I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
before the “gods” I will sing your praise. — Psalm 138:1
While it would have been easy to let the world glorify him after his many victories while he was underequipped and outmanned, David desired none of the adoration. Instead, he gave all the credit to God: “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me” (v.3). It was God Who made David strong and triumphant. David admitted that without God, he would have failed. He owned failure and proclaimed that God is the Father of our success!
There is a danger in taking credit for our achievements in life.
In the process of focusing on how great we are, we forget how great God is.
In Deuteronomy 8:17–18, there is a caution to remember God when we are satisfied, after we build homes and become successful in business. We should not say, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (verse 17). We need to acknowledge the source of our success and blessings: “But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (verse 18). God alone is the force behind our success.
Praise God in front of your friends, your family, and your community. Most importantly, praise God inside the deepest parts of your own soul.
