praise

Please God, Not Men

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1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. – 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ESV

Paul is still concerned with the divisive factions within the body of Christ in Corinth. In his estimation, the believers in Corinth have a faulty view of Christian leadership. Their assessments of those who minister to them are based on worldly criteria. In the end, some chose to follow Paul, some Apollos, and others, Cephas. It was nothing more than a popularity contest. But Paul wanted them to understand that each of these men, himself included, was a servant of Christ. The Greek word Paul uses is ὑπηρέτης (hypēretēs) and it refers to “an underrower or subordinate rower” – one of the slaves who served as a rower in the hold of a ship’s galley (“G5257 – hypēretēs – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). They served under the direction and authority of a superior. This same Greek word was used to describe a servant or “anyone who aids another in any work.”

Paul wanted the Corinthians to see himself and the other men who ministered to them as servants of Christ. He even compares them to household stewards (οἰκονόμος (oikonomos), the manager “to whom the head of the house or proprietor has entrusted the management of his affairs” (“G3623 – oikonomos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible).

Paul, Apollos, and Cephas were nothing more than stewards of the message of the gospel entrusted to them by Jesus, and Paul tells the Corinthians, “This is how one should regard us” (1 Corinthians 4:1a ESV). There was no reason to idolize these men. Paul also wanted the Corinthians to know that he and the others were not their servants; they did not work for them. They were “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1b ESV). As a steward of Christ, Paul knew that he must answer to no one but God. His ministry was being judged by God, and that was all that mattered to him. He was determined to be faithful in the execution of his divine assignment to reveal “the mysteries of God.”

At the heart of the factionalism that existed in the Corinthian church was a spirit of judgment. In order to elevate one man over another, the believers in Corinth were judging their value and worth based on external criteria. They were choosing sides based solely on the merit of things such as speaking skills, charisma, physical appearance, intelligence, persuasiveness, and popularity. They each had their favorite. Some may have preferred Apollos because he was a dynamic speaker. Others might have gravitated to Cephas because he seemed more in touch with the common man. Those who followed Paul had discovered something about him that they liked. But Paul said, “As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority” (1 Corinthians 4:3 NLT).

He didn’t care what they thought about him; he was unconcerned with their evaluation of his abilities. In fact, Paul wasn’t even willing to trust his own judgment of himself. He knew himself to be a lousy judge of his performance or effectiveness. While he might feel free to give himself a high score for effort, he knew his evaluation meant nothing. Which is what led him to say, “My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide” (1 Corinthians 4:4 NLT). Paul followed the advice he had given the believers in Rome.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. – Romans 12:3 NLT

And even after judging himself soberly and seriously, Paul knew that the only judgment that mattered was what Christ would have to say when He returned. So, he warned the Corinthians believers, “do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes” (1 Corinthians 4:5a ESV). In other words, they were not to pre-judge prematurely. James gives a sobering warning against judging one another.

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? – James 4:12 ESV

It wasn’t up to the Corinthians to judge the ministry effectiveness of one man over another. It wasn’t their responsibility to determine the worth or value of one of God’s servants based on outward appearances or earthly criteria. They needed to remember that God alone would “bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5b ESV). God Himself claims, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:10 ESV). And according to that same passage, we are incapable of knowing the condition of our own hearts, let alone the heart of someone else.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

Just as Paul was attempting to be a faithful servant of Christ and a trustworthy steward of the mysteries of God, he called on the Corinthians to faithfully focus their attention on God and not men. They were to see themselves as followers of Christ alone. They were to respect Paul, Cephas, and Apollos as servants of Christ, but not revere and worship them.

Like the believers in Corinth, we have the habit of making much of men. We also tend to judge our leaders based on external, worldly factors. We can be easily swayed by soaring rhetoric and lofty words. We can be taken in by a winsome demeanor and fall prey to the cult of personality. But Paul would have us remain focused on the message, not the messenger. What makes the good news great is its content, not the communicator. Men don’t save, God does. Men don’t change lives; the gospel does. And long after Paul, Cephas, and Apollos disappeared from the scene, the message of salvation through Christ continues to spread. Many messengers have come and gone, but the message remains the same, and the promises of God hold firm.

Father, as a pastor, it can become tempting to think that I work for the congregation I serve. Yet, Paul would remind me that I am Your servant and no one else’s. My job is not to please the flock, it is to feed them. I don’t need to worry about whether they like me or not. Instead, I need to ensure that I am faithful to the call You have placed on my life. I work for You. Your evaluation of me is all that matters. But the praise of men is a powerful drug. The admiration of others is a strong incentive that can lead to ministry drift and spiritual compromise. The church has always wrestled with a spirit of unspiritual judgment, where we either elevate or falsely evaluate others based on ungodly criteria. We can’t see inside anyone’s heart, but You can. And You alone can judge justly and rightly. May we spend more time focusing on Your expections and evaluation of us than we do worrying about what men think about us. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praise God for Who He is, Not Just For What He Has Done

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1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
    praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
    praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 150:1-6 ESV

After 150 entries, the psalter comes to a close and a crescendo with this relatively short but emphatic psalm that contains 13 calls to praise Yahweh for His transcendence, mighty deeds, and excellent greatness. This psalm contains a simple message delivered in a rapid-fire form that leaves no question as to the author’s feelings about his God.

He views Yahweh through awe-inspired eyes and doesn’t even bother to provide specific reasons for his relentless calls for unbridled praise. For him, Yahweh’s praiseworthiness required no explanation or basis of proof. He felt no compulsion to defend Yahweh’s honor or elaborate on His praiseworthy attributes or actions. What other being occupied the holy sanctuary located in the heavenly realm? While the psalmist had never seen Yahweh’s throneroom, he had read descriptions of its glory and majestic splendor from the pages of Scripture.

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the LORD. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. – Isaiah 6:1-4 NLT

The prophet Isaiah was so shaken by this vision of Yahweh in His heavenly throneroom that he responded, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies” (Isaiah 6:5 NLT). 

The prophet Ezekiel was also given a similar, virtually indescribable glimpse of Yahweh in all His glory.

On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.… – Ezekiel 1:1 NLT

He saw a great storm that glowed with fire and emanated flashes of lightning. This spectacular display of divine power was accompanied by the appearance of “four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and four wings” (Ezekiel 1:5-6 NLT). These strange-looking creatures “looked like bright coals of fire or brilliant torches, and lightning seemed to flash back and forth among them. And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning” (Ezekiel 1:13-14 NLT). 

As they flew, their wings sounded to me like waves crashing against the shore or like the voice of the Almighty or like the shouting of a mighty army. When they stopped, they let down their wings.  As they stood with wings lowered, a voice spoke from beyond the crystal surface above them. – Ezekiel 1:24-25 NLT

This incredible scene must have left Ezekiel in a state of awestruck wonder. He had difficulty putting into words what he saw, and his description takes on a surreal and distinctively ethereal tone. It seems far-fetched and out of this world. But Ezekiel wasn’t fabricating this scene; it was a divinely inspired vision of Yahweh in His heavenly sanctuary. In his limited human vocabulary, Ezekiel described seeing a surface that glittered like crystal.

Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me. – Ezekiel 1:26-28 NLT

Daniel also provided his own first-person description of Yahweh in all His heavenly glory.

I watched as thrones were put in place
    and the Ancient One sat down to judge.
His clothing was as white as snow,
    his hair like purest wool.
He sat on a fiery throne
    with wheels of blazing fire,
and a river of fire was pouring out,
    flowing from his presence.
Millions of angels ministered to him;
    many millions stood to attend him.
Then the court began its session,
    and the books were opened. – Daniel 7:9-10 NLT

These incredible depictions of Yahweh are the desperate attempts of mortal men trying to use human language to describe the inconceivable and inexpressible. The apostle John had a similar experience when he was given his own vision into the heavenly realm. In his case, he was privileged to see his resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. – Revelation 1:12-17 NLT

John had no difficulty recognizing his former Rabbi, teacher, and friend, but he saw him in a whole new light and from a dramatically different perspective. His vision of Jesus left him awestruck and speechless.

In chapter four of the Book of Revelation, John records another vision he received, this one of the throneroom of God.

I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.…From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. – Revelation 4:2-3, 5 NLT

In front of the throne, John saw the same “living creatures” that Ezekiel described. But John adds an important detail.

Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” – Revelation 4:8 NLT

Accompanying these praise-singing creatures were 24 elders who fell down before the throne and worshiped, saying, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased” (Revelation 4:11 NLT).

The psalmist begins his song by properly locating Yahweh in His heavenly realm. Yahweh is “in his sanctuary…in his mighty heavens” (Psalm 150:1 ESV). The psalmist’s depiction was not meant to make Yahweh unapproachable or distant, but to remind his audience of Yahweh’s transcendence, holiness, and distinctiveness. The “otherness” of God should never be taken lightly.  He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. That is why the 24 elders took off their crowns and laid them before the throne of God. That is why the four living creatures declare God’s glory “day after day and night after night” (Revelation 4:8 NLT). 

They say familiarity breeds contempt. But over-familiarity with God can produce a far worse outcome. In humanity’s desperate attempt to make God approachable and knowable, He becomes less God than a slightly improved version of man. We tend to reduce the Almighty’s glory so we can feel more comfortable in His presence. But John fell at Christ’s feet as if dead. When Ezekiel saw the glory of God, he fell to his face in fear. Isaiah put words to his encounter with the Almighty.

“It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” – Isaiah 6:5 NLT

The psalmist’s call for praise was predicated on an awareness of Yahweh’s splendor, majesty, glory, transcendence, and holiness. Proper praise begins with a proper perspective. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote, “praise his unequaled greatness” (Psalm 150:2 NLT). When the psalmist speaks of Yahweh’s mighty deeds, he provides no specifics. He doesn’t bother to give examples because all that Yahweh does is mighty and beyond compare. 

What the psalmist calls for is unapologetic, full-throated, heartfelt, and boisterous praise that knows no bounds because Yahweh has no equal and deserves the praises of His people. It was David who said of Yahweh, “You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” (Psalm 21:3 NLT). The Hebrew word translated as “enthroned” is yāšaḇ, which means “to dwell, inhabit, sit or abide.” In a sense, God inhabits the praises of His people. In other words, when people offer sincere and heartfelt praise to God, He manifests His presence among them. The transcendent God becomes immanent. He draws near. 

That is the message of this psalm. The unidentified author calls his audience to sing Yahweh’s praises so that they might better experience His abiding presence. They were to use every means at their disposal to enhance their praise, including lyres, harps, tambourines, strings, flutes, cymbals, and even dancing. They were to hold nothing back in their impassioned praise of Yahweh’s glory and greatness. This psalm portrays equal measures of intentionality and intensity. Thirteen times, the psalmist calls for praise, but he goes out of his way to ensure that the praise comes from the heart and is based on an awareness of God’s unquestionable worthiness.

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD! – Psalm 150:6 NLT

Father, what better way to end the psalter than with a call to praise You. Too often, I reserve my praise of You for those times when I think You have done something praiseworthy. In other words, I wait until I have something to praise You for. But You are praiseworthy all the time because of who You are, not just for what You do. The psalmist provides no examples of praiseworthy acts on Your part. He doesn’t mention Your creation of the heavens and earth. He doesn’t point out Your past acts of deliverance. He simply states, “Praise the LORD!” That is how I want to live my life. I desire to praise You, not for what You’ve done but for who You are. When I praise You for Your character, I am focusing on what really matters. When I praise You for the good things You have done for me, I tend to focus on the gift rather than the Giver. Show me how to praise You properly and, like the four living creatures, regularly. Because You are worthy. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Song of Victory

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1 Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
    his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the godly exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
    and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
    and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment written!
    This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 149:1-9 ESV

The unidentified author of this psalm begins with the same opening phrase found in the three previous psalms: “Praise the LORD!” This fourth in a series of five Hallel (praise) psalms continues the theme of well-deserved adoration for Yahweh. Written for a Hebrew audience that should understand the glory and greatness of Yahweh, this psalm accentuates their unique status as His covenant people. They are “the assembly of the godly” (Psalm 149:1 ESV), not because they perform godly acts but because Yahweh has set them apart as His own. The Hebrew word the psalmist used is ḥāsîḏ, which is derived from ḥāsaḏ, a word that describes Yahweh’s loving kindness for His chosen people. They had done nothing to earn His love and affection. He had not chosen them because they were greater in number or more righteous in their actions. Moses made this fact painfully clear to the Israelites not long after their miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt by the gracious hand of Yahweh.

“The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.” – Deuteronomy 7:7-11 NLT

Yahweh “lavishes his unfailing love [ḥeseḏ] on those who love him and obey his commands.” That word ḥeseḏ is the root word from which the term “godly ones” is derived. It is Yahweh’s unfailing love that sets His people apart. They were godly because they belonged to Him; He willingly set them apart as His own possession and showered them with His unmerited favor and love.

That is why the psalmist charges his audience to respond to Yahweh with grateful praise.

O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.
    O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. – Psalm 149:2 NLT

The Israelite’s existence as a nation was the work of their Maker and King. Like the entire universe, which Yahweh fashioned out of nothing, the Israelites were the byproduct of His creative powers. He began the process with one man and his barren wife. He chose an obscure and undeserving individual named Abram, who was a Chaldean living in the land of Ur in Mesopotamia.

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:1-3 NLT

Yahweh led Abram and his wife, Sarah, to the land of Canaan, where they waited 65 years before Sarah was able to bear a son. But from that long-awaited son, Yahweh raised up another son named Jacob, whom He would later rename Israel. It would be from Israel’s small family of 70 individuals that Yahweh would produce a “great nation” that numbered in the millions. That transformation would take place during the 400 years they lived in the land of Egypt as slaves. This was all in keeping with the promise that Yahweh had made to Abram.

Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. (As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) After four generations your descendants will return here to this land…” – Genesis 15:13-16 NLT

Yahweh kept that promise and delivered His chosen people from their captivity and returned them to the land of Canaan. Now, centuries later, the psalmist calls on those very same people to express their gratitude to Yahweh for His unfailing love, mercy, and grace.

Praise his name with dancing,
    accompanied by tambourine and harp.
For the LORD delights in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
    Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. – Psalm 149:3-5 NLT

But then the psalm takes a decidedly different turn. The second half of this Hallel (praise) song suddenly becomes dark and warlike in its tone.

Let the praises of God be in their mouths,
    and a sharp sword in their hands—
to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with shackles
    and their leaders with iron chains,
to execute the judgment written against them.
    This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. – Psalm 149:6-9 NLT

These last five psalms of the psalter are hymns of praise to God, encouraging His people to praise Him for His power, provision, mercy and grace. But right in the middle of Psalm 149, the psalmist mixes in a bit of weaponry and war-like language with his call to worship. He tells the people of God to praise Him with their lips, but to have a sword ready in their hands at the same time.

I think we sometimes forget that our God has called us to be a part of His glorious army. We are at war and engaged in an epic battle between the dark forces of this world that have aligned themselves against the rule and reign of God Almighty. Jesus told us that the enemy (Satan) seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Paul reminds us that we have weapons we are to use in this battle – the weapons of our warfare.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. – 2 Corinthians 7:4 NLT

Paul also tells us to equip ourselves with the armor of God.

Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. – Ephesians 6:13 NLT

We don’t live in Disneyland. This is a battlefield, and there are casualties of war all around us. Every day, we see marriages destroyed, relationships blown apart, children rebel, individuals succumb to addictions of all kinds, and fellow believers fall prey to the attacks of the enemy because they were ill-prepared for battle.

This psalm is a vivid reminder that we have been called to praise God, but to also be ready to serve as faithful soldiers in His army. As Paul reminds us, our enemies are spiritual, not physical. Our weapons are not made of steel and chrome; instead, they are the Word of God and the power derived from our faith in God. Paul tells us, “Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT).

We have the promises of God’s Word, the power of believing prayer, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the protection of our faith in God’s love for us, and the peace-providing reality of our ultimate salvation and victory over the enemy. So praise God and be ready to defend the cause of God.

One day, His Son will return. He will not come as an innocent, helpless baby in a manger, but as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come in might and power, bringing the army of heaven with Him. At His second coming, He will put an end to the war between the forces of darkness and light. He will destroy the kingdom of Satan and restore the earth to its former glory. We fight for the side that will come out victorious in the end! And that’s something worth shouting about.

The apostle John was given a glimpse of this incredible scene, which he recorded in the Book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords. – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

As we wait for this future fulfillment of Yahweh’s promise, we are to praise Him with our voices and stand ready to fight the fight of faith with the weapons He has provided. The apostle Paul gave a charge to his young protegé Timothy, reminding him of his duty as a soldier in the army of God. He wanted Timothy to know that he was no longer a civilian, free to do as he pleased.

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. – 2 Timothy 2:3-5 NLT

Like Timothy, we have been conscripted into service by Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has chosen us to fight in His battle “against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). But He has not left us unprepared, out-gunned, or ill-trained.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT

And as we fight, we are to praise the LORD because the battle is His and the victory is assured.

Father, we praise You, but we also want to be ready to fight alongside You in this earthly struggle between the kingdom of righteousness and the kingdom of wickedness. Never let us forget that we are at war. While we sing songs and worship You on Sunday, there are countless people dying at the hands of the enemy all around us. As we read our Bibles and study Your truths, there are people who are being destroyed by the enemy as they listen to his lies. We have the means to rescue them. Show us how to be warriors, not just worshipers. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Join the Chorus

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1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his hosts!

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

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD!
    For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
    he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
    you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
    stormy wind fulfilling his word!

9 Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
    creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
    old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 148:1-14 ESV

This is the third in a series of five psalms that close the psalter and share the theme of praise for the goodness and greatness of Yahweh. In this psalm, the author focuses his attention on Yahweh’s role as the Creator God. He begins his song by calling on the residents of the heavenly realm to join in praising the LORD.

Praise the LORD from the heavens!
    Praise him from the skies!
Praise him, all his angels!
    Praise him, all the armies of heaven! – Psalm 148:1-2 NLT

If this psalm was written after the exiles returned to Jerusalem after their 70-year-long captivity in Babylon, the author was likely familiar with the writings of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. This was a time of great spiritual apostasy in the land of Judah, and Yahweh used prophets like Isaiah and Micah to call His chosen people to repentance or face certain destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. As part of his prophetic ministry, Isaiah was given the privilege of seeing a vision of Yahweh in His heavenly throneroom surrounded by the angelic host.

I saw the LORD. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!” – Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT

This fascinating scene must have struck a chord with the psalmist as he considered the glory of Yahweh and tried to imagine the angels in heaven responding to the grandeur of His presence. There is no idolatry in heaven. No one is worshiping false gods or tempted to share their adoration and allegiance to anyone other than Yahweh, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. The angels enjoy the all-pervasive presence of Yahweh and are privileged to bask in the light of His undiminished glory.

The apostle John was given a similar vision of the heavenly throne, and he did his best to describe what he saw in the Book of Revelation.

Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” – Revelation 4:1-8 NLT

The psalmist imagined the sun, moon, and stars joining in the chorus of voices lifting their song of praise to the One who created them.

Praise him, sun and moon!
    Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
Praise him, skies above!
    Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
    for he issued his command, and they came into being. – Psalm 148:3-5 NLT

Yahweh deserved the praise of His creation because He alone was responsible for their existence. “He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked” (Psalm 148:6 NLT). Yahweh was their creator and sustainer; He spoke and they appeared, and He guarantees their continued existence. 

The psalmist personifies the planets, stars, and clouds participating in the never-ending praise of Yahweh. In one of his psalms, David wrote of the heavens declaring God’s glory without the need for words, and yet their message was loud and clear.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth… – Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

During His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus painted a similar image when He addressed the Jewish religious leaders who demanded that He order the adoring crowds to stop praising Him.    

When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” – Luke 19:36-60 NLT

The inanimate stones would burst into cheers because God deserves glory. His creation can’t help but echo His glory and greatness because they are a byproduct of His power. The same is true of God’s people. As Paul told the believers in Ephesus, “We are his workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV). The apostle Peter reminds us that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9 BSB). 

The psalmist shared Peter’s view and called his contemporaries to join in the chorus of praise to Yahweh. Their voices would join the rest of creation in declaring Yahweh’s greatness and goodness to the ends of the earth.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
    you creatures of the ocean depths,
fire and hail, snow and clouds,
    wind and weather that obey him,
mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all livestock,
    small scurrying animals and birds,
kings of the earth and all people,
    rulers and judges of the earth,
young men and young women,
    old men and children. – Psalm 148:7-12 NLT

From the psalmist’s perspective, the praise of Yahweh was not an option or a choice; it was the natural response of the creative order. According to His own assessment, all that Yahweh made was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). His creation was a reflection of His power, holiness, creativity, goodness, and grace. Everything He made was an extension of His character and intended to echo His glory. This is what leads the psalmist to demand that his audience lead the chorus of praises to Yahweh.

Let them all praise the name of the LORD.
    For his name is very great;
    his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
He has made his people strong,
    honoring his faithful ones—
    the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the LORD! – Psalm 148:13-14 NLT

As the chosen people of God, they owed Him their praise, adoration, sold-out commitment, willing obedience, and unbridled worship.

This psalm reminds us of just how great a God we serve. He is not a mere concept or force, but a being of immense power and intelligence. He is a loving creator who made all that we see by simply speaking it into existence, and He sustains it all with ease. When we consider the immensity of God, it seems ludicrous to trust in men. God alone has the power to rescue, redeem, and restore. He brings healing to the brokenhearted, sight to the blind, support to the fatherless and widows, food for the hungry, freedom to the captives, support to the afflicted, and favor to those who fear Him. As followers of Christ, those phrases should sound familiar. On a visit to His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus stood in the synagogue and read the following words from Isaiah chapter 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT). Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of God’s grace and mercy. He is the honest answer to oppression, illness, disease, inequity, spiritual blindness, hunger, affliction, fear, and even death.

God does not offer just temporary relief from life’s cares and concerns; He offers eternal salvation from the rule of sin and the penalty of death. He has provided a way for men to be restored to a right relationship with Him, despite their sin and rebellion against Him. He has made possible a way to remedy the results of the fall and restore mankind and the earth to their former glory. He not only created the world and all it contains, but He will one day recreate and restore it to the way it was intended to be all along. Only God can do that. Any attempts by man to improve the earth and our lives on it are fleeting and temporary.

In many cases, our attempts at improvement have resulted in greater devastation. From nuclear power that resulted in nuclear weapons to the combustion engine that has polluted our atmosphere, every “improvement” by man has ended up having a negative impact. God alone is our salvation. He alone has the power to provide us with hope and healing. So the Psalmist reminds us to praise Him. From the oldest to the youngest, the rich to the poor, the wealthy to the needy – everyone and everything should praise the Lord. “Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven!” (Psalm 148:13 NLT).

Father, only You are worthy of our praise. Only You have the capacity to do anything about our neediness and hopelessness. I can praise You even before You answer because I know You will – You always do. You have sent Your Son as the answer to every single one of our problems and as the solution to all that’s wrong with our planet and the people who occupy it. Even as I read the news this morning I am amazed at all that is wrong in our world. Earthquakes, riots, rebellions, murders, genocide, war, hatred, greed, and immorality of all kinds. But I can praise You because one day You are going to make all this right. You are going to restore Your creation to the way it was meant to be. And even in the midst of all this, You have given me hope through Jesus Christ, Your Son. He is the ultimate expression of Your favor to man. So I praise You! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praiseworthy

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1 Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 147:1-20 ESV

In this psalm, the author provides a litany of reasons to praise Yahweh that emphasize His power and provision for His chosen people. In verse 20, the psalmist stresses that Yahweh’s care and concern for the Israelites was unique to them.

He has not done this for any other nation;
they do not know his regulations. – Psalm 147:20 NLT

All people on earth enjoy Yahweh’s common grace, His unmerited blessings that come in the form of life, sustenance, and a patient restraint from delivering the judgment they deserve for their rebellion against Him.

The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:9 NLT

He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.– Psalm 103:10 NLT

Jesus declared that His Father “gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 5:45 NLT). This common grace is available to all, but only the Israelites experienced Yahweh’s special grace in the form of His sovereign selection of them as His treasured possession.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

Moses reminded the people of Israel that they had been chosen by God, not because there was anything special about them, but simply because God had ordained them to be the recipients of His divine favor.

For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

“The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.– Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NLT

This psalm was addressed to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was intended to remind them of their unmeritorious status as Yahweh’s chosen people. Some scholars believe this psalm was sung at the dedication of the newly constructed walls of Jerusalem, an event recorded in the Book of Nehemiah. After the Israelites spent 70 years in exile after the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem, Yahweh allowed a remnant of them to return so they could rebuild and repopulate the city. When the walls of Jerusalem were completed, Nehemiah organized a special dedication ceremony to commemorate the day.

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. – Nehemiah 12:27-30 NLT

Nehemiah formed two large choirs accompanied by musicians and sent them to the top of the recently completed walls. One choir headed south and the other north, singing praises to Yahweh as they made their way along the wall.

The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.…They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director. – Nehemiah 12:40, 42 NLT

They likely sang the words recorded in Psalm 147.

The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem
    and bringing the exiles back to Israel. – Psalm 147:2 NLT

Yahweh had been gracious to His rebellious people, allowing them to return to the land of Judah to rebuild their destroyed city and restore the broken relationship with Him. They had done nothing to deserve this second chance opportunity to begin again with Yahweh. It was all a result of His unmerited favor and grace. The same God who “counts the stars and calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4 NLT), also “heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3 NLT). 

The God who created the universe was willing to stoop down and shower His unrepentant people with compassion. None of it made sense to the psalmist. This marvelous outpouring of Yahweh’s mercy and grace was too much for him to understand.

How great is our LORD! His power is absolute!
    His understanding is beyond comprehension! – Psalm 147:5 NLT

The psalmist could not comprehend the magnitude of Yahweh’s love for His chosen people. Despite all they had done to offend Him, Yahweh had responded with lovingkindness and unfailing love. Long before the people returned from their exile in Babylon, the prophet Micah had declared its future fulfillment.

Where is another God like you,
    who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
    overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
    because you delight in showing unfailing love.
Once again you will have compassion on us.
    You will trample our sins under your feet
    and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
    as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. – Micah 7:18-20 NLT

The psalmist was standing on the other end of this prophecy’s fulfillment and was able to witness the goodness and grace of God as he surveyed the recently completed walls of Jerusalem. That is why he could write, “Sing out your thanks to the LORD; sing praises to our God with a harp” (Psalm 147:7 NLT). His praise was not speculative or based on a probable outcome; it was founded on reality. Yahweh had done what He promised to do. He had warned them of their pending judgment, but He had also assured them of their inevitable return. 

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

Yahweh had kept His word, and He had done so, not based on human merit but based on His grace and mercy. Their return to Judah had not been the result of conquest or military might. The Israelites had not fought their way out of Babylon; they had been redeemed by God’s grace.

He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse
    or in human might.
No, the LORD’s delight is in those who fear him,
    those who put their hope in his unfailing love. – Psalm 147:10-11 NLT

Now that they were back in the land of promise, the psalmist encouraged them to live up to their status as God’s chosen people.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates
    and blessed your children within your walls. – Psalm 147:12-13 NLT

They had nothing to brag about because they had done nothing to bring about the reversal of their fortunes; it had all been Yahweh’s doing. The least they could do was praise Him.

The psalmist emphasizes Yahweh’s power as expressed in His verbal command over the universe. He speaks, and things happen. At the word of His mouth, the universe came into being. All Yahweh has to do is open His mouth, and the weather changes.

He sends his orders to the world—
    how swiftly his word flies! – Psalm 147:15 NLT

Yahweh spoke to King Cyrus of Persia and orchestrated the release of His captive people.

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing. – Ezra 1:1 ESV

Cyrus, moved by the Spirit of God, decreed that the Israelites were free to return to the land of Judah. Years later, when King Artaxerxes ruled, he gave Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem so he could teach the people of Israel God’s law.

…the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him. – Ezra 7:6 NLT

The psalmist saw God’s sovereign hand at work in all of this and called on his people to respond in praise and thanksgiving. This was not the result of blind fate, luck, karma, kismet, or good fortune; it was the providential work of Yahweh. The Israelites had been the undeserving beneficiaries of Yahweh’s grace and mercy. They had experienced something no other people group on the planet could claim.

He has revealed his words to Jacob,
    his decrees and regulations to Israel.
He has not done this for any other nation;
    they do not know his regulations.

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 147:19-20 NLT

God had been good to them. He had been gracious, merciful, kind, patient, and loving. He had redeemed and restored them. He had protected and provided for them. And He had never turned His back on them. All ample reasons for why they should praise Him.

Father, I don’t have to manufacture reasons to praise You. I don’t have to conjure up excuses to thank You for Your goodness and grace because they are all around me; from the air I breathe to the food I eat. You have blessed me with life but, more importantly, You have given me the promise of eternal life. I deserve nothing, yet You have showered me with everything I have. Yet, I tend not to praise You. I take Your grace and mercy for granted. At times, I even take credit for my own success and mistakenly think I somehow deserve the many blessings You pour out on me. But nothing could be further from the truth. I want to live with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving because You are worthy. Give me eyes to see and appreciate all that You have done and are doing my life, so that praise will become as natural to me as breathing. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praise the LORD!

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1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8     the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 146:1-10 ESV

The last five psalms are anonymous and form the final Hallel (praise) section of the Psalter. Due to the similarity of their content, they were likely written by the same author. Each begins with the same call to action: “Praise the LORD.” This imperative statement is not intended as a suggestion, but as a command to give Yahweh all the dignity, honor, worship, and praise He rightly deserves. The psalmist calls for wholehearted worship on the part of the people of God, and he sets the tone by declaring his sold-out allegiance to the Almighty.

I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. – Psalm 146:2 ESV

His statement of devotion to Yahweh is reminiscent of the address Joshua gave to the Israelites near the end of his life. Ever since the death of Moses, Joshua had served as the God-appointed leader of the Israelites, helping them cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the land of Canaan. Over the years, Joshua led the Israelites in their effort to conquer the inhabitants of the land so they could take possession of the inheritance promised to them by Yahweh. They had fought and won many battles, and successfully occupied a large portion of Canaan, but Yahweh reminded them that He had been behind it all.

“It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.” – Joshua 24:12-13 NLT

Despite his leadership role, Joshua knew that he had been little more than an instrument in Yahweh’s hands. He had led the people into battle, but the victories had been the LORD’s doing. So, Joshua commanded the Israelites to show their gratitude to Yahweh by treating Him with honor and unadulterated reverence.

“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:14-15 NLT

Like the psalmist, Joshua tried to spur the people’s obedience by using himself as an example. He declared his intention to live out his final days in total submission to and reliance upon Yahweh, and he committed his family to follow his lead.

Joshua warned the Israelites about the dangers of idolatry because he knew their history of spiritual infidelity. He had been there when Aaron made the golden calf in the wilderness, and he had witnessed the people’s response to this false god they had crafted from the plunder taken from the Egyptians.

The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. – Exodus 34:6 NLT

Yahweh had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and given them victory over their enemies, but they gave their allegiance to a nonexistent god they had made with their own hands.

The psalmist stressed a different problem facing his peers. He was less concerned about idolatry and the worship of false gods than their tendency to worship men.

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them. – Psalm 146:3-4 NLT

While idolatry continued to be a problem for the Israelites throughout their existence as a nation, their real struggle was the worship of men. Ever since the day they rejected Samuel’s leadership and demanded, “Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have” (1 Samuel 8:5 NLT), the people of Israel had exhibited a preference for human kings over the King of kings. Yahweh would repeatedly warn them about their tendency to replace His authority with that of mere men.

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.” – Jeremiah 17:5-6 NLT

The psalmist knew his people well and wanted them to think twice about putting their trust in powerful men who could never measure up to Yahweh’s standards. As far as the psalmist was concerned, there was no comparison between mortal men and the infinite, all-powerful God of the universe.

He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
   The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The LORD loves the godly.
The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. – Psalm 146:6-9 NLT

No man could ever hope to compete with Yahweh. No king who ever lived could claim to hold a candle to Yahweh’s glory and greatness. The anonymous author of Psalm 2 exposed the futility of earthly kings trying to oppose the one true King.

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the LORD
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The LORD scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury. – Psalm 2:1-5 NLT

The prophet Isaiah declared Yahweh’s superiority and supremacy over all mankind.

God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing. – Isaiah 40:22-23 NLT

In Isaiah’s estimation, the worship of men was unwarranted and a waste of time. They would always be poor substitutes for Yahweh because they couldn’t measure up to His glorious standards. Even Yahweh declared Himself to be incomparable and irreplaceable.

“To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. – Isaiah 40:25 NLT

The psalmist understood that Yahweh’s immensity and eternality set Him apart from all false gods and every man with god-like aspirations. He deserved man’s praise because He was praiseworthy. Yahweh wasn’t a figment of man’s fertile imagination and had not been formed by human hands. He was the maker of “heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Psalm 146:6 NLT). Yahweh is the uncreated Creator of the universe who has no beginning and end. He is eternal and all-powerful. He is holy and wholly righteous. He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV). With those thoughts in mind, the psalmist closes his song in the same way he opened it, with a call to praise the eternal, always-present, forever faithful God.

The LORD will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 146:10 NLT

Father, I must confess that I do not always recognize and honor Your greatness. I say I believe in it but, far too often, my actions and attitudes reflect something altogether different. I don’t praise You enough. I fail to trust You fully. I tend to put my hope in men, even in myself, rather than trusting in Your proven track record of greatness and goodness. While I could easily deny any worship of false gods, I know it would be a lie. My idols are far more subtle than those of the Israelites, but they are idols all the same. Anything I turn to instead of You is a false god that will always provide false hope. No man or human institution can replace you. No idealogy, political party, or human leader can replace You or hope to compete with You. Yet, it is so easy to put my trust in those things that will always prove untrustworthy. Help me to heed the psalmist’s call and learn to praise You for who You are and all that You have done. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Singing Yahweh’s Praises

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A Song of Praise. Of David.

1 I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 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.]
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. – Psalm 145:1-21 ESV

David loved the LORD, and talked about Him and to Him constantly. Maybe it was because he knew how much he needed Yahweh — for everything. David had much to be grateful for, and he continually praised God for who He was and for all He had done. He didn’t treat God flippantly or casually and refused to take Him for granted. In David’s estimation, God was great and greatly to be praised. As a matter of fact, God’s greatness was unsearchable; you could never plumb its depths. Just when you think you know how great God is, He surprises you. God’s greatness is unlimited and inexhaustible. He doesn’t run out of wonders or miracles to perform – a fact that David had experienced personally, time and time again.

Here was David, the king of Israel, acknowledging Yahweh as his God and as his King. David was a king himself, and he knew well the implications of that title. God is sovereign and rules over everyone and everything, including David. God is not just a deity to be worshiped, but a King to be honored and obeyed. God’s word is final, and His majesty is incomparable. There is no other king who could compare to Him, including David.

But for David, Yahweh’s greatness was not just something to be admired; it was to be declared. In verses 4-7, he emphasizes the importance of passing on the news of God’s glory and goodness to the next generation. According to David, the only time we should be silent about God is to meditate on the splendor of His majesty and on His wondrous works. But those times of meditation should provide us with food for thought and then words of testimony and praise. Our thoughts about God and His greatness should be transformed into words that inform and influence others.

Yahweh deserves praise, and we are intended to use our voices to verbally acknowledge who He is and all that He has done. We are to commend, declare, speak, pour forth, and sing aloud. Of all people, believers should have the most to say about God. We tend to praise that which we appreciate. We talk about what interests us. When we see a beautiful sunrise, we feel the urge to share it with someone. When we take a memorable vacation, we can’t help talking about it. When we are proud of our children, no one can stop us from bragging about them. We unashamedly testify to others about what we find meaningful in our lives. It could be a delicious meal at a local restaurant, a good book, a movie, a newly discovered musical group, a recent Facebook post, or a personal achievement. But how often do we declare the greatness of God? How many times do we commend Him to others? How frequently do praises concerning God come from our lips and to the ears of those we meet? Are we prone to sing God’s praises out loud and outside the context of a Sunday morning worship service?

David states that the heavens declare the glory of God. We can see it in a sunrise or sunset, a cloud formation, a night sky filled with stars, or the gentle breeze on a warm summer night. God’s creation constantly praises Him. The angels in heaven never cease to offer Him verbal praise and adoration. But as human beings, the pinnacle of His creative energies, we remain silent far too often. Rather than commend God to others, we complain. Instead of declaring the mighty acts He has already done, we demand that He do more. We speak, but do the words that come out of our mouths concern God? Do words of praise, thanksgiving, and honor for God pour forth from our lips? Do we sing aloud of His righteousness?

David found no shortage of reasons to praise Yahweh.

The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
The LORD is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:9 NLT

He knew from firsthand experience that Yahweh was gracious, caring, merciful, and forgiving, and he was not shy in declaring his amazement and gratitude. He was blown away by the fact that the God of the universe not only showed an interest in him, but showered him with love and compassion. David was a firm believer that God’s creation was a living testament to His glory. In an earlier psalm, he wrote, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known” (Psalm 19:1-2 NLT). People can look at nature and see the power and creativity of God, but creation does not necessarily display His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. But when they look at a child of God, they can see a sinner transformed into a saint by the priceless gift of God’s grace. When they hear us talk about all that God has done and continues to do for us, they hear a different side of His glory and greatness. But for them to hear, we must speak; we must make God known. We have a responsibility to act as God’s personal press agents, telling everyone we meet of His glory, grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness.

David puts it plainly. Those who have been blessed by God will brag about God.

…your faithful followers will praise you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
    they will give examples of your power. – Psalm 145:10-11 NLT

As a king, David understood the importance of establishing an enduring kingdom. No king wants to be a one-trick pony whose kingdom dies with him. He dreams of establishing a long-lasting dynasty that will carry on his legacy through the generations. When David thought about Yahweh, he couldn’t help but think about the everlasting nature and incomparable power of His Kingdom.

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
    You rule throughout all generations. – Psalm 145:13 NLT

David was amazed at the sheer size and scope of Yahweh’s dominion. He ruled and reigned over all. David couldn’t help but compare his own reign with that of God, and when he did, he realized that God’s Kingdom was far greater and His responsibilities were more extensive. Yet, God was faithful in all His words and kind in all His works. Everyone looked to Him to provide their food and fulfill their desires, whether they acknowledged Him as King or not. David recognized that it was God who opened His hand and satisfied the desires of every living thing. God is gracious and merciful to all.

From David’s perspective, Yahweh was the perfect model of a king. He always keeps His promises and is gracious at all times. He assists the fallen and bears the burdens of the oppressed. He provides food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. He is righteous in all that He does and filled with kindness. When called upon, He answers. When needed, He shows up. Yahweh was the consummate King who ruled over His extensive Kingdom with righteousness, compassion, mercy, grace, and love.

Unlike human kings, God always does what is right. He always keeps His word. He doesn’t lie, deceive, renege on a promise, or act unjustly. We may not always understand His actions, but we can never question His integrity. Based on what we see happening around us, we can easily conclude that God is either indifferent or incapable of doing what needs to be done. It can appear as if the wicked are winning. The psalmist felt that way and cried out, “Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?” (Psalm 94:2-3 ESV). Ethan the Ezrahite wrote, “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!” (Psalm 89:46-47 ESV).

There are times when it feels like God is either out of control or out of earshot. It seems as if He is not listening to our pleas for help or seeing the gravity of our situation. However, God is a righteous King who is always in complete control of the circumstances. Yes, it may appear as if the wicked are prospering and the unrighteous are getting all the breaks, but God knows exactly what He is doing. He is not fooled or duped by the ways of men. He knows that “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10 ESV). No one deserves the benefits of rain or crops. No one has earned God’s favor through their acts of righteousness. The fact that any of us exists at all is a testimony to the enduring patience of God.

But David reminds us that “The Lord is close to all who call on him” (Psalm 145:18 NLT). He would have us know that God is always near. He always hears. He always preserves those who love Him. But how God does so may not coincide with our own expectations. We rarely go to God without some well-thought-out idea of what we want Him to do for us. In fact, most of our prayers consist of clear-cut instructions for God, telling Him exactly what it is we want Him to do and when we want it done. If we have a bone to pick with God, it is because He doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we desire. But His job is to do His will, not ours. He knows what is best for us.

Paul gives us some timeless counsel: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). It is perfectly okay to tell God what we need. It is even OK to share with Him what we want. But at that point, we have to let go of our wishes and come to grips with the fact that His will may not be the same as our wish. He may choose to do something different altogether. And if His answer comes back in a different form or on a different schedule, it DOES NOT mean He is not near or that He does not hear.

Like David, we must learn to trust Him because He is trustworthy. When we look back on our lives, we will be able to see that He is a righteous, loving, and compassionate God who knows what is best and always does what is right. Then we will say with David, “I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:21 NLT).

Father, You are worthy of praise because You are the righteous King of the Universe. You are mighty, majestic, incomparable, holy, just, and without equal. But that is not the extent of Your praiseworthiness. You have given me ample reasons to praise You because You have shown up in my life in tangible ways that have proven Your love for me. You have saved me, redeemed me, guided, disciplined, and loved me through thick and thin. You have patiently put up with me and graciously forgiven me, time and time again. You have listened to my prayers and endured my complaints. You have watched me stray and graciously led me back. But despite all You have done for me, I remain far too silent when it comes to singing Your praises and expressing my gratitude. I want that to change. Give me a heart like David had and a passion to praise You to the next generation and beyond. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Give Thanks Where Thanks Is Due

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Of David.

1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
    for you have exalted above all things
    your name and your word.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
    for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your right hand delivers me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands. – Psalm 138:1-8 ESV

There are times when I don’t even know myself. I do and say things that surprise even me. I can never be certain how I will react to a given situation. I may respond in calmness and patience one day, then explode in anger and impatience the next. I have a limited understanding of what motivates me and why I act the way I do. Sometimes words come out of my mouth that catch me off guard. I can be disappointed in my own response to people and circumstances. There are those moments when I can appear as a stranger – even to myself.

But God knows me. In fact, He knows me better than I know myself. David understood this prescient aspect of Yahweh’s character. He knew that God was all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present. He knew that God was always there, and that God knew every single detail of his life, including what he was thinking and what he was going to say, even before the words came out of his mouth. In the following psalm, also penned by David, he expresses his astonishment regarding Yahweh’s omnipotence.

O LORD, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, LORD. – Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

David also understood that God had a plan for his life and was orchestrating that plan every day.  From David’s perspective, things might not have always looked like God was in control, but he had learned to view his circumstances through the lens of Yahweh’s faithfulness.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
    you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right hand saves me. – Psalm 138:7 NLT

This psalm is a song of thanksgiving from a grateful God-follower. In reflecting on his life, David had seen ample reasons to give Yahweh praise for His unfailing goodness and grace.

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
    I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name. – Psalm 138:1-2 NLT

David’s recollection of Yahweh’s faithfulness prompted him to declare his thankfulness in tangible ways. Despite being surrounded by nations that worshiped their false gods with equal enthusiasm, David was willing to sing Yahweh’s praises in their hearing. He wasn’t afraid of the pagans and their idols hearing his adoration and elevation of the one true God: Yahweh.

One of the ways David displayed his reverence for Yahweh was through worship. He made it a habit to come before the LORD, offering prayers, offerings, and sacrifices in His “holy temple.” At this point, the Temple was still an unrealized dream in David’s mind. He had desired to build a house for the LORD, but it would be his son Solomon who would construct the Temple. The Hebrew word David used is hêḵāl, and it can be translated as “sanctuary” or “palace.” When David moved the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, he ordered that a tent be erected in which to house this focal point of the Israelites’ sacrificial system. It remained there until Solomon completed the construction of the permanent and more palatial Temple.

But David didn’t allow the humble nature of his hêḵāl to diminish the quality of his worship. He approached it as if it were the palace of the King and a holy sanctuary where the God of the universe chose to dwell among His people. It was to this hêḵāl that David went to pray to Yahweh, whom he found to be attentive and quick to answer.

As soon as I pray, you answer me;
   you encourage me by giving me strength. – Psalm 138:3 NLT

One of the reasons David was willing to praise Yahweh “before the gods” (Psalm 138:1) was so that the kings who worshiped these false gods might understand that “the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him” (Isaiah 4:35 BSB). By singing Yahweh’s praises and verbally declaring His greatness, David hoped to influence those who placed their hope in non-existent, impotent figments of their imaginations. He envisioned a day when “all the kings of the earth” (Psalm 138:4) would give Yahweh thanks.

While David didn’t see this happen in his lifetime, his son Solomon did. The Book of 1 Kings records that Solomon’s fame spread throughout the known world, even reaching the throne room of the Queen of Sheba.

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. – 1 Kings 10:1 NLT

She had heard rumors of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, but when she saw it all with her own eyes, she was blown away. The size of his kingdom, the beauty of his royal palace, and the opulence of the Temple to his God left her breathless, but not without words.

“Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.” – 1 Kings 10:6-9 NLT

When she witnessed the splendor of Solomon’s kingdom, she praised Yahweh. She attributed Solomon’s success to his God. She even viewed Solomon’s reign as an expression of Yahweh’s love for His people. She sang “about the LORD’s ways, for the glory of the LORD is very great” (Psalm 138:5 NLT).

David knew he had been greatly blessed by Yahweh, and he wanted everyone to know about it. He was determined to sing Yahweh’s praises so everyone, from the lowliest peasant to the highest officials in the land, could understand that there is no one like the LORD.

But David provides a warning to all those who discover Yahweh’s superiority and supremacy.

Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble,
    but he keeps his distance from the proud. – Psalm 138:6 NLT

This great God is no respecter of persons. “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11 NLT). He is not impressed by anyone’s credentials or accomplishments. In fact, according to James, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NLT). James expanded on this idea in the opening chapter of his letter.

Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. – James 1:9-11 NLT

David understood this aspect of Yahweh’s nature, having experienced both the blessings of Yahweh as a lowly shepherd and the righteous judgment of Yahweh as a mighty king. David had learned the invaluable truth that humility was a non-negotiable requirement for those who want to experience Yahweh’s presence and promises.

Even as a king, David had experienced many trials and setbacks. His crown did not immunize him from difficulty. His power and wealth could not inoculate him from suffering and sorrow. He had his fair share of enemies, problems, setbacks, roadblocks, disappointments, and moments of discouragement, but he had learned to lean on God.

You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right hand saves me. – Psalm 138:7 NLT

A humble king is a blessed king because he is willing to submit himself to the one true King. He had learned the same great truth that James included in his letter: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor” (James 4:10 NLT).  Despite his apparent success, David had become increasingly dependent on the LORD. He didn’t allow his palace, power, and possessions to feed his pride and boost his ego. He understood that, without Yahweh, he was nothing, which prompted him to pray:

The LORD will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.
    Don’t abandon me, for you made me. – Psalm 138:8 NLT

Father, I want to become increasingly more dependent upon You., but not is some weak and passive sense. You have blessed me with gifts and abilities, and you expect me to use them — for Your glory. You have provided me with wisdom through Your Word and power through the presence of Your indwelling Holy Spirit, and You want me to put them to use. But I don’t ever want to become cocky or overconfident in what appears to be my own strength or capabilities. David knew he was nothing without You and I want to share his perspective. I want to sing Your praises for all to hear. I want them to know that I am completely reliant upon You because You have been incredibly gracious to me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Peace of God’s Presence

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A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2 Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the LORD,
as was decreed for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
    I will seek your good. – Psalm 122:1-9 ESV

This song of ascent is attributed to David and features his impassioned reflections about the holy city of Jerusalem. This site held special significance to David because he had conquered and captured the city when he first became king of Israel.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. – 2 Samuel 5:4-5 NLT

The city of Jebus was occupied by a Canaanite tribe known as the Jebusites. They taunted the new king of Israel, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” (2 Samuel 5:6 NLT). But David easily defeated them and captured the fortress of Zion. 

So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward. And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him. – 2 Samuel 5:9-10 NLT

David moved from Hebron to Jerusalem, effectively making the city his royal capital. He quickly expanded its size, fortified its walls, and, with the help of the king of Tyre, built himself an opulent palace. Later in his reign, David developed plans for building a Temple in Jerusalem for Yahweh, but was denied the honor of doing so.

“It was my desire to build a Temple where the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, God’s footstool, could rest permanently. I made the necessary preparations for building it, but God said to me, ‘You must not build a Temple to honor my name, for you are a warrior and have shed much blood.’” – 1 Chronicles 28:2-3 NLT

After his death, Solomon would eventually carry out the massive construction project, a feat that took seven years to complete. At the time Psalm 122 was written, the Temple did not yet exist, but the city itself held special significance for David. It was a symbol of his reign and a reminder of God’s sovereign plan to make him the king of Israel.

“This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, ‘Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?’

“Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!’” – 2 Samuel 7:5-9 NLT

That is what led David to write, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:1-2 NLT). For David, the entire city of Jerusalem was Yahweh’s dwelling place. Early in his reign, David arranged to have the Ark of the Covenant relocated from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem. The motivation behind this plan was to ensure God’s presence within the walls of Jerusalem.

Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. – 2 Samuel 6:1-2 NLT

Having the Ark of the Covenant within the walls of his capital city provided David with confidence. God’s presence was said to dwell above the Mercy Seat, which served as the lid for the gold-encrusted Ark. The Ark contained the staff of Aaron, the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments, and a jar filled with manna. The Ark was central to the sacrificial system of Israel and was where the blood of the sacrificial lamb was sprinkled each year on the Day of Atonement. God’s abiding presence and gracious provision of atonement for the sins of His people provided David peace of mind and confidence in the future. His God was with him and the city of Jerusalem was a reminder of Yahweh’s presence, protection and provision.

Jerusalem is a well-built city;
    its seamless walls cannot be breached.
All the tribes of Israel—the LORD’s people—
    make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD,
    as the law requires of Israel. – Psalm 122:3-4 NLT

Three times a year, on the prescribed feast days, the people of Israel would ascend Mount Zion to worship Yahweh in the city of Jerusalem. This psalm was one of the songs they would sing as they made their way up the sloping hills to the city. In his psalm, David calls for the people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
    May all who love this city prosper.
O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
    and prosperity in your palaces. – Psalm 122:6-7 NLT

While he was the warrior-king who had won many battles against Israel’s enemies, he desired for his royal city to escape bloodshed and enjoy an extended period of peace and prosperity. During his reign, he expanded Israel’s borders and fought to secure its future in the region. But he knew that Israel’s continued success and Jerusalem’s tranquility were tied to the sovereign will of Yahweh. Without His help, the nation was hopeless, and the city would cease to exist.

David may have conquered Jebus, expelled its occupants, and transformed Jerusalem into his capital city, but he could not have done so without Yahweh’s assistance. That is why David made the peace of Jerusalem his highest priority.

For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
    “May you have peace.”
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
    I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem. – Psalm122:8-9 NLT

In one of David’s most familiar and revered psalms, he wrote, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 NLT). David could not have been referring to the Temple because it had not yet been built. So, what did he mean? The term “house of the LORD” could also refer to Yahweh’s presence. It referred to His dwelling place among men. In Leviticus 26:11-12, God promised the Israelites, “I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.”

David knew Yahweh’s abiding presence was the key to Israel’s success and prosperity.  Without Him, they were helpless and hopeless. For David, peace was not an absence of conflict, but the presence of God. As long as He was with them, they could rest in the assurance of His presence and power. That is what led David to write, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me” (Psalm 23:4 NLT).

What set David’s reign apart from that of Saul’s was the abiding presence of God. David knew Yahweh had been with him all along, from the moment of his anointing by Samuel, all the way to his coronation as the king of Israel. Yahweh had promised to be with David, and He had never failed to keep that commitment.

“I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.” – 2 Samuel 7:9-11 NLT

Jerusalem was where David communed with God. He could look around the city and see evidence of Yahweh’s hand. The City of David was really the City of Yahweh, because He was the one who gave David the victory over the Jebusites. It was Yahweh who placed David on the throne of Israel. And it would be Yahweh who maintained the peace of Jerusalem and the future of the Davidic dynasty. David rested in the promise God had made to him.

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

So, as he walked the streets of Jerusalem, David was reminded of God’s promise, secure in God’s presence, and confident in God’s power to protect and provide for all their needs.

Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
    the thrones of the dynasty of David. – Psalm 122:5 NLT

Father, You are the promise-keeping God. And one of the most amazing promises You have made is to never leave or forsake Your chosen people. Despite out many shortcomings and long track record of disobedience, You have remained faithful and committed to keeping Your word. You said You would dwell among us and You do. Your presence is guaranteed and Your power is always available. You are always near, no matter the circumstance. Even if I tried, I could not escape Your presence. As David wrote, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” (Psalm 139:7 NLT). Thank You for that timely and much-needed remind. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Life Worth Living

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Taw

169 O LORD, listen to my cry;
    give me the discerning mind you promised.
170 Listen to my prayer;
    rescue me as you promised.
171 Let praise flow from my lips,
    for you have taught me your decrees.
172 Let my tongue sing about your word,
    for all your commands are right.
173 Give me a helping hand,
    for I have chosen to follow your commandments.
174 O LORD, I have longed for your rescue,
    and your instructions are my delight.
175 Let me live so I can praise you,
    and may your regulations help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
    come and find me,
    for I have not forgotten your commands. – Psalm 119:169-176 ESV

The psalmist has reached the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, bringing his lengthy poem to an end. Utilizing the pattern he has used throughout the psalm, he begins each sentence of these last eight verses with the letter taw or tav. This last strophe serves as the conclusion or coda of his psalm.

As he prepares to wrap up his song, the psalmist intensifies his request for deliverance, begging Yahweh to listen to his cry and prayer. He not only wants to be heard, but he wants to experience Yahweh’s intervention. Fearing death, he longs to live so he can continue to interact with God’s word. Throughout this psalm, the author has repeatedly expressed his deep love and affection for the Scriptures

I have rejoiced in your laws
as much as in riches. – Psalm 119:14 NLT

Your laws please me;
they give me wise advice. – Psalm 119:24 NLT

I long to obey your commandments!– Psalm 119:40 NLT

How I delight in your commands!
How I love them! – Psalm 119:47 NLT

Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver.– Psalm 119:72 NLT

…your instructions are my delight.– Psalm 119:77 NLT

Oh, how I love your instructions!
I think about them all day long.– Psalm 119:97 NLT

How sweet your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey. – Psalm 119:103 NLT

Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart’s delight.– Psalm 119:111 NLT

…no wonder I love to obey your laws! – Psalm 119:119 NLT

I stand in awe of your regulations. – Psalm 119:120 NLT

Truly, I love your commands
more than gold, even the finest gold.– Psalm 119:127 NLT

Your laws are wonderful.
No wonder I obey them!– Psalm 119:127 NLT

See how I love your commandments, LORD.– Psalm 119:159 NLT

I rejoice in your word 
like one who discovers a great treasure. – Psalm 119:162 NLT

I love your instructions. – Psalm 119:163 NLT

I have obeyed your laws,
for I love them very much. – Psalm 119:167 NLT

This isn’t hyperbole or pious-sounding rhetoric. The psalmist sincerely means what he is saying. Over his lifetime, he has grown to love the word of God because it has proven to be faithful, true, reliable, wise, and encouraging. While his life has not been easy, his reliance upon the Scriptures has provided him with hope because it reveals the character of his God.

The stories contained in God’s word portray His power, love, mercy, grace, justice, sovereignty, and righteousness. The Books of the Law reveal the righteous demands Yahweh has placed on His covenant people, but also outline the sacrificial system He provided to provide atonement when they failed to keep His commands. The psalmist had read the Books of History and seen how Yahweh had shown mercy and grace to His rebellious people. Yes, He had punished them for their sins, but He had also forgiven and restored them on more than one occasion.

The Books of Wisdom had provided the psalmist with insight into God’s nature, outlining the importance of godly wisdom and the need to pursue it with unbridled enthusiasm.

Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,
and you will gain knowledge of God.– Proverbs 2:2-5 NLT

This has been the pattern of the psalmist’s life. He has taken to heart all the lessons found in Scripture and applied the many admonitions to make God’s word a priority. But he longs for more. He is far from satisfied and not ready to end his quest to know God better. That is why he cries out, “rescue me as you promised” (Psalm 119:170 NLT). He is not ready for death, but longs to experience more of life so he can grow in his understanding of Yahweh.

“Let me live so I can praise you” (Psalm 119:175 NLT), he pleads. For the psalmist, life was essential to experiencing God’s presence and power; it was also vital for responding in praise. The psalmist’s mindset reflects that of the prophet Isaiah when he wrote:

For the dead cannot praise you;
they cannot raise their voices in praise.
Those who go down to the grave
can no longer hope in your faithfulness.
Only the living can praise you as I do today.– Isaiah 38:18-19 NLT

Another psalmist shared this same sentiment when he wrote:

The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD,
for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
But we can praise the LORD
both now and forever!– Psalm 115:17-18 NLT

These men were not discounting the idea of an afterlife, but their doctrine of life after death was not fully formed. The ancient Hebrews did not have a well-developed understanding of the hereafter. They believed in some kind of post-death existence, but found it difficult to understand its exact nature. For them, life was the realm in which Yahweh’s blessings were experienced. Health, wealth, and prosperity were the signs of a blessed life. Suffering and sorrow were evidence of a disobedient life. That is why the psalmist is confused by the circumstances surrounding his life. He had been faithful and obedient to God’s commands, yet he was suffering.

Many persecute and trouble me,
yet I have not swerved from your laws.– Psalm 119:157 NLT

I am insignificant and despised,
but I don’t forget your commandments.– Psalm 119:141 NLT

The psalmist wanted to live because he was not done pursuing God’s word. He wanted to experience more of God’s blessings and was convinced they could only be experienced in life, not death. He believed praise to be the purview of the living, not the dead. He desperately wants to live, not so he can experience more of what life has to offer, but so he can continue to experience the life-changing lessons God’s word has to offer.

O Lord, I have longed for your rescue,
and your instructions are my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you,
and may your regulations help me.– Psalm 119:174-175 NLT

Suffering wasn’t enjoyable, and it didn’t always make sense. But, for the psalmist, it was an opportunity to seek Yahweh’s help and see His deliverance. The struggles of life drove him to his knees and made him increasingly more dependent upon the LORD. Problems were the launching ground for praise. Without a need for God’s assistance and deliverance, praise would become unnecessary. But God’s rescue has a way of making His people rejoice. When God shows up, His people tend to shout out His praises. And the psalmist wants to live so he can continue to witness God’s presence, experience God’s power, and respond in praise.

The psalmist closes out his song with a cry of complete dependence upon Yahweh’s help. He describes himself as a lost sheep who has unintentionally wandered away from the fold and find himself in danger.

I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
come and find me,
for I have not forgotten your commands. – Psalms 119:174 NLT

This lost-sheep motif is found throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. God used this analogy to describe the state of His covenant people.

“My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray
and turned them loose in the mountains.
They have lost their way
and can’t remember how to get back to the sheepfold.” – Jeremiah 50:6 NLT

Speaking on behalf of his fellow Israelites, the prophet Isaiah confessed their self-imposed state of spiritual lostness.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.– Isaiah 53:6 NLT

The psalmist could relate to this imagery of wandering sheep, and he longed for the Good Shepherd to seek him out and restore him to safety and rest. He desired to be back in the fold, where he could continue to experience the love and protective presence of his Master. It isn’t farfetched to imagine that the psalmist had the words of David in mind as he concluded his psalm. It was the shepherd of Israel who wrote the following tribute to Yahweh’s faithfulness and love.

The LORD is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.– Psalm 23:1-6 NLT

The psalmist wanted what David described. He had experienced it before and was not ready for it to end. Life was worth living because it was the avenue through which Yahweh revealed Himself to men. Yes, life could be full of green meadows and peaceful streams. There were times of feasting and rejoicing.  But there were also dark valleys and fear-filled moments when the Shepherd seemed nowhere to be found. But, like David, the psalmist believed that God’s goodness and unfailing love would pursue him
all the days of his life, so life was worth living. He truly believed that life was the key to loving and praising God, and would have fully agreed with the words of Psalm 150:6:

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Father, I want to love life, not because of all the perks and benefits it provides, but because it is the platform upon which I get to see and experience Your power and presence. Too often, I see the trials and troubles as setbacks and unnecessary bumps on the road of life. I try to avoid them like the plague or pray them away when eluding them fails. But it is in the difficulties of life that You show up. It is in those moments when I have no more tricks up my sleeve or any other options to pursue, that I tend to turn to You. My weakness makes me aware of my need for Your strength. When times get tough, my prayer life improves. When I don’t know what to do, I am forced to turn to You. And when I do, You always show up. Thank you for life, not because it’s always perfect and free from trials, but because it is the place where my weakness gets exposed and Your power is displayed. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.