Tag Archives: praise

Kingdom Conquests

15 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Psalm 68, Psalms

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Reading:                                     Psalm 68

Verses 24-31

Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.
Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.
There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

Summon your power, God;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God (NIV).

Reflection

All of Psalm 68 is a hymn of triumph—national triumph. In today’s reading it is apparent that this psalm is a triumphant processional song penned by David. The enemies of Israel have been vanquished and God’s army has returned victorious.

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Percé Rock, Percé, QC — photo by David Kitz

For Christians today, does this psalm hold a deeper significance? Does it signify more than a celebration after a military conquest?

The King we serve—the one born in a stable—didn’t come to establish an earthly kingdom by means of guns and war. In his defence before Pilate Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).

Make no mistake; Jesus calls us to be citizens in his heavenly Kingdom. It is a Kingdom that is headquartered in heaven, but its address on the earth is the human heart—your heart—my heart. Furthermore, that Kingdom grows in power and influence as we yield our will to God and joyfully become more like His son, Jesus. For followers of Jesus, battles are won as we submit our will to God.

There are nations—Egypt and Cush (the upper Nile region) are mentioned here—that will submit themselves to God. But personally for us today, submission must first come from our own stubborn heart.

Response: LORD God, I yield my will to you. Conquer my heart with your love. Through Jesus sacrifice on the cross I am yours. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been conquered by the love of God?

Who Bears Your Burdens Daily?

08 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Devotionals, Psalm 68

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Reading:                                            Psalm 68

Verses 15-23

Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the LORD himself will dwell forever?
The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
When you ascended on high, you took many captives;
you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious—
that you, LORD God, might dwell there.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.
Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share” (NIV).

Reflection

There is one thought from today’s psalm reading that jumps out at me and here it is: Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

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Weeping willow, Grey Nuns Park, Ottawa, ON — photo by David Kitz

Why would or should God our Savior bear our burdens? He sits enthroned in heaven above the fray. Why should He entangle Himself in the affairs of humanity? But apparently He does.

Jesus our Savior gives us this invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Jesus is inviting us to step into the harness with him. Then he assures us that he will do the heavy lifting and pulling. I’m not sure that was a wise offer for Jesus to make. Did he really know the extent of my burden? Did he know all that burden bearing would lead him directly to the cross? He must have known, but he did it anyway. What a foolish man! What a foolish God!

Some Saviors will do anything for love.

Response: LORD God, thank you for being foolish enough to love me. Thank you, Jesus for bearing my burdens to the cross and beyond. My hope rests in you. Our God is a God who saves;  from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. Amen.

Your Turn: Has the Lord lifted some of your burdens recently?

Angels Praise Your Faithfulness

03 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

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Our LORD, let the heavens now praise your miracles, and let all of your angels praise your faithfulness (Psalm 89:5 CEV).

San Remo 2014-11-11

Central Park, New York, NY — Photo by David Kitz

Reflection

In keeping with the Advent season, this week’s I Love the Psalms theme is faithfulness.

If sinless angels—the messengers of heaven—have reasons to praise the LORD for His faithfulness, then what about you and me? God sent His son to suffer and die in our place. Then on the third day, He raised Jesus from the dead. What a miracle! What a demonstration of God’s love!

Response: LORD God, I join with the angels to praise your faithful love to the children of men. Amen.

Your Turn: Has the Lord shown you his miracle working power?

Who Deserves Praise?

30 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

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We don’t deserve praise! The LORD alone deserves all of the praise, because of his love and faithfulness (Psalm 115:1 CEV).

CP Lake 2014-11-11

Central Park, New York, NY — Photo by David Kitz

Reflection

In keeping with the Advent season, this week’s I Love the Psalms theme is faithfulness.

I must admit I like to be praised. It stokes my ego. But do I deserve praise? That’s not always the case. But there is One who is always worthy of praise—the Creator of the universe and the Redeemer of my soul.

Response: LORD God, I thank and praise you for your love and faithfulness. You have been my help in times of need. Amen.

Your Turn: Has the Lord shown you His love and faithfulness in recent days?

Experiencing Victory

24 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Psalm 68, Psalms

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Reading:                                           Psalm 68

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

Verses 1-6

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;

rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land (NIV).

Reflection

Anyone who has read through the Book of Psalms will readily admit there is a great deal of variety from psalm to psalm. Some psalms are filled with joyous praise, while others are personal or even national laments. Some are filled with humble contrition, while others call for retribution against one’s foes. Each psalm is reflective of the state the psalmist finds himself in. In this respect the psalms act as a Spirit-inspired mirror of the human condition. The highs and lows of life are reflected there.

Lake of the Prairies

Lake of the Prairies, MB — Photo by Donald Adam

Psalm 68 is a hymn of triumph—national triumph. Think of it as a triumphant processional song. The enemies have been vanquished and God’s army has returned victorious. May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.

Because God has won the victory, His people can rejoice before Him. Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.

In his life time David experienced many victories over his foes, but he did not take credit for his successes. He knew that his triumphs came from the LORD. God was his defender—but not only his—God was also the defender of the fatherless and the widow.

We too have experienced a great victory. It was won for us on Mount Calvary. Satan and the power of sin and death were defeated there. Jesus triumphed over hell and the grave through his resurrection. That victory is ours by faith. Rejoice before him—his name is the LORD!

Response: LORD God, I thank you for the victory Jesus won on my behalf at the cross. I praise you for your unconditional love. Help me walk triumphantly in life today because of you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you experiencing victory today?

God Hears

10 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Psalm 66, Psalms

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Reading:                                          Psalm 66

(Verses 13-20)

 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me! (NIV).

Reflection

I grew up in a family that prayed. But that statement might give you the wrong impression. It might be more accurate to say, “I grew up in a family that religiously recited prayers.”

Green's Creek, Ottawa, ON --photo by David Kitz

Green’s Creek, Ottawa, ON –photo by David Kitz

We recited a common table prayer before every meal and the Lord’s Prayer before breakfast. My mother taught me a very scary bedtime prayer: Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.

To a six-year-old, that’s a scary prayer. It’s enough to keep you awake lest your soul be carried off in the night, while you’re off in la-la land.

I don’t think I really prayed—prayed from the heart—until the end of my grade four school year. The memory is still fresh in my mind. The little one-room country school I attended was closing. In September I would be bussed to the big school in town. This change was frightening. The familiar was being taken away and in its place was something big, strange and intimidating. Could I survive there? Could I thrive there? These thoughts troubled me.

On my last walk home from my country school, I left the country road and walked into a grove of poplars. That’s where I prayed—not a meaningless recited prayer—but a prayer from my heart to God. I asked for wisdom, strength and God’s favour for the challenging year ahead. God answered. After all these years I can say, “Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Response: LORD God, thank you for answering prayer—not once but thousands of times. Again and again you have proven your love for me. You are the God who hears me. Amen.

Your Turn: When did you learn to pray from the heart? Do you remember the occasion?

Welcome God’s Testing?

03 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Devotionals, Psalms

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Reading:                                          Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”

Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance (NIV).

Reflection

I can’t answer for you, but I for one did not enjoy writing tests at school. It’s not that I did poorly on tests, the exception being high school math. But let’s not go there. I haven’t for the last forty years and have suffered no ill effects.

Gatineau Park, QC --Photo by David Kitz

Gatineau Park, QC –Photo by David Kitz

Simply put tests are stressful. No matter how well you know the material, you can’t be sure of the outcome. Will there be a trick question? Will you experience a momentary brain burp? Have you studied the right subject matter?

Despite my aversion to tests and major exams as a student, I quite enjoyed administering them after I became a teacher. They provided so much information. They let me see into a student’s head and heart. Was learning happening behind those big brown eyes or were they only going through the motions?

But why would God test us, since He already knows the outcome? For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

God tests us to bring out the very best in us. In the furnace of affliction He removes the dross from our lives so His glory can shine through. Only then can we properly reflect His glory.

Response: LORD God, help me appreciate the tests you bring into my life. I praise you in advance because you are working to perfect me through the hardships I face. Amen.

Your Turn: Has the Lord brought you near to Him in difficult times?

Calling Forth Songs of Joy

21 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Devotionals, Psalms

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Reading:                                          Psalm 65

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.

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 (NIV).

Reflection

There is a joyful exuberance found in Psalm 65. In some ways this psalm reminds me of a Broadway musical in that there’s an eagerness—a readiness—to burst into song. It could happen at any moment. The opening line expresses this joyous exuberance well: Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion!

Petrie Island, Ottawa, ON --David Kitz

Petrie Island, Ottawa, ON –David Kitz

What about you and me? Is there an eagerness and enthusiasm to praise God as we walk through our day? Is there a song in our hearts just aching for the moment of release? Is your heart filled with gratitude to God? If you can answer, “Yes!” then you have captured the spirit of Psalm 65.

David penned this psalm and it reflects an attitude of gratitude that is present in many of David’s psalms. David provides several reasons for his jubilant praise. First of all, our God answers prayer. He hears when we call out to Him. Over many years, on countless occasions, God has answered my prayers, sometimes in miraculous ways. Like David of old, I can’t help but be grateful.

Secondly, David was thankful for the forgiveness of his sins. There is no better feeling than knowing you have been washed clean from the inside out by the cleansing blood of the Lamb of God. And now you are accepted—welcomed with open arms into God’s family. Oh, hallelujah! I’ve been redeemed.

Finally, all of God’s creation declares his glory. Mountains, prairie, sea and sky shout out His praise!

Response: LORD God, I thank you for hearing my prayers, for forgiving my many sins, and surrounding me with the beauty of your creation. I praise the name of Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: What blessing from God are you most thankful for?