Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psalm 32:7 (KJV)
Matthew Henry put it this way: “Thou [God] shalt not only deliver me, but compass me about with songs of deliverance; which way soever I look I shall see occasion to rejoice and to praise God; and my friends also shall compass me about in the great congregation, to join with me in songs of praise: they shall join their songs of deliverance with mine.”*
Everywhere we look, we should see reasons to rejoice and praise God. (One thing to praise Him for is that we can look!) We should be thanking God throughout the entire day (and some of the night).
Along with that, we should be getting together with friends (in church or something) to praise God. Singing hymns and worship songs together is a great way to glorify God–and to remind ourselves Who He is and what He can do.
We don’t have to just sing though. The Hebrew word that is translated to songs in this verse also means shout. So we can shout praises to Him (or simply say them). Sharing/hearing testimonies and praises is another way to glorify God, and can also strengthen faith, encourage someone, etc.
Speaking of “shouting praises,” I read a story about a boy who, every time a train would pass by (which was every few minutes), would shout out, “Thank You, God, for ______!” Some of them were small, even silly, things (like ear muffs), but he was thanking God.
I’m not saying we have to shout out something to be thankful for every time we hear/see a train. But maybe we should. Or, instead of that, we should determine to thank God every time we take a drink, pass through a doorway, or something. Of course, it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have to be limited to just those times. It’s a start though. 🙂
What are your thoughts on this verse? What are some ways/times we could praise/thank God? What are some of your praises and things you’re thankful for?
*Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
