David had trusted God to be His Savior at a young age. Notice it does not say he was baptized, or his parents enrolled him at the Tabernacle. He did not take a course in confirmation first – he simply put his trust (faith) in God.

He gives credit to God for holding him up – sustaining and strengthening him from his birth. Many believers will look back at their life – even before they were saved – and testify that they can now see that God was working in their life the whole time. Of course, He was not their Savior until they called on Him and put their trust in Him to forgive and save them from Hell.

Because of his recognition of God’s work in his life and many deliverances since his salvation, David is determined to give praise to God continually. In verses 14 and 15 of this chapter, we see: “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.”

By experience, David learned that God is able to deliver him in whatever circumstance he is in when he asks God for deliverance and victory. It was not always immediate – but He delivered. This led him to determine to continue to trust God and serve Him. He will also increase in his praise to God for his many blessings.

Finally, note that David’s praise is focused on “thy righteousness.” Not his own righteousness or goodness, but on God’s. In fact, the phrase “thy righteousness” is mentioned five times in this chapter.

You that have been saved for many years – are you increasing in your praise to Him and of Him to others? It is part of your testimony, and when others hear what God does for you now and has done for you, it can encourage others to trust Him, too.

There is no doubt that David delighted in prayer. He spoke of it often as his joy and privilege to be able to talk to Almighty God and know that God heard his prayers – and answered them.

David experienced trials for many years. They were worse than most of us will ever experience. Still, he found comfort in praying because he knew that it was not in vain. God really heard his prayers when his sin was confessed.

David also knew that God did not always answer prayer immediately. In fact, if God did, then David’s life would have been totally different. There would not have been the years of pain that he endured.

But God had a plan that David knew nothing of at the time. You see, many generations of believers have found comfort in David’s inspired writings since David’s time. David not only received comfort and deliverance after praying, but we can also receive similar comfort and deliverance, too – all because we also pray to the same God Who cares.

In Psalm 42:8, David could say with confidence: “Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”

The result of David’s frequent trouble and prayers enabled him to go on and remain faithful. It worked well for him.

I wonder: Are you finding time to pray in the morning – “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD?” It was the primary factor in David’s victory. When you do, you are also likely to find that you see God’s “lovingkindness in the daytime,” and His song (joy) will be with you “in the night.”

After God gave His promise in the Garden of Eden that He would one day bring forth a Savior that would undo the curse, He also said that a sign would be given when the child would be born. Yesterday, we saw that He was prophesied to be born of a virgin. Later, God revealed where His Son would be born – in Bethlehem of Judea.

Bethlehem was a small town (“though thou be little”) that was not far from Jerusalem. The town was known as the birthplace of David. Many years before Joseph and Mary, God had told David that the Savior would come through his descendants. The people of Jesus’ day knew it and some of them said: “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42).

That Christ would be born of the descendants of David was promised several times in the Bible. One of the Scriptures that had promised this centuries before Christ’s birth (and centuries after David) was Jeremiah 23:5,6: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Even though both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David, neither of them lived in Bethlehem. When the time came, God had to bring them to this little town so that Jesus could be born there.

God moved in Caesar’s heart at the right time to create a taxing of the people. When the taxing was declared, he demanded that everyone go to the birthplace of their ancestors – which brought them to Bethlehem right on time – and has God had said.

In addition to the promise that the One born in Bethlehem would be a King, note also the phrase that follows: “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This verse, as do many others, reveals that Christ was not just a human, but that He was also God – only God has lived forever past – and He will live forever in the future, too!

God also works all things out for those who will serve Him. He knows how to direct and keep each one of His children that will obey Him. He has always kept His word and will continue to do so. To His children that are saved by faith and serving Him, He says: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Christian, are you following the Lord today? Can you trust Him enough to do His will for you? Why not recommit to serve Him better this Christmas season – and beyond?