Turning Toward Praise

Psalm 69:30 “30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

The Circumstances

It may appear to the onlooker that a praiser has an exceptionally good life or that he occupies some kind of alternate reality. How could a heart overflow with abundance of joy like that of a praising heart?!

The story always has elements of external forces coming to bear on the subject of the story.

Overwhelmed v. 1-3 (Inundated)

Psalm 69:1–3 “1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. 3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”

Misunderstood v.4 (Hated)

Psalm 69:4 “4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.”

Alienated v.7-12 (Isolated)

Psalm 69:7–12 “7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. 8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. 9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. 10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. 11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. 12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.”

The Response

The end of the story depends on what you do about what was done to you.

Take it all to God v.13-19

Psalm 69:13 “13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.”

The depths of sorrow

Psalm 69:14 “14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: . . . “

The hatred and misunderstanding

Psalm 69:14 “14 . . . let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.”

The loneliness

Psalm 69:17–18 “17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.”

Hide not your face; draw night unto my soul v.17-18

The Impact

The feelings and experiences are real.

Psalm 69:20 “20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

The Turning

Faith begins to rise as you begin to turn things over to a God that has power and mastery over all the forces against you.

‘Gall-ing’ Effect of Hatred

Psalm 69:21–24 “21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. 24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.”

Betrayal’s End

Psalm 69:25–28 “25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. 27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”

The Praise

A contrast of humility

In contrast to the manipulations of the haters and despisers, my heart comes before the Lord in humility.

Psalm 69:29 “29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.”

Joy Overflows

Psalm 69:30 “30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

It’s not that everything went well; it’s that God turned it

It’s not escapism; it’s deliverance

It’s not pomp and ceremony; it’s lavish gratitude

It’s not arrogance; it’s dependence

The Invitation

You may have recognized Jesus in these passages. This is a messianic psalm.

This isn’t the privilege of special or odd people. All are invited to join.

Psalm 69:34–36 “34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. 35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.”

Follow the divine example.

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