At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.
Psalm 119:62
Difficult circumstances during the day often lead to fitful sleep at night! Our minds continue to dwell on the challenges that we are facing. We can play them over and over again in our minds with no clear resolution.
Not so with the psalmist! While he has just described the onslaught of the wicked, he does not allow their efforts to distract his mind from the truths of God’s word. He does not wake up at night frustrated or overwhelmed by the issues of life. No, he wakes up in the middle of the night so that he can give thanks to God. His confidence is in the righteousness of God and in His righteous ordinances.
When we allow circumstances to control our minds, the end result is sinful thinking that leads to sinful actions. When our focus continues to be on the character of God and the word of God, our minds rest in peace and we continue to be thankful for who God is and all that He accomplishes.
In his sermon on this verse, Thomas Manton says, “That, God’s providence rightly considered, we shall in the worst times find much more cause to give thanks than to complain.”1
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15
1 Manton, T. (1872). The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (Vol. 7, p. 160). London: James Nisbet & Co.
