Tags
I will praise the LORD!
Late afternoon sun near MacNutt, Saskatchewan — photo by David Kitz
I Will Counsel You
22 Sunday Dec 2019
Tag Archives: rejoice
Great Things for You
17 Tuesday Dec 2019
Advent Tidings of Joy
Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
Luke 1:46-47, 49 (NIV)
Reflection
Know this: If you are born again by the Spirit of God, just like Mary the Lord has done great things for you.
Rejoicing Comes in the Morning
17 Sunday Nov 2019
Tags
I will praise Him!
Saskatchewan sunrise — photo by David Kitz
Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
(Psalm 30:4-5, NIV)
I Will Sing Praises
02 Sunday Jun 2019
A Great Victory
03 Friday May 2019
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).
Looking across the Strait of Georgia toward Vancouver Island– photo by David Kitz
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.
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 lifetime 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 personal defender—but God was and is 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. Now 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, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Your Turn: Are you experiencing victory today? Allow the eternal significance of Christ’s victory permeate your heart and mind.
Let His Faithful People Rejoice
09 Tuesday Oct 2018
Posted in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 149, Psalms
Reading: Psalm 149
(Verses 1-5)
Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds (NIV).
Nature’s exuberance for praise — wild roses, Edmonton, Alberta — photo by David Kitz
Reflection
I previously wrote that as we draw to the end of the Book of Psalms, we are slowly building to a crescendo of praise to the LORD. Today’s reading from Psalm 149 expands and amps up the level of praise.
For some praise to the LORD is one dimensional. It involves singing a hymn or worship chorus to the LORD in a place of worship at a designated time. Usually this simply means in church on a Sunday morning. But praise that is birthed by the Spirit of God can be much more than just that. Psalm 149 calls for a wide range of praise. It begins by calling for a new song. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
It would seem that the Creator would like to hear something fresh and creative. That’s so much like Him. After all, His mercies are new every morning. See Lamentations 3:22-23. Now don’t get me wrong. There is a place for the tried and true, and the old and familiar. But genuine praise is like fresh homemade bread. It’s best served warm from the oven. Stale worship invigorates no one.
Secondly, our praise for the LORD can take a variety of forms. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
Just yesterday I watched a couple do a beautiful dance to a popular worship chorus. The words, the music, and their expressive movements, added heartfelt meaning to their praise. God was glorified in their dance. We were created to move and our posture and movements can reflect an expressive exuberance for God.
Finally, Spirit initiated praise knows no bounds. It refuses to be confined to a church building. It is after all an outward expression of a thankful heart. There is a place for praise, wherever we find ourselves, whether it’s on a park bench, a subway car, or as we stroll down the grocery aisle. Praise the LORD!
Response: LORD God, renew in me a heart of praise. I want to lose my self-consciousness as I praise you. This is all about you. True worship is not about me. I want to praise you with my whole being. Amen.
Your Turn: Is it possible to be God focussed when we are self-focussed or self-conscious?
The Path of Life
29 Saturday Sep 2018
Posted in Bible, God's word, Psalm 16, Psalms
Tags
I will praise Him!
Morning mist, Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
(Psalm 16:6-11, NIV)
God is Present in the Company of the Righteous
16 Sunday Sep 2018
Posted in Bible, God's word, Psalm 14, Psalms
I will praise Him!
Early morning rose — photo by David Kitz
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
(Psalm 14:1-7, NIV)
The Gates of Daughter Zion
26 Sunday Aug 2018
Posted in Bible, God's word, Psalm 9, Psalms
Tags
I will praise Him!
Lead me in your path, Lord — photo by David Kitz
Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.
For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
that I may declare your praises
in the gates of Daughter Zion,
and there rejoice in your salvation.
(Psalm 9:11-14, NIV)
Your Law is my Delight
06 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms
Tags
arrogant, compassion, delight, meditate, praise, rejoice, righteous, shame, the LORD, unfailing love
I will praise Him!
Hardy pine grows amid rock and snow — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz
I love the Psalms 