Psalm 108:1,2
One may ultimately come to the decision that a loved one should undergo very serious surgery and makes up his mind to arrange for it. That does not however mean that he looks forward to it and will be singing during it. Singing requires more than a decision. It calls for a joy in the heart. In moments of sadness we cannot sing but are leaning toward weeping. Happiness must be there, if we are going to sing.
David has such happiness in his heart when he in Psalm 108:1,2 wrote: "O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early." Our versification explains it this way (PRC Psalter):
My steadfast heart, O God,
Will sound Thy praise abroad
With tuneful string;
The dawn shall hear my song,
Thy praise I will prolong,
And where Thy people throng
Thanksgiving bring.
What we have here is a decision of David, but also an eagerness to sing God's praises. For his heart is fixed, or as the versification explains it, it is steadfast. He intends to sing God's praises and eagerly looks forward to do so with joy. In fact he will awake early in the morning to begin the day with such singing. And the word awake that is used here has the related idea of being set on fire. He is enthusiastic about such praise to God,
If you have already tasted the salvation that Christ realized for you, you also will be eager to praise God for the amazing work of grace which is upon you; and you will want to sing.
The question is then how enthusiastically do you sing God's praises in the worship services on the Sabbath? And what about the days and hours between the Sabbath evening service and the morning service the next Sabbath? What did you sing during that period of time? On what was your heart fixed?
O that we might fill our days here below already with praise to God and turn from those carnal songs of the world.
Read: Psalm 108
Psalter versification: #298:1
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #380
Why not sing along??
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
2 Chronicles 8:11-18 ; 2 Chronicles 9 ; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19
Romans 8:9-25
Psalm 18:16-36
Proverbs 19:26
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Quote for Reflection:
“I often say that there is no power or means to resist the sects except this one article of Christian righteousness. If we have lost it, we cannot resist any errors or sects.” ~ Martin Luther
Additional Info
- Date: 23-July
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.