He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
What did David do? David was devoted, body and soul, to praising the Lord. He says, “Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me” (Psalm 103:1-2). We should do this too, because the Lord God deserves whole-hearted praise for the good He has done for us, just like He did for David for David.
What good things has the Lord done? There are many things, too many to list them all. Among them, however, are the ones our verse for today mentions.
First, He redeemed humanity from death. We were as good as dead, stuck in a pit of sin and despair and frustration. There didn’t seem to be any way out. Everything we could have tried on our own failed miserably. He lifted us out of the slimy pit of sin, out of its mud and mire, and He set our feet on a rock of solid ground (Psalm 40:1-3).
Second, He crowned us with love. He ennobled us, dignified us, and honored us with His love. The Lord not only redeemed us from the pit, but He made it plain to see that His love and favor were upon us. And because He loved us first, we can show love to others in His name (1 John 4:19).
Third, He crowned us with His tender mercies. What are the tender mercies of the Lord? They are blessings that we don’t deserve—forgiveness, new life, peace, joy—which He gives because He is merciful.
The Lord has empowered and enabled His children. He has led and guided us. He has watched over and protected us. He has done all these and a thousand other things besides.
Why should we hold back? Let’s dance as David danced and worship the Lord our God!
