All things come from God, but the greatest and most significant benefits in life come by application to Him. Here are the ‘deep things’ of God – His mercy and benevolence, and what the promises (in the Scriptures) do for all who ask.

Sermon details

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The title (‘Things God Gives Only to Those Who Ask’) will become significant as we look at this psalm. It’s a psalm of praise. Sung especially in ancient times among the Jews on the three pilgrim feasts. It is thought to be (but not necessarily) an ‘antiphonal’ psalm where the people sang one part one line in each verse. And the Levites sang the second part or the other way around. But that’s supposition – it’s very likely though. It seems to be the case that every verse ends ‘for his mercy endureth for ever.’ And there’s a reason for this constant repetition: the psalm seems to be a psalm which gives thanks for creation and for the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt, and then for various deliverances as they went through the wilderness journeys, and then general gratitude. Each thing is mentioned in turn in a block of verses but 26 times we have ‘O give thanks unto the to the Lord for his mercy endureth forever.

That’s the psalm. Now looking at it you’d think it was all about the national fortunes of Israel, her deliverance from bondage from slavery in Egypt, her various deliverances from enemies who contested her as she proceeded to the wilderness and from the wilderness and so on. You would think it was all about the thriving of a nation on earth, but as with all these psalms there is a greater purpose because the idea of deliverance and blessing and provision from God extends to spiritual things.