What can we praise God for? (Ps 86)

This psalm is a prayer of David expressing his confident trust in God who answers prayer (v 7). In his prayer of supplication, David ascribed generous praise to God, declaring His wonderful attributes.  When you praise someone, you declare something good about the person especially in the area of character.  Let's learn from David what he thought of God.


Firstly, David addressed God as LORD (YHWH) which is the unpronounceable name of God (v 1).  He is the "I am that I am".  And certainly God shall be to us what we declare Him to be.  Do you need peace, then confess Him as your Jehovah Shalom.  If you need healing, then confess Him as your Jehovah Rapha.  

Secondly, the LORD is good and ready to forgive, abundant in lovingkindness (v 5). Even though David was afflicted and in need, he looked beyond the horizon to a God who is ready to forgive and bless. Indeed, no one and no gods can be compared to Him; the works of His hands are also unique (v 8).

Thirdly, God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithfulness (v 15).  He is merciful because He does not punish us according to what our sins deserve.  He is gracious because He delights to bless us with good things even though we don't deserve them. God could have wiped out humanity completely in the early days when there was gross immorality during Noah's time.  But He was patient with that wicked generation until Noah entered the ark.  Righteous Noah and his family were preserved through the great deluge.  

He is a God who keeps His word - a faithful God.  In a day and age when promises can be easily broken, God's fulfillment of His Word serves as a contrast to the practices of the world.  There are many promises relating to the second coming of Jesus Christ that have yet to be realised.  But as surely as night follows day, we can be rest assured that Jesus Christ would return for His bride.

As we contemplate the character and goodness of God, remember that He wants us to be transformed into His likeness as well.  The transferable characteristics of God, like being merciful, gracious and faithful, are the qualities He would like us to have and exhibit on a day to day basis.  Even as we do so, we reflect the Lord's love and character in a very tangible way.  For indeed, we are the only Jesus some will ever see.