(1) The unreserved enthusiasm of genuine praise and worship (vs. 1, 2; 19-22). David praised the Lord with "all that was within him," literally all his inner parts (vs. 1). Not content with praising the Lord by himself, he calls upon the angels, the hosts, those who serve him and all his works to praise him (vs. 20-22).
It is doubtful that such praise would have been accompanied by yawns, glances back at the clock or blank stares. I wonder sometimes how many staid congregations would react to the enthusiastic praise of someone like David in their midst, with his hands raised clamoring to his Maker as he sang and prayed while encouraging others to do the same. Surely, one of the biggest challenges of congregations composed primarily of second, third and fourth generation Christians is continual spiritual revival to avoid that cold routine that God despises (Amos 5:21-24; Is. 1:11-17) and instead foster an atmosphere where genuinely enthusiastic (but orderly) worship is considered natural rather than an oddity.
(2) The utter greatness of God’s blessings in general (vs. 3-7). If there is an equivalent to Ephesians chapter 1 in the Psalms it is here. David enumerates blessing after blessing as "benefits" that come from the Lord. Jehovah has pardoned iniquities (vs. 3), healed diseases (vs. 4), redeemed from the pit (vs. 4), crowned with righteousness (vs. 5), given satisfaction (vs. 5), performed righteous deeds (vs. 6), judged the oppressed (vs. 6), revealed his will through Moses (vs. 7) and revealed acts to the sons of Israel (vs. 7).
Isn’t the desire to constantly "count our blessings" a key to avoiding the whiney laziness that can seep into the lives of Christians as the years pass?
(3) The magnitude of God’s mercy in particular (vs. 8-18). This passage as much as any other belies the concept that the Old Testament emphasizes punishment without mercy. Spurgeon says that the psalm’s emphasis on God’s mercy indicates that it was written in David’s older days when he had a "higher sense of the preciousness of pardon."
Verse 8 praises Jehovah as "compassionate," "gracious," "slow to anger, " and "abounding in lovingkindness." He doesn’t give us the punishment that we deserve (vs. 10). The inspired Psalmist uses far-reaching similes to try to help finite minds understand God’s infinite mercy: "as high as the heavens are above the earth," "As far as the east is from the west" (vs. 11,12).
Some feel that the fact that God is gracious implies that even those who are lackadaisical in their service and approach to the scriptures will be saved because, "after all God is merciful." However, David makes it clear that Jehovah’s mercy is reserved only for those who "fear Him" (vs. 17), "keep His covenant" and "remember His precepts to do them" (vs. 18).
However, the psalm also contradicts the misconception of the other extreme – that the requirement of obedience implies unblemished compliance with every nuance of God’s revelation, and that anyone who is mistaken on any point (at least any that "I" consider to be important) has no hope. It plainly shows that those who fear God and keep His covenant and precepts (vs.17, 18) still need His mercy! If their fear and obedience were flawless, why would they appreciate God’s clemency so much?
The correct concept that avoids both extremes is that those who attain God’s great mercy are those who have learned through faith to have an obedient spirit, though they sometimes stumble, those who strive to obey every precept, though they need to grow.
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