you, but sometimes my life is marked by grumpiness and self-pity. So, I need this psalm. Between the opening and concluding verses, four stanzas extol the greatness of our God.

God is indescribably majestic, and his character is revealed in the wonderful things he does (vs 3–7). But the majesty is not remote. It touches earth, and our lives, with love, compassion and forgiveness, as God, who is Father, embraces his children (vs 8–13a). And what God promises he always delivers. He lifts me up when I stumble and fall, he opens his hands in love and gives me the desires of my heart (vs 13b–16). Best of all, he comes ‘close up and personal’ to satisfy, to save and to make secure (vs 17–21). Grumpiness and self-pity be banished! How could we not draw near to the one who draws near to us (v 18)?

How could we not shout his praise from the rooftops (vs 1,2,21)? The psalmist leads the way. He can hardly contain himself. He will extol God, commend him to the next generation, proclaim his wonderful deeds, celebrate his goodness and sing with joy. Can we do the same?

Call to mind ways in which you see God’s greatness, in your own life and in the wider world. Thank and praise him for those experiences. 

This is the last of the acrostic psalms, each verse beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Here David, the earthly king, praises God the Supreme King (v 1). Earthly rulers need to know their place. Too often, however, they fail to see beyond themselves. What do you notice about David’s fundamental attitude to God (vs 1,2)? How does his worship practice challenge you? Rightly, our worship often starts with the personal (I will exalt… v 1), but the context of David’s worship is much broader. He is joining in with the worship of the generations (v 4). Is that historical perspective reflected in your own worship?

God is praised not only by his people, but by his works (v 10). Previously David had spoken of the way in which God is revealed by his creation¹ but we also are to speak of God’s might so that, ultimately, all people will know of his ‘mighty acts and the glorious splendour of [his] kingdom’ (v 12). What is so different about this kingdom? How might our worship today make God and his kingdom known to our world?

We started with David the king recognising God as the Supreme King (v 1). Now we see the example God sets, not just to David but to all rulers. Character comes first: ‘trustworthy’ and ‘faithful’ (v 13), ‘righteous’ (v 17). We also see his priorities. He watches over the vulnerable, those who fall and are bowed down (v 14), who look to him (v 15), who call on him (v 18), who fear him (v 19) and who love him (v 20). When David says that the Lord is near to all who call on him (v 18), he is speaking about relationship, not geography. He is our next-of-kin!²

With the Lord as the example, David sets a high bar for leaders. Pray about your own leadership of others and for those who lead you – in nation, world, church.

¹ Ps 19:1–4  ² M Wilcock, The Message of Psalms, Vol. 2, IVP, 2001, p273