Tag Archives: praise

How great are your works, LORD!

13 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 92, Psalms

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reading:                                      Psalm 92

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.
(Verses 1-8)
It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, LORD,
how profound your thoughts!
Senseless people do not know,
fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.
But you, LORD, are forever exalted (NIV).

Reflection
Why is music such a central part of the Christian worship experience? For the answer to that question we need to look no further than the opening lines of Psalm 92. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

2018-03-09a

Snow covered lamp post — photo by David Kitz

 To put it simply, praising the LORD is a good thing. Making music to honor the name of the Most High is a wholesome expression of our love for God. Furthermore, the LORD approves the use of musical instruments. The harp and the lyre are mentioned here, but there is no scriptural reason to limit the use of instruments.

Why do men sing love songs? Because they love the woman of their dreams—the object of their affection. The same holds true when we fall in love with God. The LORD becomes the object of our deepest affection. He is worthy of our praise.

Do you need some reasons to praise God? The psalmist provides us with some sound reasons: For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! 

If the marvels of creation are insufficient to prompt us to praise, then consider for a moment the wonders of redemption. God sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die on our behalf. He purchased our eternal redemption with the shed blood of Jesus. Oh what love! What wondrous love! It makes me want to break out in song.

Response: LORD God, every morning I want to praise you. Thank you for the gift of music. Help me use my voice and every talent you have given me to express my praise to you. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you enjoy praising God? Do you save your praise for Sundays or is it expressed daily?

The Cup of Salvation

11 Sunday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 116, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

I will praise Him!

2018-02-05

Fresh snow, Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

What shall I return to the LORD
    for all his goodness to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
    in the presence of all his people.

(Psalm 116:12-14, NIV)

Return to Rest

10 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 116, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

I will praise Him!

Island - Liz Kranz

Sheet ice on Round Lake, ON — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the LORD has been good to you.

For you, LORD, have delivered me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the LORD
    in the land of the living.

(Psalm 116:7-9, NIV)

It Won’t Last Forever

06 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 90, Psalms

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reading:                                      Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.
(Verses 1-6)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered (NIV).

Reflection
In case you have not noticed, your life on this earth is temporal. It won’t last forever. In fact, there is very little on this earth that fits into the “lasts forever category.” My car fits well into this rusty, temporal category. My physical body will suffer a similar fate. My morning aches and pains remind me of this outcome. In this psalm Moses states the obvious when he makes this declaration: You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”

2017-10-02

Misty morning sunrise on Petrie Island — photo by David Kitz

 James, the brother of our Lord, makes a similar observation:  You should know better than to say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!” What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears (James 4:13-14, CEV).

Only God stands apart, above and beyond this temporal world. He is the ageless One, untouched by time. This assertion holds true. A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 

The entire book of Ecclesiastes addresses the topic of the temporal nature of human life. Glenn Fobert has written an excellent book that explains the true meaning of that puzzling book: Everything Is Mist: Ecclesiastes on Life in a Puzzling and Troubled Temporary World

Life is not meaningless or vanity. According to Fobert, scholars have mistranslated the Hebrew word for mist in Ecclesiastes. Life is like a morning fog that lifts and it is gone. Where has it gone? It goes to the eternal One, the Creator of all life. How then should we live? Ecclesiastes gives us the answer. Simply live in full reverence and praise to your Maker.

Response: LORD God, I thank you for being the author of this wonderful thing called life. Today I want to live in humble thanksgiving and praise to you. Let my work, words and conduct honor you. Amen.

Your Turn: Is the Lord your dwelling place? Are you at home with Him?

Extol the LORD

03 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 115, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

I will praise Him!

2018-02-05f

Snowy morning tangle — photo by David Kitz

May the LORD cause you to flourish,
    both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
    but the earth he has given to mankind.
It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
    those who go down to the place of silence;
it is we who extol the LORD,
    both now and forevermore.

Praise the LORD.

(Psalm 115:14-18, NIV)

Beyond Olympic Glory

26 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 89, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reading:                                      Psalm 89

(Verses 5-13)
The heavens praise your wonders, LORD,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
Your arm is endowed with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted (NIV).

Reflection
At this point memories of the Olympics are in the past. We can talk ourselves into believing that those golden podium moments will last forever, but they don’t. They are highlights in athletic achievement and well worth celebrating. In some events world records have been set, but in due time they will be broken. It seems they always are.

2018-02-05h

Blue skies and snow covered spruce — photo by David Kitz

How do we determine gold medal performances? By comparison of course. That’s what Olympic competition is all about. The results of a team or athlete are compared with others in their field. Though many compete on the local, national and world stage, only the very best bring home Olympic gold.

That’s how winners are determined on the human level—the world level. But what about the heavenly level—the spiritual level? How are the best and most powerful determined there? In our reading from Psalm 89, the psalmist attempts to come up with an answer.

For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?

The truth is obvious. There is no point in comparison. The LORD God Almighty is incomparable.  He wins every race since He is enthroned beyond time. As the Creator, He is the source—the starting point—of all power in heaven and on earth. His wisdom is so beyond the best human mind. He is incomparable!

Response: LORD God, I marvel at your wisdom and power. But most of all I marvel at your love—love that encompasses all—even me. Help me to excel at pleasing you. Thank you, LORD! Amen.

Your Turn: Do you enjoy watching the Olympics? Is there value in competition?

A Dark Psalm for Dark Times

22 Thursday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 88, Psalms

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reading:                                      Psalm 88

(Verses 9-18)
I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend (NIV).

Reflection
Psalm 88 is the darkest of all the psalms. Many of the psalms are bright and cheery, filled with joy and praise. If I were to assign a color to them, I would paint them bright yellow, dappled with hues of orange and red. On the other hand, Psalm 88 draws from a much darker palette of black, grey and brown. This psalm is colored by loss, rejection and sorrow.

2018-02-14d

Attacking the ice dragon, Winterlude ice sculpture, Ottawa, Canada — photo by David Kitz

Many psalms spring from a place of grief, trouble and distress. This is only fitting since every life has such moments. Usually the psalmist pours out his troubles and his complaint before God, but he ends on a positive note—a note of hope. But Psalm 88 does not follow this pattern. It ends on a downer. You have taken from me friend and neighbor—darkness is my closest friend.

What are we to make of this ending? The sad reality is that not every book has a happy ending. Not every personal story has the Hollywood ending that we would like. Tragedy is real. Tragedy can strike anyone. We can live in a pretend world that says it isn’t so, but we are fooling only ourselves. This psalm adds a dark note of real-life integrity to the Book of Psalms.

But in the middle of it all—in the middle of his dark night of the soul—the psalmist takes his stand. But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Sometimes we don’t have answers. Sometimes all we have is prayer.

Response: LORD God, when I am down, I cry to you for help. You are my hope when all hope is gone. Come to me in the dark times of my life. At such times I need you the most. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you going through a dark time? Do you find help in prayer?

Reaching to the Lowest Pit

21 Wednesday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 88, Psalms

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reading:                                       Psalm 88

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music.
According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief (NIV).

Reflection
There are 150 psalms in the Book of Psalms and one of the most remarkable things about them is their emotional span. They range from giddy heights of joy and praise to great depths of depression and sorrow. The full array of human emotion and experience is on display. Whatever state you find yourself in, there’s a psalm for that—a psalm for every situation and human need. If you are in desperate straits, there’s a psalm for that. If you are soaring in the presence of God, there’s a psalm for that too. They reflect our need for God and our desire to connect with Him in all of life’s experiences.

2018-02-14c

Ice sculptures at Winterlude, Ottawa, Canada — photo by David Kitz

Psalm 88 is a cry for help from the deepest pit of human need. Hear the psalmist’s cry of anguish: I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.

For reasons that we are not told, the psalmist feels trapped in the worst of circumstances. At times I think we all have been there—feeling alone with no one to turn to. In such times, there is no one to turn to but the LORD. In our time of despair He does not reject us or turn us away. He is a God who comforts us, even as Paul, the apostle declares, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

If you are in the depths of depression or despair follow the example of Heman, the psalmist. Call out to God. He is listening. He reaches to the lowest pit. 

Response: LORD God, I need your comfort. Hear my prayer and answer me. In this time of sorrow show me a sign of your love and favor. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you currently facing a time of trouble or sorrow? Are others praying for you?

He Raises the Poor from the Dust

18 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 113, Psalms

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

I will praise Him!

2018-02-04 Kranz

Photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
    his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the LORD our God,
    the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
    on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman in her home
    as a happy mother of children.

Praise the LORD.

(Psalm 113:4-9, NIV)

From the Rising of the Sun

17 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 113, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

I will praise Him!

IMG_20161114_074737 (2)

The Son has risen! ― photo by David Kitz

Praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD, you his servants;
    praise the name of the LORD.
Let the name of the LORD be praised,
    both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
    the name of the LORD is to be praised.

(Psalm 113:1-3, NIV)