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" 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?