I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
The verse means that God lifts up His people when they cry to Him, delivering and healing them and not letting their foes triumph or rejoice over them. This lifting up and keeping from the triumph of enemies is the keeping power of the Redeemer in which His people are to triumph. Such deliverance and keeping power calls for extolling the Lord and giving Him glory, honor, and grateful praise with cheerful thanksgiving and thank-offerings. It calls for singing and giving thanks at the remembrance of His holiness, worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness, with praise to God alone upon the lips.
The verse calls for the bright and cheerful side of religion in a believer daily consecrated to God. That cheerfulness is to be expressed in features, temper, words, character, and conduct, witnessing that the service of God is good. No evil report is to be brought by sadness of countenance or ill-advised words, as if God's requirements restrict liberty. The mind is to take no low level, refusing a depressed, downcast, mourning spirit that pleases the enemy and dishonors God. This is especially true of mournfully relating grievous trials, which dishonors God.
Every trial is to be received as an educator and as a workman of Christ to perfect Christian graces, raise faith, and exalt truth. So received, trials produce joy and make the whole religious life uplifting, elevating, ennobling, and fragrant with good words and works.
The verse means that God lifts up His people when they cry to Him, delivering and healing them and not letting their foes triumph or rejoice over them. This lifting up and keeping from the triumph of enemies is the keeping power of the Redeemer in which His people are to triumph. Such deliverance and keeping power calls for extolling the Lord and giving Him glory, honor, and grateful praise with cheerful thanksgiving and thank-offerings. It calls for singing and giving thanks at the remembrance of His holiness, worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness, with praise to God alone upon the lips.
The verse calls for the bright and cheerful side of religion in a believer daily consecrated to God. That cheerfulness is to be expressed in features, temper, words, character, and conduct, witnessing that the service of God is good. No evil report is to be brought by sadness of countenance or ill-advised words, as if God's requirements restrict liberty. The mind is to take no low level, refusing a depressed, downcast, mourning spirit that pleases the enemy and dishonors God. This is especially true of mournfully relating grievous trials, which dishonors God.
Every trial is to be received as an educator and as a workman of Christ to perfect Christian graces, raise faith, and exalt truth. So received, trials produce joy and make the whole religious life uplifting, elevating, ennobling, and fragrant with good words and works.