October 30, 2021 – Psalms 16-20

David prays and testifies, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you’” (16:1-2). So (just thinking out loud, here), if someone does not know the Lord, is David suggesting that person has no good at all? Of course not. Though set in the context of God’s special love and goodness toward his saints, the Psalmist’s testimony is that God’s goodness extends to even more: “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made” (Psalm 145:9) & “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16). Also, remember Jesus’s words? “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

God’s goodness is wide. It is broad. It extends to all his creation. But it is only the children of God who agree with David and recognize that all good comes from our God and who give thanks to him. Paul encourages the Ephesians and us to be found “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Today (actually, every day) is a good day to say to our Heavenly Father, “Thank you!”

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him, all creatures here below

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.-- Thomas Ken (1674)