#DailyDevotion The LORD Likes Thanks & Praise More Than Sacrifice
Psalm 69 29But I am suffering and in pain. By Your saving power lift Me to a safe height, O God.
Our LORD Jesus Christ was in suffering and in pain. He experienced this as our substitute for what we should experience as a result of our sins. The Father heard His prayer, raised Him from the dead and had Him sit at His right hand until He made His enemies a footstool. There is no safer height than the right hand of God. Ultimately, we too will follow Jesus in our pain and suffering, which has been sanctified by His, through the grave to be where He is. Yet He does, even now, when it is best for us, relieve our suffering and pain in the now and present. He at least makes it bearable with His promises of glory in the world to come.
30Then I will praise God’s name in a song and with thanks tell how great He is. 31The LORD will like that better than a young bull with horns and hoofs.
When God our Father does deliver us from trials and tribulations, we praise His name and give Him thanks. I would think Jesus in His humanity gave thanks and praise to His Father when He sat down at the right hand on high.
There is a reason sacrifices aren’t part of the New Testament we’ve entered with God. Those were all fulfilled by Jesus. We see here in the Old Testament, even there, something liked by God better than sacrifice. God likes our praise of His name in song. He delights in our thanksgiving telling Him how great He is. Do we often praise God’s name, thank Him and tell Him how great He is for all His goodness toward us? He has provided us with food, clothing, house and home, family and friends, health (most of the time) and strength. He has provided for us the atoning sacrifice for our sins in Jesus Christ. He has given us eternal life and the Holy Spirit as guarantee of the life to come. Besides our praying for good things in this life to God let us also give Him thanks and praise for what He has done for us.
32Look, you who are oppressed and rejoice; you who go to God for help, may your spirits be refreshed. 33For the LORD listens to the needy and doesn’t despise His own when they are in prison.
The ESV translates verse 32 as, “When the humble see it they will be glad…” I think this is probably a better translation. The “it” goes back to verse 29. We see our LORD Jesus Christ risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father. When we are oppressed as Jesus was, and knowing we are joined to Him in baptism, we can rejoice because we know where He is, we are, and what He experienced we also shall experience. When we go to God for help, our spirits will be refreshed trusting God has heard us and received our prayers. Who is needy but the one who trusts Jesus Christ as their only claim into the heavenly courts? We have nothing to boast of in ourselves. So God doesn’t despise us in whatever prison we are in. Our trust is in Him, even as Joseph trusted the LORD when He was in prison.
34Heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything moving in them, 35because God saves Zion and builds Judah’s towns so that people can settle there and own them. 36His servants’ descendants will inherit the land, and those who love His name will live there.
All creation praises the LORD because of His goodness toward us. As children of Jesus (Heb. 2:13) we are co-heirs with Him of the New Heavens and New Earth. We will live there.
Heavenly Father, You deserve our thanks and praise for all Your goodness to us, but especially we praise You for Jesus Christ who is our salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.