I feel so much like the Psalmist when he wrote in Psalm 116, verse 12, “How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?” I’ve been giving this Psalm some thought over the past several weeks and have read some commentary from the Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon explaining its content. I have often observed the difficulty of truly thanking the Lord for all He’s done and is doing in my life, so it strikes a chord when I read, “How can I repay You, Lord…” or how can I find the words or means of saying thanks when I remember all You’ve done for me.
The Psalm opens up, “I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” If you’ve ever been desperate for help and called on the Lord you can relate already. The writer goes on to say he was about to die, he was overcome with trouble and sorrow. “THEN I called on the name of the LORD…save me!”
“The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” He’s bringing to mind some of the things the Lord has done and then declares…”HOW CAN I REPAY THE LORD FOR ALL HIS GOODNESS TO ME?” Do you find yourself purposefully remembering the goodness of the Lord? Have you today?
Some of Spurgeon’s notes said, “Just as partial obedience is not good so partial thanks is worthless. David desires to highly value every mercy and give God the utmost praise. Just as skipping over one note spoils the grace of the music, unthankfulness for one mercy spoils our thanks for the rest.”
The power of reciprocation is compelling! So, what is the answer to the Psalmists dilemma? Is it possible to repay the LORD? He says, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.”
“I will lift up the cup of salvation…” To lift up a cup sounds something like a toast. The “cup” in Hebrew is used to represent plenty or abundance. In Old Testament worship, a drink offering was brought to the temple and as a symbol of thanksgiving it was poured out before the LORD as an offering. I love what Paul said in Philippians 2:17 and in 2 Timothy 4:6. In both passages he says his life was being poured out like a drink offering.
In response to all God has done, the Psalmist says I will take the cup of salvation (the cup of abundance, blessing, benefit, the cup of plenty) and call on the name of the LORD. Every time we call on the name of the LORD we are in some sense saying thank you. Every time we turn to Him rather than away from Him we are in some sense repaying Him.
In stark contrast to our cup of abundance, Jesus prayed in the garden with His face to the ground, “My Father, if it is possible, may this “cup” be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mt. 26:39) The only reason I have the cup of salvation today is because Jesus took the cup of God’s wrath in my place. Can I at least say thank you? Is there not a way I can express my gratitude for such a gift? Psalm 116 goes on to say,”I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the LORD – in Your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.” (vs. 17-19) David is willing to testify his public gratitude as an acknowledgement of deliverance from the LORD.
A fit mode of expressing our thanks to God is by solemn acts of worship, secret, social and public. Gratefulness begins in secret; my heart to God’s. But it cannot end there. The feeling will extend to the family altar and proceed into the sanctuary!
How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved yet You gave to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be…I give it all to Thee. To God be the glory…for the things He has done.
It will take all of eternity.
The Psalm opens up, “I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” If you’ve ever been desperate for help and called on the Lord you can relate already. The writer goes on to say he was about to die, he was overcome with trouble and sorrow. “THEN I called on the name of the LORD…save me!”
“The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” He’s bringing to mind some of the things the Lord has done and then declares…”HOW CAN I REPAY THE LORD FOR ALL HIS GOODNESS TO ME?” Do you find yourself purposefully remembering the goodness of the Lord? Have you today?
Some of Spurgeon’s notes said, “Just as partial obedience is not good so partial thanks is worthless. David desires to highly value every mercy and give God the utmost praise. Just as skipping over one note spoils the grace of the music, unthankfulness for one mercy spoils our thanks for the rest.”
The power of reciprocation is compelling! So, what is the answer to the Psalmists dilemma? Is it possible to repay the LORD? He says, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.”
“I will lift up the cup of salvation…” To lift up a cup sounds something like a toast. The “cup” in Hebrew is used to represent plenty or abundance. In Old Testament worship, a drink offering was brought to the temple and as a symbol of thanksgiving it was poured out before the LORD as an offering. I love what Paul said in Philippians 2:17 and in 2 Timothy 4:6. In both passages he says his life was being poured out like a drink offering.
In response to all God has done, the Psalmist says I will take the cup of salvation (the cup of abundance, blessing, benefit, the cup of plenty) and call on the name of the LORD. Every time we call on the name of the LORD we are in some sense saying thank you. Every time we turn to Him rather than away from Him we are in some sense repaying Him.
In stark contrast to our cup of abundance, Jesus prayed in the garden with His face to the ground, “My Father, if it is possible, may this “cup” be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mt. 26:39) The only reason I have the cup of salvation today is because Jesus took the cup of God’s wrath in my place. Can I at least say thank you? Is there not a way I can express my gratitude for such a gift? Psalm 116 goes on to say,”I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the LORD – in Your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.” (vs. 17-19) David is willing to testify his public gratitude as an acknowledgement of deliverance from the LORD.
A fit mode of expressing our thanks to God is by solemn acts of worship, secret, social and public. Gratefulness begins in secret; my heart to God’s. But it cannot end there. The feeling will extend to the family altar and proceed into the sanctuary!
How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved yet You gave to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be…I give it all to Thee. To God be the glory…for the things He has done.
It will take all of eternity.
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