Before Gods and Kings

16 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 138, Psalms

Tags

embolden, First Commandment, God, gods, idols, infinite, invisible, kings, national gods, praise, the LORD, Yahweh

Reading: Psalm 138

Of David

(Verses 1-5)

I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me.

May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD,
when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing of the ways of the LORD,
for the glory of the LORD is great (NIV)

Reflection

David was wholehearted in all that he did, so it should not surprise us that he begins Psalm 138 with this assertion: I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise.

Walking in a winter wonderland — photo by David Kitz

David, the shepherd king, wasn’t shy or reticent about offering praise to the LORD. He knew his God and was quick to give Him praise. He would even praise the LORD before foreign gods. Elsewhere in the psalms we see this declaration: 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 (Psalm 96:4-5).

During David’s time each nation had its own national god. These national gods were represented by carved idols of wood, metal or stone. But Israel had no idol. They were strictly forbidden to make any image or likeness of the LORD (Yahweh). See the First Commandment, Exodus 20:3-6. This prohibition set Israel apart. They were the people with no visible god.

But why settle for a visible god, when you can have the invisible God who fills the entire universe? Why settle for a national god, when you can have the LORD who created the heavens and the earth? Inevitably, if we fashion our own god, we will create a god who is far too small. The true God is far bigger, far wiser, and far more just, and compassionate than we can ever imagine. How can we as finite creatures begin to fathom the infinite power and glory of God?

By His great mercy the LORD reveals Himself to us. He does that best through His Son. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15). Jesus helps make the infinite God comprehensible to us, so we can join with David’s anthem of praise. May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.

Response: LORD God, I praise you for your unfailing love and your faithfulness. Thank you for answering my prayers. You give me courage and greatly emboldened me to carry on. Amen.

Your Turn: How big is your God? Is He bigger than your problems?

God Shines Forth

11 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms, Saturday's Psalm

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

beauty, God, perfect, rising sun, the LORD

I will praise Him!

: God shines forth — photo by David Kitz

The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
    God shines forth.
Our God comes
    and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
    and around him a tempest rages.

(Psalm 50:1-3, NIV)

He Alone Does Great Wonders

09 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 136, Psalms

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

creation, Creator, environment, gardening, God, love, nature, seasons, the LORD, wildlife, winter, worship

Reading: Psalm 136

(Verses 1-9)

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever (NIV).

Reflection

Here are some straightforward facts about me. I love nature. I enjoy all four seasons. I love getting out of the house and hiking through the woods or riding my bicycle along nature trails. I am fascinated by the wildlife I encounter on these excursions. I like planting a backyard garden in spring, and harvesting the produce from it through the summer and fall. I feel knitted to the land and its seasons.

A winter walk in God’s creation — photo by David Kitz

My love for God’s creation underpins my love for God. A God who created such a beautiful, wonder-filled world must be truly awesome—awesome beyond measure—because the universe He created is awesome beyond measure.

Psalm 136 extols the virtues of this awesome limitless God. His love endures forever. For a total of twenty-six verses the psalmist expounds on the goodness of the LORD. In response His people reply, “His love endures forever.”

Today’s reading lays the foundation for our worship. That foundation rests on the wonder of God’s creation. We are to give thanks to God because He alone does great wonders. By his understanding, [He] made the heavens, and spread out the earth upon the waters.

As you go through your day do you find moments where you give God thanks for the wonders of His creation? In an urban, man-made environment we can easily lose touch with nature and our Creator. We lose something precious—something fundamental to our well-being—when that happens.

Response: LORD God, help me to appreciate the wonder of your creation every day. Give me opportunities to see the beauty in it, because it’s a reflection of your magnificent character. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you enjoy nature? Does that appreciation of nature translate into love for God?

A Heavenly Prescription

06 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 135, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

adoration, Almonte, dance, David, egomaniac, expressions of worship, forms of worship, God, Miriam, praise, selfishness, the LORD, worship

Reading: Psalm 135

(Verses 1-7)

Praise the LORD.

Praise the name of the LORD;
praise him, you servants of the LORD,
you who minister in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.

I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses (NIV).

Reflection

Like many of the psalms, Psalm 135 begins by calling us to worship. Specifically, this is a call to praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.

Waterfalls at Almonte, ON — photo by David Kitz

So what is the difference between praise and worship? Worship is a broad term that expresses itself in a variety of ways. The Encarta Dictionary defines worship as “the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity.”

We can show devotion, adoration and respect for God in wide range of ways. We can use our bodies to express worship by bowing, kneeling, falling prostrate, or lifting our hands and faces heavenward. We read that both David and Miriam danced before the LORD as an act of worship. See 2 Samuel 6:13-15 and Exodus 15:20-21.

Praise and thanksgiving are verbal forms of worship that reflect a heart of adoration. But why do the Psalms call on us to praise God so frequently? Is the LORD a grand, heavenly egomaniac who demands our worship to satisfy His desire for recognition and importance? Hardly.

Actually, just the opposite is true. God does not need our worship. We are the egomaniacs. Praise and worship counteracts the selfishness that is at the root of our sinful nature. We desperately need to get our eyes off ourselves and onto the One who is worthy of all praise. So here is a simple but powerful prescription from your heavenly Father: Praise the LORD.

Response: Father God, I worship you. Thank you for sending Jesus to be my Savior. Holy Spirit, infuse my praise and worship with joy. You are so very good—so very kind to me. Amen.

Your Turn: What forms or expressions of worship are most meaningful to you?

The City of the Great King

04 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms, Saturday's Psalm

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

city, city of God, fortress, God, Jerusalem, Mount Zion, Psalm 48, the LORD

I will praise Him!

: Via-Dolorosa in Jerusalem — photo courtesy of Lois Morrow

Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

Beautiful in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
    the city of the Great King.
God is in her citadels;
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.

(Psalm 48:1-3, NIV)

Shouts of Joy

03 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

clap, God, joy, Petrie Island, praise, Psalms, sing, the LORD, trumpets

I will praise Him!

: Petrie Island, glory — photo by David Kitz

Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
    the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
    sing to him a psalm of praise.

(Psalm 47:1, 5-7, NIV)

Be Still

02 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

be still, exalted, fortress, God, nations, peace, Psalms, still, the LORD, wars

I will praise Him!

: Sunset on the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

Come and see what the LORD has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

(Psalm 46:8-11, NIV)

The Nation whose God is the LORD

28 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms, Tuesday's Truth

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blessed, God, nation, nations, the LORD

I will praise Him!

: Parliament Hill as seen from the Chateau Laurier — photo by David Kitz

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
    and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

(Psalm 33:12-15, NIV)

By the Word of the LORD

27 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Monday Meditation, Psalms

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

creation, earth, Perce QB, spoken word, the LORD, the word

I will praise Him!

: Sunrise at Perce, Quebec — photo by David Kitz

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

(Psalm 33:6-9, NIV)

Sing to Him a New Song

24 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Friday's Focus, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

faithful, harp, justice, love, praise, Righteousness, shout, sing, the LORD

I will praise Him!

: Skaters on the Rideau Canal beneath the Highway 417 bridge, Ottawa, ON, 02-18-2017, photo by David Kitz

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

Tag Archives: the LORD

Before Gods and Kings

God Shines Forth

I will praise Him!