Praise the Lord!

Psalm 148

As we are still celebrating the birth of Jesus, we can shout from the rooftops “Praise the Lord!”. Today’s Psalm calls all people on earth, anywhere in the world, and those in heaven to get out, get moving, be thankful, be loud, and praise the Lord. It is a joyful Psalm, reminding all of us to offer up our thanksgiving and praise. I, for one, am not a stand-on-the-street-corner-shouting type of person, but this Psalm certainly makes me want to shout or state or exclaim aloud “Praise the Lord”.

By Webster’s definition, praise as a verb means

1 : to express a favorable judgment of : commend

2 : to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections

Do we take the time to “glorify” God? Do we “express a favorable judgment”? If we look back on the last year, can we honestly say we have been full of praise every day? Most likely not. We have all been through good days and bad days, times of joy and times of sadness. As we close this year, we can reflect back and then look anew to what we can do differently.

If we look in the Bible (NIV version), the word praise is used 299 times in the Old Testament and 41 times in the New Testament. In today’s Psalm, the command to “Praise the Lord” is repeated nine times in the first five verses and twelve times in the entire psalm. Breaking down the Psalm, Everything and everyone in heaven should praise the Lord (148:1-6). This is interesting to me. Everyone in heaven? Those who have gone before should still be praising the Lord. 

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

  1. Everything and everyone on earth should praise the Lord (148:7-14). This part is easier to grasp. Men, women, children, creatures all should Praise the Lord! From the mountains the seas, the hills, the trees, from anywhere and everywhere, Praise the Lord! We can and should praise the Lord. We can and should be thankful for all he has done for us this year. Maybe things didn’t go as you planned or expected, but it is still important to be thankful and praise him. When you see something that God has made, praise him for it! Praise him for keeping us close to him.

As I have read the posts this week, praise was highlighted quite a few times. Monday, Jillian started us off with Rejoice! Rejoice as God loves us, rejoice as he is watching over us. In return, we can offer our praise. A powerful word that helps us focus on God, not on ourselves. On Tuesday, we read about David praising God in Deb’s post. Then, Tracy’s picture and post on “Praise the Lord” helps us show gratefulness. Caitlyn also posted on praise: “praise is beautiful, praise is fitting” from Psalm 147. Praise IS beautiful and it IS fitting. As we enter 2018, each day we could find a new way to praise God each and everyday. He has done marvelous things. Rejoice!

This is Our God

Psalm 147

Hallelujah!
It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God;
    praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.

2-6 God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem,
    who regathers Israel’s scattered exiles.
He heals the heartbroken
    and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
    and assigns each a name.
Our Lord is great, with limitless strength;
    we’ll never comprehend what he knows and does.
God puts the fallen on their feet again
    and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

7-11 Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,
    play music on your instruments to God,
Who fills the sky with clouds,
    preparing rain for the earth,
Then turning the mountains green with grass,
    feeding both cattle and crows.
He’s not impressed with horsepower;
    the size of our muscles means little to him.
Those who fear God get God’s attention;
    they can depend on his strength.

12-18 Jerusalem, worship God!
    Zion, praise your God!
He made your city secure,
    he blessed your children among you.
He keeps the peace at your borders,
    he puts the best bread on your tables.
He launches his promises earthward—
    how swift and sure they come!
He spreads snow like a white fleece,
    he scatters frost like ashes,
He broadcasts hail like birdseed—
    who can survive his winter?
Then he gives the command and it all melts;
    he breathes on winter—suddenly it’s spring!

19-20 He speaks the same way to Jacob,
    speaks words that work to Israel.
He never did this to the other nations;
    they never heard such commands.
Hallelujah!

I can’t think of a better Psalm to finish off 2017 with than Psalm 147. One of the things that I hope, as a Christian, I always continue to grow in is a deeper understanding of the character of God. The more we draw near to Him, the more He will draw near to us (James 4:8). And I believe that this Psalm is incredibly helpful in getting to know the heart of God more.

These are a few of my favorite things about the heart of God that just Psalm 147 reveals to us:

  • God is a healer & draws near to the broken. (“He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds.”
  • God is sovereign. (“He counts the stars and assigns each a name. Our Lord is great, with limited strength; we’ll never comprehend what He knows and does.”)
  • God is just. (God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch.”)
  • God can be counted on. (“Those who fear God get God’s attention; they can depend on his strength.”)
  • God’s standards are different than earthly standards. “He’s not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to Him.”
  • God is a provider who keeps the world going. “…Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing the rain for the earth, then turning the mountains green with grass, feeding both cattle and crows.”

My hope is that as we draw near to the end of 2017 and get closer each day to the beginning of 2018, you feel that this year, you have gotten to know the heart of God better. And while I’m more of a goal-setter than a resolution-maker, my hope is also that if you set one goal or make one resolution for 2018, it’s that you will finish of 2018 closer to the heart of God and with a deeper knowledge of Him than you had in 2017.

Praise the Lord

Today’s reading is Psalm 146

 

Like Jon wrote earlier this week, I find myself thinking back over the past year and evaluating this Bible Journal year. It has been a gift that I am grateful for. It has pushed me and challenged me to look more closely at God’s word and to determine more of what God is trying to say to me. Deb mentioned yesterday, these final Psalms are perfect Christmas gifts. I agree!  Ps 146 is a beautiful way to sum up the truths we have discussed together this year.

 

  • Praise the Lord! No really, praise the Lord as long as I live, with every breath, to my dying day. Praise Him for who he is, what He has done, how He loves us, how He has saved us, because He loves us so much He wants to save us, because He desires to be with us, because He loves the ones I love more than I am able to, because He protects me and the ones I love, … we could make an entire journal devoted to documenting the praiseworthiness of God. We could write in it every day for years and years until we die and still not be able to list all of His worth. Yet this Being chooses us. He wants to share our lives with us. He wants to make a way for us to be with Him here on this earth and for eternity. Who are we to deserve this kind of lavish love and pursuing?
  • Don’t put your confidence in powerful people, there is no help for you there, but joyful are those whose hope is in the Lord your God. vs 6 “He keeps every promise forever.” Can we really even comprehend this promise? Can we really grasp that the Creator of the universe keeps every promise forever? Maybe we should look into starting another blog where each time we come across one of His promises in the Bible we document it and leave the running list open to meditate on, search through, seek encouragement from and lean on in hard times.
  • The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God throughout the generations. Praise the Lord! This my friends is hope for 2018 and every year after. With all of the “hard”, sin, and disaster swirling around us in this world right now I need to know that He will reign forever, that He will be my, and my kids, and grandkids, God throughout their lives and beyond. I need to know that He knows what is going on and that He is reigning when it feels like things are spinning out of control. God being my God throughout generations brings peace and hope in the turmoil that this world continues to hand me. Praise the Lord! “Praise the Lord” is a weak “thank you” for this kind of gift. I find myself frustrated by my lack of words to express my gratefulness for this kind of promise. I have to ask  the Holy Spirit to intercede for me, to put into words, or convey my heart to God when I can’t find the words to do it justice. When I think on this, I understand why David said over and over in the Psalms to shout for joy, praise Him with the cymbals, dance before Him. Our words are not enough to express our joy and gratefulness!

As we come to the end of another year and  take a few minutes to reflect on 2017, can we take the time, and maybe find a different way to “praise the Lord” this year to express our gratefulness for how He has loved us?   

Psalm 145

Our reading for today is Psalm 145, and after reading it through, it is simply perfect for the day after Christmas. Psalm 145 is a psalm of praise, written by David to his Lord:

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.

You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord preserves all who love him, but the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145)

In this psalm, David lists several reasons why God is worthy of our praise: He is great. His greatness is unsearchable. He does mighty and wondrous works. He is abundantly good. He is righteous. He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger. His love is steadfast (I love this one! – It reminds me of the picture of an anchor). He is good to all. He has mercy on us. He is powerful. His kingdom is everlasting. He is faithful and kind. He upholds the fallen. He is a provider. He satisfies our deepest desires. He is near. He saves. He preserves all who love him. That’s quite a list, right?!

David’s response to all of who God is is simply this: praise. David will meditate on God’s works, and in response, David will declare God’s greatness and sing aloud of His righteousness. David says that he will extol God, and that he will bless Him and praise His name forever. David praises God for the work He has done in David’s life, and for who He is.

Perhaps this is a good time, as we near the end of 2017, to take some time to write out your praises to God. Consider what He has done for you this year, and praise Him for the times of blessing and the times of stretching and growing. Consider His attributes, the aspects of His character, and praise Him for those. And consider that when we praise Him, we link arms with those around the world who are doing the exact same thing. We join in that chorus of praise. Merry Christmas!

Rejoice

Psalm 144

In small group last week, we went around the circle recalling our favorite Christmas songs. Many had the traditional “Silent Night”, “ O’ Little Town of Bethlehem”, “ O’ Holy Night”, and “Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart”, but my favorite tune is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. This has become one of my favorite tunes because of the style of the Gregorian chant and melody. But the refrain is the best part for me “ Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel” translated to mean “Take abundant joy at the coming of God in flesh”

In studying for the blog today on Psalms 144, I found in my bible that the theme for this psalm is: Rejoicing in God’s Care. Whether in times of prosperity or adversity, blessed is those that are in care.

This Advent season, I made a commitment to study and prepare my mind, body, and spirit for the coming of the Christ-child. At the beginning of the study, my friends and I were made aware of a small, yet significant rate-limiting variable. During this season of joy and excitement, the enemy will attempt to derail your purpose and joy. It has been a wonderful journey, but there have been many times in the last 25 days that have shaken many of my closest people in my life to the point of shattering. There have been journeys transitioned to heaven, journeys derailed, and financial instabilities for many of my closest friends and family. I have taken refuge in the words of this psalm:

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[a] under me.

3 O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?
4 Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.

 

No matter what is happening in my life or our lives, God is ultimately in control. Rejoice.  Even though we are like a passing shadow, a vapor, or a breath, God’s provision for us is never compromised. Rejoice. He’s love for us does not change and is always there for us. Rejoice.  It is evident by the gift that we celebrate today. Rejoice. He loves us. Rejoice. Merry Christmas.

Before Your Feet Hit the Floor

 

Psalm 143:8
Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Do you grab your phone to look at the latest news or what you might have missed on social media during your sleep? Do you rush to the kitchen for that cup of hot coffee? How about grabbing the remote control to turn on your favorite morning TV show??

In Psalm 143:8, David wrote, “Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go. David saw the necessity of seeking God to direct his steps. He looked to God for guidance for the needs of each day. A sign of spiritual growth is longing to be with the Lord in a time of Bible study and prayer each day. Whether it be in the morning or at night, is there a time in your day in which you spend time with Jesus? Is it a time that you hold each and every day?

This Christmas Eve is a great time to open your Bible and read what the Lord has for you. Start by reading the Christmas Story.  Maybe we could practice this idea of opening our Bibles before our feet hit the floor for the next few days and SEE what the Lord has planned.

Henry Ward Beecher said, “The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.”

Nothing, not even coffee, will begin your day like time alone with God. Seek Him so that you may grow closer to Him. When you make plans to meet God, He will place an intimate joy within your heart. Then you will learn to desire His Word every single morning.

My refuge

Today’s reading:  Psalm 142

Psalm 142 was written by David in a cave where he was hiding from Saul.  Scared, confined and alone, David was nearing rock bottom.

Have you ever felt no one really cared what happened to you?  I have felt this way more times in my life than I’d like to admit.  As I’ve grown older, I’d also like to say that turning to God has become instinctual in these types of situations.  But alas, my natural, sinful reaction begins with self-reliance nearly every time – I withdraw from others, get inside my own head and begin to churn the issue.  I evaluate the factors I can control versus the factors I can’t control, then come out with a game plan.  It isn’t uncommon that my plan, at least initially, is built on my own views and opinions, as I have kept to myself and failed to seek God’s guidance or even the wise counsel of others.  This self-reliant attitude is not from God.  While it may give me temporary hope by helping me define what I’m going to do next, it seldom results in a God-honoring, happy ending.

Today’s text in Psalm 142 gives us insight into David’s reaction to this type of a situation. Rather than relying on himself, David declares God as his refuge, his safety and shelter.  Let’s take a look.

I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble (Psalm 142:1-2).

David began by seeking God’s help – he didn’t withdraw or silently churn the issue inside his own head.  Hebrews 4 tells us that this is right where God wants us. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life (Psalm 142:3-4).

David was honest with God – he confessed that he was overwhelmed and helpless.  Again, this is right where God wants us.  My body and my heart fail, but God is my heart’s rock and my share forever (Psalm 73:26). He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

I cry to you, Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me (Psalm 142:5-6).

David declared God as his refuge – his only hope. Did you notice his words at the end of verse 5 – “my portion in the land of the living”?  Following Jesus is not just to secure our place in eternity.  Rather, he is our source of help and hope every day.  Like a shepherd, he is constantly watching over and caring for us.  Jesus said, “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 Common English Bible translation).

Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me (Psalm 142:7).

David anticipated God’s answer to prayer and turned his focus from himself to God – he knew God’s deliverance wasn’t just to make his life easier, it was for God’s glory.  David affirmed God’s goodness and prepared to praise his name.

I’ll be honest, when I started this post, I began by approaching it somewhat academically.  But as you know, God has a way of speaking to us when we least expect it.  The more I worked on the message of Psalm 142, the more personal it became.  Over the last few years of my life, I’ll admit I have felt more useless, helpless and unfulfilled than I can remember feeling at any other time in my life.  David’s model in the seven verses of Psalm 142 is just the reminder I needed – Get out of my own head.  Turn my focus from myself to God.  Patiently rely on him for direction and deliverance.  Praise his name.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

We are speaking to the creator of the universe!

This is my last post for 2017 so I’m reflecting on the past year along with Psalm 141, a Psalm of King David.

O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
 Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
 and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (Psalm 141:1-2)

Note the exclamation points and the direct manner by which David starts out speaking to God. This is from the heart, passionate, and urgent. We should all pray like we mean it… we are speaking to the creator of the universe! He doesn’t need our empty words or empty promises, he wants our hearts! Lift up your hands and cry out to him right now. I triple dog dare you. Yes, ’tis the season to go straight to the triple dog dare.

Consider the urgency of Jesus as he prayed on the Mount of Olives, praying so hard that his sweat was like blood.

And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)

I’ve seen God move in mighty ways this year, no doubt as a result of crying out and the faithful prayers of friends and family. When I say that I’ve seen God move, I don’t mean that he’s answered every prayer in the way that I wanted him to answer it. He also moves through saying no, not yet, or revealing a completely different plan. While it is easy to say right now that I’m thankful, there have certainly been times of frustration, sorrow, fear, and doubt.

Sitting at my favorite place to write inside, I am thinking about the people, habits, or events that had the biggest influence on my life this year.

  • Absolutely the greatest influence on my life in 2017 (same with 2016) has been writing for Bible Journal. This habit and responsibility causes me to look for the Holy Spirit in all events and to constantly be thinking about God’s ways over my ways. It teaches me to see others as who they are: first and foremost, children of God, loved by God, and therefore I must love others. After completing one post, it is time to start praying about the next one, asking for wisdom and for God’s will to be done. There are so many stories going on in all of our lives, and this journaling habit brings the stories closer to my heart. I am so thankful, humbled and honored to be part of this community.
  • Words of encouragement. Do not underestimate the power that our words have on other people, positive or negative. I’m thankful for those who have lifted me up and challenged me in a way that is pleasing to God.
  • Grace. I spent a few minutes thinking about all that I’ve been given this year that I didn’t deserve. Sit quietly and ask God to show you a glimpse of what you’ve been given this year. I believe he wants all of us to see this so that we may give him, the ultimate giver, the thanks he deserves.
  • Surprises. Meeting new people, especially those who are humble and joyful.
  • Seeing my sin as what it is: unacceptable in the eyes of God. This one stings but let’s not sugar coat it. I’m thankful to have a savior who gave his perfect life in exchange for my all too often wretched life. I’m a sinner in need of a savior. Thank you Jesus.

Give It Up To God

Ever had someone you just hated? Hate is a strong word, I know, but what about calling that person your enemy. It was a guy I played football with in high school that never stopped trying to get on my nerves. I, at the time, wasn’t mature enough to handle it and all I wanted to do was punch the guy. The problem was he was a bit bigger than I was so it didn’t make sense to make it a fair fight. So one day at practice, after again being provoked by him, I hit him in the back when he was walking away. He got up and we wrestled on the ground for a bit but I was safe with all my pads on so it didn’t really matter to me. Anyways, the moral of the story was that out of anyone in my life that was the guy that I would say was my enemy.

 

Psalm 140 is all about David’s enemy’s, the people he hated. Let’s read it really quickly.

This is the message version:

 

God, get me out of here, away from this evil;

protect me from these vicious people.

All they do is think up new ways to be bad;

they spend their days plotting war games.

They practice the sharp rhetoric of hate and hurt,

speak venomous words that maim and kill.

God, keep me out of the clutch of these wicked ones,

protect me from these vicious people;

Stuffed with self-importance, they plot ways to trip me up,

determined to bring me down.

These crooks invent traps to catch me

and do their best to incriminate me.

6-8 I prayed, “God, you’re my God!

Listen, God! Mercy!

God, my Lord, Strong Savior,

protect me when the fighting breaks out!

Don’t let the wicked have their way, God,

don’t give them an inch!”

9-11 These troublemakers all around me—

let them drown in their own verbal poison.

Let God pile hellfire on them,

let him bury them alive in crevasses!

These loudmouths—

don’t let them be taken seriously;

These savages—

let the Devil hunt them down!

12-13 I know that you, God, are on the side of victims,

that you care for the rights of the poor.

And I know that the righteous personally thank you,

that good people are secure in your presence.

 

 

David has enemy’s too. We are not alone in that. What did he do, he prayed that God will protect him from those enemies. Let’s get something straight, our enemy’s will never kill us, David’s enemy’s wanted to kill him so his life was on the line. Above everything that we can learn from this passage, know that prayer is powerful. Ask God for help in all situations, not just the bad ones. Know that God is there for you at all times. We can look at how David handled this situation and learn that whenever you are in a tough situation you just need to give it up to God. This is what the bible is here for, to learn how to handle different experiences and to learn from the people in the bible so we don’t make the same mistakes.

 

Be thinking about that in this season. I know that we all have issues but God will always be there to help. Merry Christmas and happy first day of Winter.

The Best-laid Plans

People, by-in-large, are good at setting and achieving goals.  Day-in-day-out billions of people arrive to work on-time, remember to do more things than they forget, have a roof to sleep under and manage to feed and clothe themselves.  People, by-in-large, are used to setting goals, making plans and seeing them through to some measure of success.  This can be a dangerous thing.  (Proverbs 4:12, Proverbs 16:25)

In the 139 Psalm, King David proclaims God’s omniscience (v1-6), omnipresence (v7-12), and omnipotence (v13-18), as well as David’s own obeisance (v19-24).  King David has reached a point where his perspective of himself and his abilities compared to God’s are right.  It is beautiful to witness.  

Throughout scripture, God does amazing things for people as soon as they realize what David realized.  Have you ever found your heart pouring out to God saying some version of, “I’m done.  I don’t want to do it my way ever again. It always ends up hurting. God: I want what you want. Lead me. Thy will be done.”?

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
– Psalm 139:23-24

Painful outcomes or trials can leave us feeling this way.  The danger is when we have “success” in our plans.  Success is not a history of achieving personal goals.  Success and achieving personal goals are not by default the same thing.

We have wisdom when we see things as God sees things.  In my estimation, the key question to reflect on and be sure our heart has the true answer to is this:

What is God’s definition of success?

This holiday season I encourage everyone confronted with the question “Who is successful?” whether spoken, worn, driven, sat in, or otherwise to consider God’s definition.  To be prepared the truth.  How can we press into the truth and be a blessing to others?