"I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me" (Psalm 30:1).
While believers praise the Lord for many blessings, none so stirs the heart more than God’s setting them free from sin. The joy that fills a Christian’s heart stupefies the unbeliever who has no understanding of what it means to be lifted from the depths of a sinful life, to have one’s wailing turned into dancing, and to be clothed with inexpressible joy. Every believer knows what it is like to live under the dominion of sin and then to be freed from its chains. This experience also must be foreign to those who still live in darkness. Unbelieving friends, family, and acquaintances cannot grasp the joy that enriches the Christian’s life. Because they do not know they are dead in their sins, they dwell in darkness and cannot comprehend the excitement of those who have been redeemed from such a meaningless life.
In Psalm 30, David describes the joy of being delivered by the Lord. God has redeemed His people, and David rejoices that the Lord has included him among the faithful, that he can praise the Lord for his salvation in the sacred temple. This is the common response of everyone that has tasted the mercy of God. They rejoice in the Lord and exalt Him. They want to go into His house and praise His holy name because He has done so much for them. God’s people exalt Him because He does not remain angry forever, but is abounding in compassion and love.
Once God changes a person’s heart and causes him to become aware of his sin, that person’s only desire is to be delivered from such a state so that he may praise the Lord forever. Each of us should imitate David and reflect on how God has restored us into communion with Him and how He has spared us from eternal destruction. When we contemplate such deliverances, such a great salvation, we can’t help but praise God. David could not contain his joy in praising God for bringing him forth from the grave, and he incites others to praise God with him: “Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His; And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name” (Psalm 30:4). Let each of us remember how God has delivered us from Satan’s stronghold and how He has healed us from all our infirmities and clothed us in everlasting joy.
When was the last time you thanked God for delivering you from sin’s bondage? Write a prayer similar to David’s that praises God for all that He has saved you from and for all the ways in which He has healed you. Include a section that praises Him for His abundant grace.
