Psalm 35:18 Future Praise

Psalm 35:18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you

 

David's story is marked by opposition from a number of enemies. Once again, in Psalm 35, he is very much aware of these enemies and prays that God will help him and deal with them. No doubt his being a type of Christ necessitated a life where enemies often opposed him. The psalm comes in three waves of complaint and prayer followed by the promise of future praise. He begins (1) Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me and this leads to the future hope (9, 10) Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them. In verse 11 he describes how Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about, etc and this leads to the prayer (17) O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions and the promise (18) I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. Finally, we begin again (19) Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause closing with (28) My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. We focus here on verse 18, which is a promise but also an anticipation of something that was certain for David and for Christ and just as certain for us who believe. A great day is coming when all God's people will be gathered from the four winds to take their places in heaven and our hope is to be in that great assembly, among the throngs then, and to give thanks to God and praise him for all his goodness and kindness and the way he has rescued us from all our enemies.