Calling Forth Songs of Joy.
09 Sunday Aug 2020
Tag Archives: joy
You Call Forth Songs of Joy
09 Sunday Aug 2020
Tags
I will praise the LORD!
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
(Psalm 65:5-8, NIV)*
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Your Throne
04 Tuesday Aug 2020
Tags
Reading: Psalm 45
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah.
A maskil. A wedding song.
(Verses 1-9)
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.
Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir (NIV).*
The muddy waters of Green’s Creek — photo by David Kitz
Reflection
The introductory words of Psalm 45 describe it as a wedding song, but it is not merely depicting the wedding of a commoner. This is the wedding of a king. No, this is not just a king; He is the King—the King of kings and Lord of lords. There is none like Him in heaven or on earth.
The New Testament writer of the Book of Hebrews quotes directly from this psalm: But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Hebrews 1:8-9).
Of course, Jesus is the Son that the writer of Hebrews is referring to. The throne of Christ will last for ever and ever; His kingdom reign will never end. But how did Jesus come to occupy this exalted position? Though conceived by the Holy Spirit, He was nevertheless fully human. He was subject to the same frailties and temptations that we face.
This psalm tells us that Jesus was elevated to the highest throne because He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Can the same be said about you and me? Do we love righteousness? Do we hate what is evil? The same oil of joy is available to those who follow in the footsteps of our Lord.
Response: LORD God, help me to love what you love and hate what you hate. Anoint me with your joy as I seek to follow you in every aspect of my life. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Your Turn: What do you love? What do you hate? Do some of these things need to change?
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Because of open heart surgery, publication of 365 Days through the Psalms by award-winning author David Kitz has been delayed until later this year or 2021. In due course, 365 Days through the Psalms will be published by Elk Lake Publishing. In the interim, please pray for my return to good health.
Create in me a Pure Heart, O God
06 Saturday Jun 2020
I will praise the LORD!
Manitoba maple blossoms — photo by David Kitz
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
(Psalm 51:7-12, NIV)*
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Amid Shouts of Joy
03 Sunday May 2020
I will praise the LORD!
View from the Lemieux Island Bridge, Ottawa, ON — photo by David Kitz
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
(Psalm 47:5-7, NIV)*
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
A Scepter of Justice
19 Sunday Apr 2020
Tags
I will praise the LORD!
Early morning rose — photo by David Kitz
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God,
has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
(Psalm 45:6-7, NIV)*
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
My Soul Thirsts for God
04 Saturday Apr 2020
Tags
I will praise the LORD!
Photo by Bibhukalyan Acharya on Pexels.com
For the director of music. A maskil of the sons of Korah.
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
(Psalm 42:1-4, NIV)*
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Do You Need Some Protection?
16 Monday Mar 2020
LORD God, Lead Me
16 Monday Mar 2020
Tags
Reading: Psalm 5
(Verses 8-12)
Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you (NIV).*
Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com
Reflection
How good is your eyesight? Is it 20/20? How well do you score on an eye exam? I recently had elective lens replacement surgery. I simply got tired of wearing glasses. They were the bane of my childhood. I was an active lad and in those early years I can’t begin to count the number of times I broke or damaged the frames.
Going without glasses was not an option. I was practically blind without them; everything was a blur.
Today’s reading from Psalm 5 begins with David making this request: Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me (v. 8).
Trust me on this point. If you can’t see clearly, you may need someone to lead you. David recognized his need. Because of his enemies, he needed the LORD to lead him. He knew his enemies were waiting to ambush him at any moment. But where were they? Enemies in hiding are not easily spotted. That’s why like David, we need the LORD. He sees everything.
My greatest enemies are not parading around out in the open. They are lurking within. Pride and selfish ambition come dressed up in various disguises. It’s easy to justify that lingering eye or that wayward glance. Somehow we have 20/20 vision for that sort of thing.
The truth is I too need the LORD to lead me because of the enemies of my soul. How about you? Now here is the outcome we want: But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you (v. 11.
Response: LORD God, lead me. I can’t see the dangers ahead. Often I am unaware of the enemies that are trying to undermine my life and my love for you. Go before me. Show me the way, Lord Jesus, because you are the way. Amen.
Your Turn: How is your spiritual vision? Can you see the enemies that derail your progress?
*New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.
This post by award-winning author David Kitz will be published in book format later in 2020 by Elk Lake Publishing under the title 365 Days through the Psalms.
The Final Crescendo of Praise
05 Thursday Mar 2020
Posted in Devotionals, Psalm 150, Psalms
Tags
Holy Spirit, joy, praise, praise the LORD, Psalm 150, Psalms
Reading: Psalm 150
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD (NIV).*
Photo courtesy of Liz Kranz
Reflection
We have reached the crescendo—the conclusion and the high point of the Book of Psalms. Hallelujah and praise the LORD!
The word praise appears thirteen times in this final psalm. The number thirteen is suggestive of Jesus and his apostles. He is at the core—the very center of God ordained worship.
Eight forms or instruments of praise are listed in this psalm. Eight is the number of new beginnings. Seven suggests completeness, so we see that God rested on the seventh day. But eight signals a new start. In the same way, these eight means or instruments of praise do not represent a complete list. They simply suggest the varied ways in which we can express our praise to the LORD. We have only just begun to discover and explore the many ways in which we can show our gratitude to our Creator.
No one—no living being—is excluded from this call to praise. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
This call for all the breathing to praise the LORD is truly fitting. We received our original breath from the LORD. Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). Now with our breath—our God-given breath—let us praise our Maker.
In the same way after his resurrection Jesus breathed on his disciples. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22).
We need the breath of God in us—the breath of the Holy Spirit in us to live—to truly live in the overcoming power and joy of the psalms. For the Holy Spirit’s presence I will praise the LORD!
Response: LORD God, I praise you. You are my strength and my song. Help me to discover new ways to praise you because you are good. Let my entire life reflect your redemptive presence in me. Amen.
Your Turn: Why are you breathing? Is praising God an integral part of your purpose?
* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
This post by award-winning author David Kitz will be published in book format later in 2020 by Elk Lake Publishing under the title 365 through the Psalms.
I love the Psalms 