EVERY DAY WILL I BLESS THEE

Verses 1 and 2 both conclude with the psalmist’s long-term resolve to go on praising God throughout the remainder of his earthly life and the eternity beyond, “I will praise thy name for ever and ever”, v. 2. The opening words in verse 2 reveal the consequent short-time resolve to which the psalmist commits himself, “Every day will I bless thee”. This emphasizes an aspect of praise which we have encountered before, that praise should not ebb and flow according to our experiences or feelings, taken up with cares, griefs or disappointments.

We are unlikely to feel like singing all the time, but should resolve to praise the Lord despite any disinclination we may experience. Let us find fuel with which to feed the flames of our worship by meditating on the powerful words, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised”, v. 3.

Living as we do in the full-orbed glories of the gospel era, we can identify how the greatness of God characterizes every aspect of His saving work. Referring to the incarnation, Paul wrote, “great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh”, 1 Tim. 3. 16. The angel of the Lord told Mary of the coming One, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest”, Luke 1. 32. Referring to His arrival in Galilee, Matthew wrote, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light”, Matt 4. 16. Mark wrote that “the wind ceased, and there was a great calm”, Mark 4. 39. The healed demoniac published in Gadara “how great things Jesus had done for him”, 5. 20. In a parable, the Lord hinted at the cost of our redemption by referring to “one pearl of great price”, Matt. 13. 46. As He prayed in Gethsemane, “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”, Luke 22. 44. We also read of“great salvation”, Heb. 2. 3; of the“great Shepherd”, 13. 20; of our“great high priest”, 4. 14; and of “great and precious promises”, 2 Pet. 1. 4.

Surely we should endorse from our hearts, “Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great-, thou art clothed with honour and majesty”, Psa. 104. 1.

“God … is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us”, Eph. 2. 4.