I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Psalm 35:18 gives David’s promised response to deliverance. He has been surrounded by false witnesses, malicious men, mockers, and enemies who rejoice in his adversity (vv.11-16). He has cried to God in prayer to rescue his soul from their destructions and his darling from the lions (v.17). Now he looks beyond the trouble to what he will do when God answers: he will thank and praise the LORD publicly. His enemies have gathered against him, but David intends to gather with God’s people and use his mouth for thanksgiving.
“I will give thee thanks.” David resolves beforehand how he will answer mercy. He does not want deliverance to end in silence or forgetfulness. If God rescues him, God will receive the thanks. This is the right order of answered prayer: petition first, thanksgiving afterward. “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1). A man who cries loudly in trouble should not become quiet when the trouble passes.
Thanksgiving also keeps deliverance from becoming self-centered. David does not say he will celebrate his own endurance, wisdom, innocence, or courage. He will give thanks to God. The LORD has been his Judge, defender, and rescuer throughout the psalm. David therefore returns the glory to the One from whom the help came. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me” (Psalm 50:23). Mercy received should become glory returned.
“In the great congregation.” David’s gratitude will not remain private. He intends to thank God before a large assembly of His people. Earlier he prayed alone under pressure; now he promises public acknowledgment. This shows that personal deliverance can become congregational praise. When God rescues one saint, the whole assembly has reason to hear what He has done and join in thanksgiving. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Psalm 22:22).
There is duty here for the congregation as well as for the delivered man. God’s people should be a place where His mercies are told, remembered, and praised. The assembly must not be filled chiefly with reports about men, quarrels, rumours, and grievances. David has endured all of these in Psalm 35, yet he wants the great congregation occupied with thanks to God. Public worship should turn the minds of saints upward to the LORD who sees, judges, preserves, and delivers.
“I will praise thee.” Thanksgiving remembers what God has done; praise declares what God is and magnifies Him for it. David has already called upon the LORD to plead his cause, fight against those who fight against him, and judge according to righteousness (vv.1,24). When God answers, David will not treat the answer as a fortunate change of circumstances. He will praise the righteous, faithful, and powerful God who brought it to pass.
This promise also governs David’s tongue under persecution. His enemies have used their mouths for false witness, mockery, and cruel rejoicing (vv.11,15-16). David determines that his mouth will have another use. Verse 28 gives the same answer at the end of the psalm: “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Their speech is malicious; his speech will magnify God. One of the best victories over wicked words is refusing to let them corrupt your own.
“Among much people.” David widens the audience again. His praise is not hidden in a corner. Many people will hear it. God’s works deserve witnesses. The greater the mercy, the more fitting that others should hear and praise with the recipient. David wrote elsewhere, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). Personal experience must not replace Scripture, but when God has plainly answered prayer according to His word, His goodness should be declared.
This also answers the public nature of David’s reproach. His enemies gathered against him, tore him, mocked him, and spoke openly against him (vv.15-16,21). David does not answer by arranging a public campaign for his own honour. He wants public praise for God. The matter that occupied men with his humiliation will become an occasion to magnify Jehovah. The saint should desire not only to have his name cleared, but to have God’s name praised.
Jesus Christ gives the highest fulfillment to this pattern of suffering followed by public praise. Psalm 22:22, quoted in Hebrews 2:12, places these words in His mouth: “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” He suffered false witness, mockery, hatred, and death without cause, yet God raised Him from the dead. The risen Christ stands in the midst of His brethren, and His redemption gives the church its greatest subject of praise.
Do not let answered prayer die in private memory. “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High” (Psalm 50:14). Tell the congregation what God has done, praise Him among His people, and let deliverance enlarge His name rather than your own.
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Psalm 35:18 gives David’s promised response to deliverance. He has been surrounded by false witnesses, malicious men, mockers, and enemies who rejoice in his adversity (vv.11-16). He has cried to God in prayer to rescue his soul from their destructions and his darling from the lions (v.17). Now he looks beyond the trouble to what he will do when God answers: he will thank and praise the LORD publicly. His enemies have gathered against him, but David intends to gather with God’s people and use his mouth for thanksgiving.
“I will give thee thanks.” David resolves beforehand how he will answer mercy. He does not want deliverance to end in silence or forgetfulness. If God rescues him, God will receive the thanks. This is the right order of answered prayer: petition first, thanksgiving afterward. “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1). A man who cries loudly in trouble should not become quiet when the trouble passes.
Thanksgiving also keeps deliverance from becoming self-centered. David does not say he will celebrate his own endurance, wisdom, innocence, or courage. He will give thanks to God. The LORD has been his Judge, defender, and rescuer throughout the psalm. David therefore returns the glory to the One from whom the help came. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me” (Psalm 50:23). Mercy received should become glory returned.
“In the great congregation.” David’s gratitude will not remain private. He intends to thank God before a large assembly of His people. Earlier he prayed alone under pressure; now he promises public acknowledgment. This shows that personal deliverance can become congregational praise. When God rescues one saint, the whole assembly has reason to hear what He has done and join in thanksgiving. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Psalm 22:22).
There is duty here for the congregation as well as for the delivered man. God’s people should be a place where His mercies are told, remembered, and praised. The assembly must not be filled chiefly with reports about men, quarrels, rumours, and grievances. David has endured all of these in Psalm 35, yet he wants the great congregation occupied with thanks to God. Public worship should turn the minds of saints upward to the LORD who sees, judges, preserves, and delivers.
“I will praise thee.” Thanksgiving remembers what God has done; praise declares what God is and magnifies Him for it. David has already called upon the LORD to plead his cause, fight against those who fight against him, and judge according to righteousness (vv.1,24). When God answers, David will not treat the answer as a fortunate change of circumstances. He will praise the righteous, faithful, and powerful God who brought it to pass.
This promise also governs David’s tongue under persecution. His enemies have used their mouths for false witness, mockery, and cruel rejoicing (vv.11,15-16). David determines that his mouth will have another use. Verse 28 gives the same answer at the end of the psalm: “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Their speech is malicious; his speech will magnify God. One of the best victories over wicked words is refusing to let them corrupt your own.
“Among much people.” David widens the audience again. His praise is not hidden in a corner. Many people will hear it. God’s works deserve witnesses. The greater the mercy, the more fitting that others should hear and praise with the recipient. David wrote elsewhere, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). Personal experience must not replace Scripture, but when God has plainly answered prayer according to His word, His goodness should be declared.
This also answers the public nature of David’s reproach. His enemies gathered against him, tore him, mocked him, and spoke openly against him (vv.15-16,21). David does not answer by arranging a public campaign for his own honour. He wants public praise for God. The matter that occupied men with his humiliation will become an occasion to magnify Jehovah. The saint should desire not only to have his name cleared, but to have God’s name praised.
Jesus Christ gives the highest fulfillment to this pattern of suffering followed by public praise. Psalm 22:22, quoted in Hebrews 2:12, places these words in His mouth: “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” He suffered false witness, mockery, hatred, and death without cause, yet God raised Him from the dead. The risen Christ stands in the midst of His brethren, and His redemption gives the church its greatest subject of praise.
Do not let answered prayer die in private memory. “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High” (Psalm 50:14). Tell the congregation what God has done, praise Him among His people, and let deliverance enlarge His name rather than your own.