Tag Archives: praise

Ruled by Love, Not Force

25 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Psalm 103, Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 103:19-22
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul (NIV). *

Reflection
Have you ever found yourself in a chaotic situation where you immediately ask this question, “Who’s in charge here?” Sometimes I have walked into an unruly classroom where that question is very pertinent. The teacher may be nowhere in sight or is absorbed with one or two students while bedlam reigns all around. It takes very little to lose control of thirty twelve-year-olds. Trust me on this point: It takes a range of skills to get a class of youngsters motivated and moving in the same direction.

Today’s reading from the psalms gives us an answer to that age old question, “Who’s in charge here?” The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all ( v. 19).

So, there is your answer. The LORD is in charge here. He’s in charge of everything—the orderly and the controlled, and the seemingly random. Above this world and its mixture of order, routine, bedlam and chaos, the LORD sits enthroned as ruler overall.

Often the LORD is blamed for the bedlam and the chaos, but is that a fair assessment? Yes, He could control everything—every detail, but then there would be no humans on this planet—no free moral agents. To be human is to have the ability to choose both good and evil. If God sovereignly decided that we could only do good, then we would be robotic humanoids—not true humans at all.

Can there be true love if love is enforced from on high rather than freely chosen? Can there be genuine worship, if this divine privilege is induced by the Creator rather than willingly offered by the created? No, the LORD calls for our worship, but He forces it on no one. The God I serve is not a rapist; He is a true lover.

So, I will freely join with all creation to praise Him. I will join the angels, the heavenly hosts and all his works everywhere in his dominion. I will join in praising my Creator and my Redeemer, who was born in a stable and raised high to suffer on a cross, but now His throne is established in heaven and His kingdom rules over all. He is the One I will praise. How about you?

Response: Father God, I appreciate the free will that you have given me. I choose to worship you. You are the lover of my soul. Thank you for all you have done. I owe my life to Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Do we choose God, or does He choose us, or are both answers correct? How has choosing to worship God changed you?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

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A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Praying and Singing Hymns to God,

22 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Psalm 103

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

 Reading: Psalm 103:1-6

Heavenly Father,
I genuinely want to learn to praise you
in all situations.
You are always good,
loving, and worthy of praise.
Along with David I declare,
“Praise the LORD, my soul!”
Amen.

— — —

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas,
and the magistrates ordered them
to be stripped and beaten with rods.
After they had been severely flogged,
they were thrown into prison,
and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
When he received these orders,
he put them in the inner cell
and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God,
and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake
that the foundations of the prison were shaken.
At once all the prison doors flew open,
and everyone’s chains came loose.
The jailer woke up,
and when he saw the prison doors open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself
because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted,
“Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights,
rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
He then brought them out and asked,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied,
“Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved—
you and your household.”
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him
and to all the others in his house.
At that hour of the night
the jailer took them and washed their wounds;
then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
(Acts 16:22-33 NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Today’s review of “The Soldier Who Killed a King“


This biblically accurate novel is ideal for the Lent/Easter season.
For details click here.

Praise Beyond Circumstances

22 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 103:1-6
Of David.
Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed (NIV). *

In Praise of His Name — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Psalm 103 begins by David calling on his soul to praise the LORD. Many see praise and worship as a purely cathartic response to the manifest goodness of God. Something good happens to us. Unexpectedly, we get a thousand-dollar check in the mail. Quite naturally our response is praise to God.

For many people, praise to God never progresses beyond this natural, cathartic level. If God does not bless, no praise is forthcoming. Our praise for the LORD becomes, or simply remains circumstance dependent. But that was not the case with David. His praise extended beyond simple catharsis. He taught his soul to praise the LORD in all circumstances. True biblical praise and worship is after all a spiritual exercise, a discipline we grow in, just as we grow in the discipline of prayer.

The LORD, the object of our praise, does not change with our circumstances. He is forever the same. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is constant, hence our praise and worship of him should be constant, unaffected by weather conditions, world events, the gyrations of the stock market, our swings of mood or our personal situation.

Of course, this constancy in praise is something the natural man simply rebels against. Our world needs to be right for us to praise God aright, or so we reason. The only problem with this logic is the world has never been right since the Fall. Death, disease, war, and misery have been raining down on the children of Adam since wilful disobedience to God first took root among us. And this is one weather forecast, for all humanity, that is not about to change—not until Christ returns.

If we are waiting for a perfect world before we lift our voice in praise to God, we will never praise Him. In fact, if our eyes are on the world, or on ourselves, there will always be grounds to withhold our praise. But then, the whole purpose of praise and worship is to lift our eyes. We desperately need to get our eyes off ourselves, off the world, and onto God our Maker.

Response: Father God, I genuinely want to learn to praise you in all situations. You are always good, loving, and worthy of praise. Along with David I declare, “Praise the LORD, my soul!” Amen.

Your Turn: Have you learned to praise God even in difficult times like the pandemic? Have you drawn closer to God or has your relationship suffered?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

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A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

11 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations (NIV). *

Enter his gates with thanksgiving — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
When you grow up on a prairie farm, as I did, you appreciate the traditional aspects of Thanksgiving all the more. You are reminded each day that the food on your table does not simply come from a store. You are actively engaged in producing the nourishment that sustains your own life. Though today may be a long way from Thanksgiving, I know I need daily reminders to be thankful. How about you?

As a youngster I sat down to many a Thanksgiving feast, and almost all the food found on that groaning table was home-grown. I watched those vegetables growing in our garden in the hot summer sun. I even pulled the weeds from around those peas. And those mashed potatoes, I helped my mother hill those tubers in the spring and then dug them up after the frost hit in the fall.

My brother loved growing pumpkins, and mom would turn his favorite into the best pumpkin pie east of the Rockies. And how can you eat pumpkin pie without a mound of whipped cream on top? Well let me tell you, it tastes even better, when just that morning you milked the cows that produced that sweet rich cream. Oh, and that huge turkey—we’ll miss that pompous strutting gobbler out by the henhouse. But I’m sure we’ll get over it, somehow. For now, let’s just dig in.

Let’s all dig in, and give thanks to the God, who made all this possible. This sumptuous feast has been brought to you by Him. Now that’s Thanksgiving!

The great God in heaven has been kind to us. He has answered our prayers. He brought the warmth of spring and the rain of heaven. He caused his face to shine upon us. The rich earth responded to his touch. It brought forth its bounty, and now around this table we have gathered as a family to celebrate God’s great goodness to us.

As the psalmist declares, “It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (v. 3). So today with joy-filled hearts, we enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. We give thanks to him and praise his name.

Response: Heavenly Father, thank you for all your kindness. You have been so good to us! Help us to maintain an attitude of gratitude all year long and not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day. Amen.

Your Turn: What blessings from God’s hand are you most grateful for? Say a prayer of thanks right now.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

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A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Restoration of the World

08 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 98:7-9
Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity (NIV). *

Reflection
What comes to mind when you think of God’s judgment? Do you envision pictures of doom, gloom, and destruction? If that’s your response, you are not alone, but maybe you have the wrong set of pictures? Maybe you have a wrong understanding of God? Should the redeemed live in dread of God’s judgment?

Psalm 98 is a joyous anthem of praise to God—praise for the salvation the LORD has won for us. The psalmist begins this psalm by calling us to sing to the LORD a new song. In today’s reading, that call for praise and worship is extended to all of nature. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing together for joy (v. 7-8).

Have you seen any mountains singing for joy? Have you heard the rivers clap their hands? I love the pictures such thoughts put in my mind. All of creation is speaking daily. The earth, sea and sky are telling of God’s mercy and glory. The setting sun shouts out the praises of God. Can you hear it?

According to the psalmist, there is a cause for this great celebration by the sea, the rivers, and the mountains. These elements of creation are celebrating because the LORD is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity (v. 9). In other words, God’s judgment should bring joy not dread. The LORD will set things right.

For far too long we have lived in a world of injustice, suffering and death. When the LORD comes, He will bring all this pain and perversity to an end. The environmental degradation that we have caused will come to an end. The Eden that was lost because of mans’ sin will be restored. Once again, we will have access to the Tree of Life. Best of all we will walk in sweet communion with our heavenly Father. All this is possible because of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The power of sin was broken at the cross. Since God’s coming judgment will bring about all this glorious restoration, why wouldn’t we join the mountains as they sing for joy?

Many of us have a wrong understanding of God and a wrong understanding of the purpose for His judgment. His judgments are good. They bring about peace—the shalom of God. Here in Psalm 98, we have the promise of His word on that. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Response: LORD God, in the past I have dreaded your judgment, but now I recognize your goodness. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. I want to see this world set right through your power and grace. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you fear God’s judgment? Is that always a good thing? How can it be misunderstood?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

RGB72PsalmsVol2

A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Surrender as the Pathway to Salvation

07 Monday Apr 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 98:1-6
A psalm.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King (NIV). *

Reflection
Once again in Psalm 98 the psalmist calls us to break forth with a new song of praise to our God. This call to worship is a frequent theme in many psalms. In this case the cause for worship is well worth noting. We are to worship in music and song because of the salvation of our God. The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (v. 2-3).

To some extent these words trouble me. What salvation is the psalmist talking about? Is he referring to the miraculous redemption and rescue of Israel from slavery in Egypt? That’s the most significant act of national salvation in the Old Testament. On the other hand, the psalmist could be referring to the restoration of the Jewish nation after the destruction of the temple and the Babylonian captivity. Again, this is a very significant event that was witnessed by the surrounding nations. Since we do not have a timeline or date for when this psalm was written, we are left guessing the answer.

For the New Testament believer, we see the fulfillment of this psalm in the salvation that was won for us by Christ at the cross. There the ancient powers of sin, hell, and the grave were defeated. Death itself was vanquished through the resurrection of Jesus. In reality, the true enemies of the people of God are not foreigners or foreign nations. Our enemies are spiritual; they lurk within us. Salvation from those enemies was purchased at the cross with the precious blood of Jesus.

Now here is a bizarre twist. Salvation arrives with our surrender. It arrives when we surrender our lives to our Savior and kneel before our King on a cross. That’s a salvation worth singing about!

Response: LORD God, I am so grateful for the salvation you purchased for me through the blood of Jesus. I want all the ends of the earth to know about that great salvation. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you knelt before the King on a cross? Take some time to do that now. How can a fresh acknowledgement of your allegiance to the King affect your day-to-day conduct?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

RGB72PsalmsVol2

A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The Joy of My Heart

04 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Psalm 97

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

 Reading: Psalm 97:8-12

LORD God,
 teach me to identify
and hate evil when I see it.
I want your light to shine on me,
so I can walk the path
you have set out for me.
Let my love for you and others
grow day by day,
as I follow you,
Lord Jesus.
Amen.

— — —

נ Nun

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.
I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
    that I will follow your righteous laws.
I have suffered much;
    preserve my life, LORD, according to your word.
Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
    and teach me your laws.
Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
    I will not forget your law.
The wicked have set a snare for me,
    but I have not strayed from your precepts.
Your statutes are my heritage forever;
    they are the joy of my heart.
My heart is set on keeping your decrees
    to the very end.
(Psalms 119:105-112, NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
Winner of the 2024 Word Award of Merit in Biblical Studies
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

This biblically accurate novel is ideal for the Lent/Easter season.
For details click here.

Ascribe to the LORD

02 Wednesday Apr 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 96:7-13
Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness (NIV).*

Catching that train to glory — Melville, SK — photo courtesy of Timothy Kitz

Reflection
When I think of the word, ascribe, I immediately picture a long, grey-bearded man with a quill pen in his hand scratching words onto a scroll. That’s a scribe. I suppose this scribe could be busy ascribing. I wonder just what he could be ascribing? Well, according to the author of Psalm 96 my imaginary scribe could be ascribing glory and strength to the LORD.

In all seriousness ascribing means crediting or attributing certain character qualities to a person. The LORD certainly is strong and glorious. Along with those attributes, we could also add the words loving, faithful, merciful, just, and holy. The LORD is all those things and more. For all these character qualities the LORD is worthy of praise.

Sometimes I don’t see something until it smacks me in the face. I can be blind to that missing shirt hanging in the closet or across the back of a chair. It takes someone else, usually my wife, to point out what should be plainly obvious. In the same way, I can be blind to the kind gestures of a friend or colleague. It takes someone else to point them out—to ascribe them—by drawing my attention to them.

Are you missing something? Have you become blind to the beautiful character qualities of your spouse, your children, or your workmates? Maybe you need to do some ascribing? Before it’s too late, let them know the good qualities you see in their lives. You won’t regret speaking words of affirmation to the ones you love. As for the LORD, He will be honored if we carry through with the words of the psalmist: Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns” (v. 9-10a).

Response: LORD God, I want to see your glory and strength. I acknowledge your attributes. You are magnificent, holy, merciful, and just. Thank you for your judgments. They are righteous. Amen.

Your Turn: Is there someone whose actions or good character you need to ascribe or affirm? Take time to affirm them today.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

RGB72PsalmsVol2

A gripping read from David Kitz.
4485 SHARABLE-2

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Sing and Make Music

01 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Psalm 96, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

 Reading: Psalm 96:1-6

LORD God,
I want to praise you.
Give me news songs and new melodies
to sing your praise.
Your goodness and love abound. 
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.
Amen.

— — —

 Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord’s will is. 
Do not get drunk on wine,
 which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 
speaking to one another with psalms,
hymns, and songs from the Spirit. 
Sing and make music
from your heart to the Lord, 
always giving thanks 
to God the Father for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 5:17-20, NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
Winner of the 2024 Word Award of Merit in Biblical Studies
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

This biblically accurate novel is ideal for the Lent/Easter season.
For details click here.

Singing for the Glory of God

01 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 96:1-6
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). *

I sing for joy at what your hands have done — photo by David Kitz

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.

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 (v. 1-2).

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 foundational—so fundamental to our being—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? Amid 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 too 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. Your goodness and love abound. 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?

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Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

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