The Goodness Of The Lord

Ps 116:12-14. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

This is the goodness of the Lord. This has been my portion after what I’ve been through this past year. David felt the goodness of the Lord; he had experienced and proved it. We know that what the Lord has done for us is priceless and we can’t put any monetary value to it. But we are glad that there are some things we can do to repay even a little of the Lord’s goodness, as the psalmist says here. First: Take the cup of salvation. In taking the cup, we have to make an effort to do it. There is a cup to take – the cup of salvation. Our salvation defends on the cup that we take. In the Lord’s hand there is a cup (Psa.75:8). Think of Jesus’ cup in Gethsemane. His perspiration was as blood. It cost him His own will to fulfill salvation. The cost was in the cup. We have a hymn, “The bitter cup of woe.” The cost was to deny oneself. It will always be difficult for us. It is bitter. Our human nature does not want bitter things. Humanly, we don’t want to eat bitter food. As much as possible, we try avoiding eating bitter food. We are more inclined to eat what is tasty to the palate and not what is nutritious for our bodies. For our spiritual health, we need bitter foods. It is not about what is tasty and delicious but what nourishes the soul. Even bitter things, this is for our salvation. Second: I will call upon the name of the Lord. Rom 10:13-15. Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Salvation is a process. There are steps to take in our salvation. We cannot just call and be saved. How can we call on the Lord in whom we have not believed? And how can we believe if we have not heard him? Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the preaching of God’s word. And how do they preach except they are sent? There is a way the Lord sends His servants and it hasn’t changed. Our salvation depends on this – “I will call upon the name of the Lord.” It is a desire to know him better and to have fellowship with Him. John 17:3, Jesus said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Third: I will pay my vows – this is being true with our purpose. Judges 11:30-31. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. Jephthah's vow was to offer whoever comes out of his house to meet him. It costs him his very best and what he loved most. Our vow should not only be by lips or words but being sincere in our hearts to fulfill it. If we are willing to pay the cost of our vow, we will also know of the sacrifice of the Father in giving us His only son. The psalmist desire was to pay his vow. In Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob vowed a vow and was sincere to fulfill it. Revelation 12:11, and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony… The word of their testimony was to fulfill their vow – to be true to their purpose and this is my desire.

(This was shared by a sister who had been through breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and is on oral chemo now. She’s not clinically cleared yet, but her desire to pay her vow is so encouraging. As iron sharpens another iron, so is a man sharpens – deepens/strengthens the purpose – the countenance of his friend.)
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Shared By: R. Aragones,