Creator – Ps. 33:6, 9; 96:5; 102:25; 104:1-35; 111:2-4; 134:1-3; 146:6

God is the Creator of everything(Gen. 1).  He speaks and it comes into being.  Everything we have today is something God created, or it comes from something God created.  A house consists of a wide variety of things, but all of its parts come from something God created.  If everything that exists in this world is because God created it, He should be praised.  Similarly, there is no good thing apart from God(Ps. 16:2), and all blessings come from God(Ps. 16:5).

Salvation – Ps. 118:14

Salvation can be in a variety of forms.  God saves us from our enemies(Ps. 18:13, 17, 48).  He saves the humble(Ps. 18:27).  He is a fortress of salvation(Ps. 28:6-8).  He saves the poor and listens to the poor(Ps. 34:6).  He saves(Ps. 68:20).  God created a plan for salvation.  Psalm 105:1-45 highlights the timeframe from Abraham(he departs for the land of Canaan in 2091 BC) to when God saved Israel from Egyptian slavery(1446 BC).  Psalm 106:1-48 chronicles God leading Israel from the time He brought them out of Egypt(1446 BC) to the time He brought them out of Babylonian captivity(536 BC) even though Israel rebelled against His leadership on countless occasions.  Psalm 78 illustrates what God did for Israel from the time of Egyptian slavery(1446 BC) to the time of king David(930 BC), referencing the rebellion that was so prevalent within the nation of Israel.  God saves the needy and those condemned from their accusers(Ps. 109:26-31).  He saves from powerful nations(Ps. 124:6).  David wrote that God saved him(Ps. 13:6; 138:7).  He crowns the humble with salvation(Ps. 149:4).

God Provides Many Things for the Poor

In the Bible, “the poor” can refer to many people, not just those who have little(financially).  The poor are referred to as: fatherless, widows, orphans, the poor, etc.  Throughout most of human history, the poor have been many in number and a vulnerable segment of society.  There have been few social programs, however, there were several safety nets in the Law of Moses, specifically designed by God to help the poor, such as: not charging interest(Exo. 22:25); not perverting justice against the poor(Exo. 23:6); allowing them to eat food that grew in other people’s fields in the seventh(Sabbath) year(Exo. 23:11); allowing them to offer less costly sacrifices(Lev. 14:41); the people were not to harvest their entire crop so the poor could get some(Lev. 19:10); be willing to lend to the poor(Deut. 15:7-8); all debt was forgiven in the Year of Jubilee(every fifty years – Lev. 25:8-28).  In addition, the poor will eat and be satisfied(Ps. 22:26).  He saves the poor(Ps. 34:4).  He listens to the poor(Ps. 34:6).  He provides for the poor(Ps. 68:10).  He lifts up the poor and needy(Ps. 113:1-9).  He looks on the lowly(i.e. He sees the need of the lowly - Ps. 138:3).  He gives children to barren women(Ps. 113:9).

God As Sustainer

God is our Creator(see above – Creator), AND He is also our Sustainer.  He blessed us with life, but He also blesses us with physical blessings to sustain our lives.  He brings the rain(Ps. 135:7) that all life needs: plant, animal and human.  He provides food(Ps. 147:8-9), which is also necessary to sustain our lives.  Those who fear(respect) Him lack nothing(Ps. 34:9).  He provides for people because He loves people.  He satisfies our desires with good things(Ps. 105:5).  He provides wealth and riches, as well as many other blessings, to those who are righteous(Ps. 112:1-10).  He is the provider of blessings(Ps. 115:12-15).  He struck down Egypt and other nations(Ps. 135:8-10), and He led Israel from the time of Egyptian slavery through the desert(40 years) into the land of Canaan.  He gave Israel the land of Caanan(Ps. 135:114) until their rebellion was too great(Ps. 106:1-48), and He sent them into Babylonian captivity(Ps. 107:1-43).  He gave Israel(His people) the Law of Moses so they would know how to live righteously(Ps. 78).  He did not just create people and provide no direction.  Future generations would know what to do . . . how to live.  He bears our burdens daily(Ps. 68:19).

This has merely been a sampling of what God does.  He has done too many good things to declare(Ps. 40:5).  As a result, God’s people should proclaim to the nations(i.e. everyone else) what He has done(Ps. 9:11-12).  He is eternal(i.e. from everlasting to everlasting)(Ps. 102:27).  He is greater than all other “gods,” who are not really gods(Ps. 135:5).  All creation should praise Him(Ps. 148:14, as He provides a delightful inheritance(Ps. 16:6).  When we think about everything He does(or when we think about only some of what He does), we should be incredibly thankful that we have such a kind and loving(and especially long-suffering ) God.  Let remember that when we do the things WE do, each and every day of our lives.