I will praise Him!
Bilberry Creek, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz
Great is your love toward me
01 Saturday Oct 2016
Posted in Psalms, Saturday's Psalm
Tag Archives: praise
Singing a New Song
28 Wednesday Sep 2016
Reading: Psalm 96
Verses 1-6
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary (NIV).
Reflection
Who are you singing to? Let’s face it; most of us sing. We may not sing in a choir or in front of a crowd of thousands, but we sing. Maybe you sing in the shower. Maybe you just hum, whistle or sing a tune in your mind. Even though you may not fully vocalize your song, the music is still there bubbling beneath the surface.
Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island, BC — photo by David Kitz
Psalm 96 urges us to sing that song to the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
I believe it’s in our nature to sing. Music is after all a universal activity enjoyed by people of every race and culture. This universality begs a question: Who put that love for music and song within us?
For believers the answer is obvious. God put music in our hearts and God puts songs on our lips. We sing because we are and because God is. Music is so fundamental—so fundamental to our being—that it’s hard to imagine our world without it. When we break forth in song we are doing what God designed us to do. You were designed to sing, just as you were designed to bring glory to God through the work of your hands or the fruit of your body. So let your voice bring honor, praise and glory to God. Sing out your worship with joy.
Psalm 96 is also a call for newness in worship. Why does God want a new song? Could it be because His mercy and love for us are continually renewed? In the midst of national tragedy, Jeremiah reminded us of this truth. Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Just as the changing seasons bring renewal to the earth and its vegetation, so to new songs of praise bring renewal to our worship. So whether you hum, whistle, or belt out songs in the choir, let your song ascend to the LORD. You are singing for Him and to Him.
Response: LORD God, I want to praise you. Give me news songs and new melodies to sing your praise. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise. Amen.
Your Turn: Do you enjoy singing? Do you like both old and new worship songs?
At the Right Hand of the Needy
25 Sunday Sep 2016
Posted in Psalms, Sunday's Psalm
Tags
I will praise Him!
River side trail, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
(Psalm 109:30-31 NIV)
Proclaiming Your Love in the Morning
16 Friday Sep 2016
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.
I sing for joy at what your hands have done — 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?
Sing a New Song
07 Sunday Aug 2016
Posted in Psalms, Sunday's Psalm
Come to Worship
31 Sunday Jul 2016
Posted in Psalms, Sunday's Psalm
Wonder Worker
27 Wednesday Jul 2016
Posted in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms
I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart and tell about the wonders you have worked (Psalm 9:1, CEV).
Moonlight on Lake Ontario — photo courtesy of Eric E. Wright
Reflection
This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is wonders.
Has God worked wonders in your life? God certainly has worked wonders when we consider the glories of creation. But has God worked wonders for you personally. Has He answered your prayers in marvelous or miraculous ways?
David, who wrote this psalm, certainly had many good reasons to praise the LORD. Notice his exuberant call to worship:
I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart and tell about the wonders you have worked (Psalm 9:1, CEV).
God was with the shepherd boy David as he slew a lion and a bear. Later God was with him as he took down the fearsome giant Goliath. Then David went on to win battle after battle against the Philistines. As David stepped forward in faith, the LORD was working wonders on his behalf.
On a personal level we can’t fully know the wonders of God until we take steps of faith—risky steps of faith. Jesus invited Peter to step out of a boat and onto the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee. Peter experienced the wonders of God as he took those few hesitant steps. Will we dare to do the same if Jesus calls us?
Response: LORD God, give me faith to see you as you are—a wonder worker. You have done and continue to great and marvelous things. Help me to hear your voice and follow you. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the Lord worked a wonder in your life?
With all my heart
03 Sunday Jul 2016
Posted in Psalms, Sunday's Psalm
Come and Praise your LORD!
02 Saturday Jul 2016
Posted in Psalms, Saturday's Psalm
A Fortress of Praise
19 Thursday May 2016
Posted in Psalms, Thursday's Thought
With praises from children and from tiny infants, you have built a fortress. It makes your enemies silent, and all who turn against you are left speechless (Psalm 8:2, CEV).
Prairie Moon — photo courtesy of Donald Adam
Reflection
This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is the word fortress.
The idea of building a fortress with praise seems completely illogical. How can praises build a fortress? But that’s what today’s verse from the Psalms states:
With praises from children and from tiny infants, you have built a fortress. It makes your enemies silent, and all who turn against you are left speechless (Psalm 8:2, CEV).
Furthermore, this fortress is not built with the praises of men, but rather with the praises of children and infants. The simple innocence and wisdom of children often confounds the philosophers and experts of the day. It was children who hailed Jesus as the messianic Son of David, while the chief priests and teachers of the Law scoffed at him (Matthew 21:14-16).
Praising the Lord fortifies our spirit against the attacks of the enemy. And it doesn’t take a genius to apply that truth.
Response: LORD God, I want to build a fortress of praise. There is no one as holy, loving and powerful as you. I give this day, my life and my praise to you. Amen.
Your Turn: Why do children often grasp the truths of God more easily than adults?
I love the Psalms 