This is one of those acrostic Hebrew poems of David, each verse beginning with a different Hebrew letter in alphabetic order. It is also likely a victory song, fitting neatly behind the previous psalm, which is a battle hymn. Not merely in the sense of dutiful to protocol, but this is genuine heart-felt gratitude.
David easily could be God’s greatest cheerleader. Everything that made life worthwhile was his simply because he was pledged as Jehovah’s vassal. He was utterly shameless in lauding what a great and mighty God he served. There was simply no way to quantify it.
It was entirely natural that the Hebrew people would recount the mighty miracles and wonders God performed as covenant promises. It was more than anyone could ponder. So in the company of others who gave God due praise, David wanted to be there in the midst of that worship.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of Jehovah was His boundless patience. Like a doting father, He put up with a lot of nonsense. And this was not confined to the covenant people, but all of humanity was permitted to seek His favor.
Indeed, it was astonishing the way He worked through His chosen people, as if each of them were walking miracles, never mind whether they ever spoke a single word. Their survival against the odds and prosperity under the most stressful circumstances was a living testimony to His greatness. Just living under His dominion was beyond words. His authority never suffered from time and space boundaries.
This is the Creator of all things, able to catch anyone falling and to lift up the humble. The entire world looks to Him for their very survival. More than that, His Word promises abundant blessings beyond what any would dare to ask.
There is no model, no higher standard against which one might compare Jehovah. He is the definition of good and right. Yet He stands ready to respond to all who call on His name. It’s not a question of whether you can meet His standards; He will meet His own standards through us. He will empower us to serve Him. By the same token He’s pretty hard on folks who reject Him. He wants our hearts.
For David, the primary purpose in having a mouth was to praise the Lord. Sooner or later, everyone will glorify Him in one way or another.
