1 I will exalt you, Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 Lord my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
In verses 1-3, David remembers five things that cause him to exalt the Lord. Imagine and describe the scene(s) of each of these five things.
Take a moment to identify times throughout your life when the Lord helped you. Then, as David did, take a moment to "exalt" the Lord for what he has done for you.
4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. NIV
How do David's "praises" reflect his own personal, honest experience with God?
What "praises" do you regularly sing about God that fit your own personal experience?
From what you notice in this psalm, what do you think the Lord's anger is like? In contrast, what do you think God's "favor" is like?
::::: Application Challenge :::::
David urges God's "faithful people" to praise the Lord. So perhaps it would make sense, if faithfulness is a goal, to take a moment in the next 24 hours to "sing the praises of the Lord". How & when could you make sure to do that?