"My Lips Shall Praise YOU."

Better than life!

(James Smith, "The Pastor's Evening Visit")

"YOUR loving-kindness is 
better than life!" Psalm 63:3

Life is existence. Here it means 
existence under the most 
favorable circumstances: 
as life in ease, honor, plenty--
life surrounded by all that is desirable.

But what then, is GOD'S loving-kindness?
It is HIS love displaying itself in . . .
  kind words,
  kind acts,
  kind discoveries 
   of HIS divine excellencies;
  feasting the soul with spiritual delights.

GOD'S loving-kindness is better than life, for . . .
  it bestows greater blessings,
  it confers higher honors,
  it imparts sweeter pleasures,
  it raises higher expectations,
  and it throws around us greater security.

It is better, for . . .
  it is more lasting;
  it is more suited to the nature of the soul;
  it is truly glorious.

It is . . .
  unmixed good,
  unfading pleasure,
  inexhaustible wealth!

Well then may the psalmist prefer 
it to life, and well, may he say, 

"My lips shall praise YOU."
(Psalm 63:3b)

for my present enjoyment of it, 
and for the prospect of eternally 
enjoying it!

Do you value life? Do you prefer 
GOD'S loving-kindness better than life?

   ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

GraceGems has published John Newton's, 
"Three letters to a tempted believer".