By Dr. John Shultz

“So that my whole being might sing praises to you and never stop. LORD, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.” Psalm 30:12

Psalm 30 begins with a rehearsal of the many ways that God has blessed David. His enemies had not triumphed over him; God had kept him alive and healthy, had delivered him from death on many occasions and had delivered him from certain defeat:

• You pulled me up, you brought me up from the pit
• You didn’t let my enemies exalt over me
• Your anger lasts only for a second
• You hid your presence, but then you turned my mourning into dancing

David’s recollection of his experiences with God led him to the standing ovation we find in the last verse. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been moved to cheer wildly for a sporting team I wasn’t watching.

I’ve never joined the audience in a spontaneous burst of applause at a concert I didn’t hear. And I’ve never been a part of a hearty “amen” for a speaker when I wasn’t present for the speech. As our days unfold, I want to encourage us to watch and listen, to remember and rehearse God’s hand around us and his Spirit within us. As we do, our standing ovations for God will be spontaneous, passionate and eternal.

May our whole being sing praises as we remember the one who has been our shelter from the rain, the medicine for our pain and the cleanser of our stain. May we give thanks forever to our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.

Dr. John Shultz serves as President of Ashland Theological Seminary and Professor of Counseling. In 1981, Dr. Shultz was hired at Ashland Theological Seminary as the first counseling professor. Over the years, he was a key component in local counseling, founding Cornerstone Psychological Affiliates and co-founding Appleseed Counseling and Case Management.