I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. 

Psalm 118:5 

God sets us free. There is some discussion about whether David is the author of this psalm. The language the writer uses sounds much like the language David uses in other psalms. The life events we have read reflect situations which would bring David to make the kind of remarks we find here. One of those is our text. Here David, if he is the author, says he was in distress, called upon the Lord, that He answered him, and freed him, or set him in a large place, as our translation puts it. The words communicate a setting at liberty of the one who cried. This is the experience of the one who calls upon Christ. We see in the life of Christ numerous examples of those who in their distress called upon Him to free them from illness, blindness and perilous circumstances. Christ freed those people in illustration of what He is capable. Christ does more than free us from these things. Christ frees us from the penalty and power of sin. He will eventually free us from the presence of sin. When the Son makes us free, we are free indeed. As David, we can say, ‘The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.’ 

Our Gracious, Liberating God, 
we rejoice that we are free because of Christ. 
We praise You that this freedom  
lasts for all eternity. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, His mercy endures forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, His mercy endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD now say, His mercy endures forever. 

Psalm 118:1-4  

Who has experienced the enduring mercy of God? Mercy is the withholding of judgment against one who deserves it. God’s character is that He is merciful and therefore shows mercy. Our text identifies several specific groups who could bear personal testimony to the enduring mercy of God. The psalmist begins with Israel, narrows his focus to the house of Aaron, and then expands it to all who fear the Lord. How have these experienced God’s mercy? Israel experienced the mercy of God in that God loved them in spite of themselves. Moses says, ‘The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.’ The house of Aaron received mercy in that God made them His priests even though they were demonstrably unworthy of that holy office. All who fear the Lord have experienced the mercy of God because apart from His mercy we would have no regard for God or reverence for Him. The greatest manifestation of the mercy of God is the Person and work of Christ. Christ is the reason we do not receive the judgment we deserve. He is One Who satisfies the justice of God, so God can show mercy to us who need it most.  

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice in Your mercy. 
We praise You that You extend it to us, 
in an abundance of ways. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 

Psalm 118:1 

Every season is appropriate for us to give thanks to the Lord. Our text encourages us to thanksgiving. The two reasons the psalmist gives are first, that God is good, and second that His mercy endures forever. These are important for us to consider because they lead us to give thanks for Who and what God is, that is, His character and also what He does. The history of God, as the Scripture presents it, shows us His character in numerous ways, all of which lead us to Christ. ‘God is a Spirit infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in His being wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.’ Christ is the manifestation of that character. The writer of Hebrews describes Christ by saying He is, ‘the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person.’ If we observe the character of Christ, we observe the character of God. The conclusion we reach is that Christ is good and that enables us to understand that God is good. All our understanding of God is related, in one way or another, to our understanding of Christ. Christ is the Living Word of God and God has magnified His Word above His Own Name. 

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice in Who You are. 
We praise You that all Your acts, 
are a reflection of Your character. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. 

Psalm 118:5 

God sets us free. There is some discussion about whether David is the author of this psalm. The language the writer uses sounds much like the language David uses in other psalms. The life events we have read reflect situations which would bring David to make the kind of remarks we find here. One of those is our text. Here David, if he is the author, says he was in distress, called upon the Lord, that He answered him, and freed him, or set him in a large place, as our translation puts it. The words communicate a setting at liberty of the one who cried. This is the experience of the one who calls upon Christ. We see in the life of Christ numerous examples of those who in their distress called upon Him to free them from illness, blindness and perilous circumstances. Christ freed those people in illustration of what He is capable. Christ does more than free us from these things. Christ frees us from the penalty and power of sin. He will eventually free us from the presence of sin. When the Son makes us free, we are free indeed. As David, we can say, ‘The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.’ 

Our Gracious, Liberating God, 
we rejoice that we are free because of Christ. 
We praise You that this freedom  
lasts for all eternity. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, His mercy endures forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, His mercy endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD now say, His mercy endures forever. 

Psalm 118:1-4  

Who has experienced the enduring mercy of God? Mercy is the withholding of judgment against one who deserves it. God’s character is that He is merciful and therefore shows mercy. Our text identifies several specific groups who could bear personal testimony to the enduring mercy of God. The psalmist begins with Israel, narrows his focus to the house of Aaron, and then expands it to all who fear the Lord. How have these experienced God’s mercy? Israel experienced the mercy of God in that God loved them in spite of themselves. Moses says, ‘The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.’ The house of Aaron received mercy in that God made them His priests even though they were demonstrably unworthy of that holy office. All who fear the Lord have experienced the mercy of God because apart from His mercy we would have no regard for God or reverence for Him. The greatest manifestation of the mercy of God is the Person and work of Christ. Christ is the reason we do not receive the judgment we deserve. He is One Who satisfies the justice of God, so God can show mercy to us who need it most.  

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice in Your mercy. 
We praise You that You extend it to us, 
in an abundance of ways. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning