Let us Exalt His Name Together

Reading: Psalm 135
(Verses 1-7)
Praise the LORD.
Praise the name of the LORD;
praise him, you servants of the LORD,
you who minister in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.
I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses (NIV).

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Like many of the psalms, Psalm 135 begins by calling us to worship. Specifically, this is a call to praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.

So what is the difference between praise and worship? Worship is a broad term that expresses itself in a variety of ways. The Encarta Dictionary defines worship as “the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity.”

We can show devotion, adoration and respect for God in wide range of ways. We can use our bodies to express worship by bowing, kneeling, falling prostrate, or lifting our hands and faces heavenward. We read that both David and Miriam danced before the LORD as an act of worship. See 2 Samuel 6:13-15 and Exodus 15:20-21.

Praise and thanksgiving are verbal forms of worship that reflect a heart of adoration. But why do the Psalms call on us to praise God so frequently? Is the LORD a grand, heavenly egomaniac who demands our worship to satisfy His desire for recognition and importance? Hardly.

Actually, just the opposite is true. God does not need our worship. We are the egomaniacs. Praise and worship counteracts the selfishness that is at the root of our sinful nature. We desperately need to get our eyes off ourselves and onto the One who is worthy of all praise. So here to counter what ales us, is a simple but powerful prescription from your heavenly Father: Praise the LORD.

Response: Father God, I worship you. Thank you for sending Jesus to be my Savior. Holy Spirit, infuse my praise and worship with joy. You are so very good—so very kind to me. Let praise in all its varied forms flow from me to you. Amen.

Your Turn: What forms or expressions of worship are most meaningful to you?

When He Spoke and It Came to Be

29 Sunday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 33, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Creator, power of words, praise the LORD, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by brenoanp on Pexels.com

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

(Psalm 33:6-11, NIV)

Praise is Fitting from the Upright

28 Saturday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 33, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

joy, new song, praise the LORD, Psalm 33

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by Radu Andrei Razvan on Pexels.com

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

(Psalm 33:1-5, NIV)

Surround me with Songs of Deliverance

21 Saturday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 32, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

hiding place, praise the LORD, pray, Psalm 32, trouble

I will praise the LORD!

Of David. A maskil.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

(Psalm 32:6-7, NIV)

I Acknowledged my Sin

15 Sunday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 32, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

confess, forgiveness, praise the LORD, Psalm 32, sin

I will praise the LORD!

April snow in Rachette Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

Of David. A maskil.

When I kept silent,
    my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
    as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

(Psalm 32:3-5, NIV)

The Blessed One

14 Saturday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 32, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blessed, praise the LORD, Psalm 32, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Canadian Red Cross Calendar Photo

Of David. A maskil.

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the LORD does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

(Psalm 32:1-2, NIV)

You Heard my Cry

08 Sunday Dec 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 31, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

loving God, mercy, praise the LORD, Psalm 31

I will praise the LORD!

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Praise be to the LORD,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
    The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the LORD.

I will praise the LORD!

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

(Psalm 34:1-3, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

(Psalm 33:16-22, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

(Psalm 33:12-15, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

(Psalm 33:6-11, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

(Psalm 33:1-5, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

Of David. A maskil.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found;surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

(Psalm 32:6-7, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

Of David. A maskil.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.For day and night your hand was heavy on me;my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.”And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

(Psalm 32:3-5, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

Of David. A maskil.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

(Psalm 32:1-2, NIV)

I will praise the LORD!

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!”Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

(Psalm 31:21-24, NIV)

I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.

The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.