Better Than Life

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.  Thus will I bless thee while I live.

Psalm 63:3-4

Life is dear, but God's love is dearer.  To dwell with God is better than life at its best.  Life at ease, in a palace, in health, in honour, in wealth, in pleasure; yea, a thousand lives are not equal to the eternal life which abides in Jehovah's smile.  In him we truly live, and move, and have our being.  The withdrawal of the light of His countenance is as the shadow of death to us; hence we cannot but long after the Lord's gracious appearing.

Life is to many men a doubtful good; lovingkindess is an unquestioned boon:  life is but transient, mercy is everlasting.  Life is shared by the lowest animals, but the lovingkindess of the Lord is the peculiar portion of the chosen.  "My lips shall praise thee."  Openly, so that thy glory shall be made known, I will tell of thy goodness.  Even when our heart is rather desiring than enjoying we should still continue to magnify the Most High, for His love is truly precious; even if we do not personally, for the time being, happen to be rejoicing in it. 

We ought not to make our praises of God to depend upon our own personal and present reception of benefits; this would be mere selfishness; even publicans and sinners have a good word for those whose hands are enriching them with gifts.  It is the true believer only who will bless the Lord when he takes away his gifts or hides his face.

"Thus will I bless thee while I live."  As I now bless thee so will I ever do or rather, so as thou shalt reveal thy lovingkindness to me, I will in return continue to extol thee.  While we live we will love.  If we see no cause to rejoice in our estate, we shall always have reason for rejoicing in the Lord.  If none others bless God, yet His people will; His very nature, as being the infinitely good God, is a sufficient argument for our praising Him as long as we exist.

~Charles H. Spurgeon