Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise Your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of Your goodness to me.
Psalm 142:7 NIV
Here is David…once again…on the run for his life from Saul, hiding in a cave, acknowledging the need for his God’s deliverance and protection. And don’t you just love his motivation?
“…that I may praise Your name, then the righteous will gather about me because of Your goodness to me.”
Yes, he definitely needed to be rescued from the cave. Yes, he surely needed to be delivered from this situation. Yes, he absolutely was in dire straits fearing for his life. But, even more than rescuing, delivering, and saving, he wanted to praise his Deliverer, his Redeemer, his Savior and tell others about God’s goodness.
And this was always the recurring theme of David’s heart—to praise God! Even now, thousands of years later, you and I are so often brought to the place of praise through the beautiful, praise-filled words of David’s psalms, yes? Here are a few of my oh-so-very favorites:
But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalms 13:5-6
My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts
and of Your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is more than I know.
Psalm 71:15
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
Psalm 40:5
In Psalm 142, we hear of David’s desire to not only praise God for rescuing him but that other’s, also, would praise God for this. How about me (and you)? When we cry out to our God for His deliverance in our situations and circumstances, is it only for relief for ourselves? Or is our prayer that out of our being delivered our God would receive honor and glory and majesty and praise…? Oh, for sure, we need God’s deliverance! Daily each of us need God’s provision and protection and blessing. But we should always be sure to tell others about the wonderful and mighty and awesome things that He does as He cares for us.
So, tell us, would you…how has God set you free lately? We would love to praise His name because of His goodness to you!
Thank you, Coleen, this is a good word for me to meditate on today. I do want Christ to shine through me, so that others will know He is my Deliver.
love you, clella!! <3 david is SUCH our wonderful example…and the psalms give us so many ways to praise God when our own words fall short!<3
I did not read this yesterday, but I had these same thoughts regarding being imprisoned by life’s trials and thanking God for His deliverance from them. Thank you, Coleen, for putting my thoughts into such a great teaching!