Tag: psalms of praise

God (Psalm 147:12-20)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment

Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
    who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord! (New Revised Standard Version)

The psalmist portrays a God who is clearly in control of all things. This is the Lord God almighty, who is the Creator, and is sovereign over the entire world.

God has no need for bluster, or to leverage knowledge in order to get things done. With only a word, the weather changes completely, and people are invited to participate in the divine will for this earth.

There is no creature, and no human on this earth, who has such power and authority, sovereignty and control, over everything and everyone as God.

Because of God’s great power, the Lord is able to extend gracious and providential care for those who put their hope in God’s steadfast love. Such grace and love of divine blessing is the means for Israel’s praise of Yahweh in the psalm.

The grandest blessing of them all is the gift of the “word.” God’s word of command is what sets in motion all of the natural processes of this earth. It is the divine word that gives and sustains life on this planet.

The same divine word which has been gifted in order for the waters to abundantly flow and the wind to continually blow, is the word given to Israel in the laws and commands for the people.

This gift of word is a wonderful privilege, given to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. It is what makes them a peculiar people, recipients of the divine will. It is a word of guidance for the covenant people of God.

And that divine word is the primary reason for the human word to respond in praise by extoling the awesome might and mercy of God.

Please understand that today’s psalm is profoundly theological. In other words, it is all about God. We humans and the creation are mentioned and talked about within the psalm, yet all of it is in the context of God’s activity in the world, of God’s actions in history.

The things which God does among us and in this world is a theological reflection, in and of itself. Let me say it another way: God does what God is.

God didn’t simply do some wondrous act in the past. The Lord didn’t merely console and heal someone at some time. Rather, God is constantly binding up the brokenhearted; continually casting down the wicked; and consistently demonstrating steadfast love through right, good, and just actions, all the time.

There is a never a time when God is not God, being holy, loving, and good; and therefore, God’s eternal actions are a non-stop working of justice and righteousness in this old fallen world.

Evil, of course, is continually at work, as well. But we are not talking about opposing powers which are equal to each other. Justice and love will eventually swallow up wickedness and evil.

This is the hope that undergirds the psalmist, and it is the reason that the faithful keep persevering and offering their praise, adoration, and thanksgiving to the God who never slumbers nor sleeps, but is always watching over the righteous.

God’s wisdom and power is matchless. It is impossible for any one of us, or even all of us collectively, to count and number all the stars in the universe. But God can. And God even has them all named, because they all belong to God.

Neither you nor I could ever number the raindrops that fall on our roof in just a few minutes. Yet, God can. And the Lord can count the grains of sand on a beach and the hairs on every head (or in some cases, every hair on a guy’s back).

We humans number in the billions on this earth. Yet, God knows us all by name. And God’s perfection is near and intimate, not distant and remote.

I don’t know about you, my friend, but my encounters with God are nothing like a virtual Zoom meeting. My interactions with the God of the universe are close, intimate, and caring, just as a mother with her newborn baby.

Therefore, matters of renewal, restoration, and even resurrection are not problems for the God of the psalmist. Widows are comforted and rejoice. The poor are lifted up, and not ruined by their poverty.

The confused, the disordered and disoriented, the discouraged and discombobulated, are all held in the hands of the God who knows their confusion and will take care of them.

I might not understand; and, in fact, the older I become, I’ve discovered that the less I actually know. But I believe. I trust God. I do this, daily, because the Lord has demonstrated to me over and over again that God is trustworthy and has the ability to bend everything in this world for redemptive purposes.

That is the sort of God I serve – that the psalmist serves. And this faith, hope, and love is what I want for you, as well, my friend.

Life is too short and precious to squander it, and to flounder in disbelief. So, just listen; and take as much time as you need to hear the word, and experience the presence of life that is around you, and right in front of your face.

Dearest and most gracious Lord:

I thank you for the gift of life, the rising sun, and the promise of the seasons.

I give you thanks for my family and friends and the gifts they share; for my home and all its comforts within; for the abundance you give me and my willingness to share it with others.

I offer my gratitude to you for granting me wisdom, and the ability to listen; for acceptance of the challenges that I face every day; for strength and courage to act for justice and peace.

Most of all, I thank you for the knowledge that, without you, I have nothing; and with you, I possess all things, and have everything I need. Amen.

‘Tis the Season For Praise (Psalm 148)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
By Stushie Art

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his host!

Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens
    and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for he commanded and they were created.
He established them forever and ever;
    he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you sea monsters and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and frost,
    stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle,
    creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike,
    old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his faithful,
    for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord! (New Revised Standard Version)

By Bible Art

God is sovereign – which means that the Lord has complete power, dominion, and authority over everything that exists. God has supremacy because the Lord is the Creator God, the One who brought all things into existence.

Ideally, God and all creation exist harmoniously together. People coexist with God and recognize the Lord’s sovereignty through offering praise, adoration, and thanksgiving to the Lord.

That is what today’s psalm calls us to do, especially in this season of Christmastide. Christians are to offer their praise to God, despite whatever circumstances may be happening in their lives, and around them.

The psalmist was not telling people to simply forget their sorrows. He was exhorting everyone, including all creation, to praise the Lord in the middle of their distress.

When Christ was born, circumstances were not good for the Jews in Judea. Roman occupation had a firm authoritative hold upon them. Throughout their history, Jews have been often marginalized and oppressed. They know what suffering is.

Even though Christianity is a sizable world religion, Christians in many parts of the world today experience ostracization and discrimination. Christians everywhere are not immune to world events with situations like dictators, disasters, and diseases.

Yet, there is always an opportunity for praise to God. And the psalmist summons the faithful to do so. Praise and adoration of God shape us and form us spiritually, so that, even if we do not feel like doing it, the very act of offering the praise trains our spirits to bend in a good direction.

We could simply give-in to the status quo of things through constant complaining; or keep offering our woes. But that doesn’t negate the importance of praise.

Today we have the opportunity (and responsibility) to praise God for the incarnation of Christ. To remember that God loved us enough to become one of us. To adore the Christ child, and choose to give thanks, even though there might be oppression all around us.

We can celebrate, along with all creation, the nature of God and the Lord’s good purposes for humanity and all the earth. Adverse situations may stop us from many things we want to do, yet no circumstance can ever prevent us from praising God for divine attributes and divine sovereignty.

All of creation praises God by being exactly what God created it to be. A tree doesn’t try and be a star in the sky. It simply takes root and grows, branching out and becoming a haven for many creatures. Squirrels do what squirrels do, just like flowers, rocks, wind and weather do what they do.

It’s us people who tend to go rogue and try to be something or someone we’re not.

We can best praise God by living as God created us to live. We were designed to live in a divine/human cooperation of caring for all creation. We best exist alongside God by being good stewards of all that God has given to us – including the earth, our families and neighborhoods, and especially ourselves.

Praise is the job description of everything which exists. We will do that well as we honor our mandate to care, and not to harm; to serve others, and not be self-serving.

All things are connected on this planet. The ecosystems of the earth, and the economies of people, are all meant to live in harmony with each other, so that all of creation is blessed.

You and I have a sacred trust of relating well with each other, and everything around us.

The human condition is one of ongoing ups and downs. We experience a full range of tragedy, division, and hardship; along with joy, wonder, and happiness. In all things, no matter what, we are called to praise the Lord.

Each of us needs to find that place and that way of orienting and reorienting ourselves to what is important and why we are here.

For me, that happens whenever I hug my dear wife. Sometimes, I even go out in my backyard and hug my oak tree. The very act of hugging helps ground me to what is here and real, what is important and necessary.

If we can but touch one another, not just literally, but with well-placed words and helpful actions, then we can recall why harmony with all things is so important.

I’m in no way saying this is easy. It isn’t. There are many days when either the world seems as if it is a big collective ball of grumpy; or you yourself can hardly do the barest of responsibilities.

Yet, we can still find a way to praise, to be grateful, to offer what little care there may be to give.

Because it’s not so much about the amount of what we do, but rather how we are able to do it. A smidge of something done with love is infinitely better than lots of accomplishment without any care behind it.

The holidays are some of the hardest days for some folks. Christmas and the New Year are associated with grief for various reasons. It can bring isolation, not connection. The last thing such a person may want to do is praise the Lord, especially with a community of folks. And yet, that may just be the best activity.

There is no one-dimensional way of praising God; our offerings to the Lord can be multi-faceted. It can be achieved according to what we have to offer, and why we are offering it. It will not look the same for everyone.

Whatever you really need to do for an offering of praise this year, then do it. It’s okay if it’s a bit avant-garde, or off the beaten path. You are, after all, talking to a guy who hugs trees, for God’s sake.

Maybe this is the time to re-establish an old tradition that has fallen by the wayside. It could be the right opportunity to pick up that old musical instrument or to stretch your voice in singing again.

The exhortation we have from the psalmist is to praise. How you go about it, is up to you, my friend.

May almighty God, who sent his Son to take our nature upon him, encourage you in this holy season, scatter the darkness of sin, and brighten your heart with the light of his holiness. And may the blessing of God – Father, Son, and Spirit – be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.

The Most High Shall Lift Up the Needy (Psalm 113)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
By Unknown Artist

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
    praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time on and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations
    and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (New Revised Standard Version)

The psalmist calls for praise to God, because the Lord is the God both far and near, both transcendent (high above and over) and immanent (close by enough to respond quickly).

God is a dynamic force and presence in this world.

It is God who sees the poor and needy from on high, and comes near to lift them and give them a place alongside those in power and with authority.

It is the Lord God almighty who observes the childless woman from afar and draws near to ensure that she becomes a joyful mother.

Today’s psalm is the first of six psalms (Psalms 113-118) which make up the Jewish Hallel – prayers of thanksgiving added to the morning service of worship on the days of festive Jewish holidays. 

This collection of psalms tells a story of God’s merciful acts in history for the people of Israel. The Israelites express joy and thanksgiving, because the Lord noticed them, and actively worked on their behalf.

Christians, too, make use of Psalm 113 for praise and worship. In the stories of both Hannah in the First Testament, and Mary in the Second Testament, the transcendent God listened to them, and was immanently present in helping them to conceive children.

This is a concerned and engaged God, who hears the humble, and lifts them beyond what they can even ask or imagine. (1 Samuel 2:1-10; Luke 1:39-57)

Yet, some may wonder why their prayers have not been answered.

Some are confused as to why God seems aloof in the midst of their needy circumstance.

There are yet many more who are discouraged by all of the terrible natural disasters which devastate people’s lives, and the existence of war and hatred and injustice around the globe.

And there are plenty of women who want children, but are unable to conceive; while there are women with children who treat them poorly.

Where is this good God when there is so much bad going on?

The psalmist exclaimed that God raises the poor, lifts the needy, and gives the barren woman a home. There is, however, no timetable set on precisely when this will happen.

Many a barren woman in the biblical stories was in that position for year after year. Sarah in the Old Testament, and Elizabeth in the New, were two elderly women who had a child in their old age. Beyond what was biologically possible, God nevertheless gave.

There was also many a person in the Bible who died, while never having had a change in their circumstance. Even in such cases, the humble and godly poor person shall be rich in heaven; and the needy person will experience plenty for eternity.

This isn’t meant to be a pat answer now in the present; rather, it points to the need for hope, the confident expectation that the unwanted and awful circumstance I am experiencing today will not always be true of me.

Just one implication of this is that even the destitute can praise God. Even the needy can give thanks, while they are simultaneously crying out for help.

The Christian will someday have a seat with Christ in the heavenlies. This is a hope built into one’s faith commitment. It is a sure thing in the future, just as much as the present reality I currently face.

No matter whether one is rich or poor, in plenty or in want, in a full house of children or none at all – every person has a reason to praise God and express gratitude for the One who sees from on high, and draws near with what is truly helpful for this present time – whether that help is in the form of tangible resources and assistance, or intangible comfort and encouragement.

Unfortunately, there are people in this old fallen world of ours who create the conditions of poverty for others; manipulate circumstances that opens a large gap of need for the underprivileged; and exclude people who are not in power and have no earthly authority.

God does not want injustice for people; oppression and exclusion is inconsistent with the Lord’s sense of justice and mercy. The psalmist affirms those who languish on the ash heap of life that they will be lifted up. Their present experience of despair will not last forever.

A day is coming when those in need will have their justice, where the malevolent forces of this world will be leveled, and the needy will sit with princes.

Discouragement does not have the last word. The day of praise will break through and overcome the day of despair.

Praise be to God!

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all the poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, O God, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sing a New Song (Psalm 98:1-5)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm, (New King James Version)

I still remember, years ago when I was in college, a guy with a pony tail and wearing flip-flops, walking up with a guitar on his back in front of a gathering of fellow students who were Christians.

Yet, most evident, was his broad smile which seemed to engulf his entire face. He talked about his life before Christ – which was all of his life up until the week before – and what Jesus had done for him.

Then, he took his guitar and announced that he wrote a song to this very text, the first few verses of Psalm 98. I wish I had a recording of it, especially because of how he sang it with such volume and exuberance, as if the words had just been crafted yesterday.

Even though the psalm is ancient, the psalmist himself was inviting people to sing a song infused with a new perception of life on this earth.

There is always plenty of room to reflect on what God has done, and is doing, in this very big world. Not only can we consider the immensity and intricacy of the created order, but we can also declare all the things we cannot detect with our five senses.

And perhaps those are the things which impact us the most, when we sense and feel the reality of God’s work in the world, and in our lives. At least that’s what my pony-tailed smiling friend was so excited about.

The things which exist beyond our normal human experience are no less real than our daily mundane activities. This is the realm where the Lord makes the greatest impact of all. God hasn’t only done great things, but has done great things for me.

We have to use metaphors and personifications in order to even begin understanding the wonder and awe of God’s saving power in our very real here-and-now lives. God’s mighty right hand and holy arm of power speak to the incredible strength and authority which can reach into the thickest and nastiest of garbage dumpsters to pull out the pearl of great price, that is, you and me.

Consider God, the One who puts all things right, and is just and good in all things – paying attention to the least of us, and lifting up with divine deliverance from the most dire and awful of circumstances.

Indeed, the Lord has made God’s salvation known, and revealed God’s righteousness to the nations.

Sometimes it takes someone with a fresh new song to wake us up to the reality that we can discern the activity of God every day, in all the ordinary and myriad ways of our lives. Along with all of creation, and pony-tail guy, we join the chorus of those who are already singing with the unique voice God provided for us.

And those many songs all include, at their center, the reality that before I chose God, God chose me; that when I forget, God remembers; that with my waxing and waning of love, God is consistently steadfast and faithful with love; and that God provides salvation, and judges the people with equity, even when I show favoritism.

With each new testimony of God’s saving work, it becomes harder and harder for others to insist that God is absent, hidden, or negligent. God is there. God is here. God is everywhere.

We can get so wrapped up in our own small worlds, and our own little safe places, where everyone looks like me, acts like me, and thinks like me. But the world is much bigger than our contrived spaces in which we can set ourselves up as master and commander.

The Lord mercifully breaks through all of our puny posturing and petulance, and saves us from ourselves. God pushes and cajoles us to see beyond the end of our noses. We are moved to see a new perspective we haven’t noticed before.

And once we make out what God is doing, and does for me, then bursting into song with shouting and volume is the organic response to our experience. If you think about it, there is really no other way to respond, once you have gotten a glimpse of God’s activity, and discerned something that was previously undiscernible.

Even the rocks will cry out in the face of such love and grace.

It’s okay to open your mouth, once your eyes have been opened, and let a new song come tumbling out. Because joy is the response of being delivered from what once bound us.

Gracious and Loving God, you have filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all these works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.