worthy of praise

Worthy of Praise

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1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD,
    give praise, O servants of the LORD,
2 who stand in the house of the LORD,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the LORD is great,
    and that our LORD is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
    your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
    O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 135:1-21 ESV

Psalm 135 is yet another example of a Hallel or praise psalm. These psalms derive their designation from their repeated use of the word “praise,” which in Hebrew is hālal. It means “to praise” or “to boast,” and in these psalms, the focus of that praise is always on the LORD.

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good… – Psalm 135:3 NLT

The psalmist’s call for praise begins in the house of the LORD and is directed at the Levitical priests, musicians, and caretakers of the Temple. These men had the privilege of serving Yahweh by performing their sacred duties in the house that bore His name. Their jobs were essential for administering the sacrificial system that Yahweh had ordained. Without it, the people of Israel would have no means of receiving atonement for their sins. The entire religious apparatus of Israel was built upon the sacrificial system, which depended on the abiding presence of Yahweh. Centuries earlier, long before there was a Temple or the city of Jerusalem, Yahweh had commanded Moses to construct a Tabernacle in which He would reside.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.” – Exodus 25:8 NLT

Within the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies, Moses was to place the Ark of the Covenant, a gold-encrusted box containing the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s staff, and a jar of manna. The lid on this sacred piece of furniture was called the Mercy Seat, and Yahweh said, “I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel” (Exodus 25:22 NLT).

Yahweh provided Moses with the plans for the Tabernacle as well as the instructions for administering the sacrificial system. Nothing was left to chance or up to the whims of the people; it was all divinely ordained, from the nature of the burnt offerings to the design of the priests’ robes. Yahweh had determined every detail concerning the Tabernacle and its functionality to ensure that His people could enjoy His ongoing presence, but, more importantly, experience the atonement for their sins that made a relationship with Him possible.

“These burnt offerings are to be made each day from generation to generation. Offer them in the LORD’s presence at the Tabernacle entrance; there I will meet with you and speak with you.  I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence. Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:42-46 NLT

The psalmist reminds all the people of Israel of their unique status as Yahweh’s treasured possession.

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel for his own special treasure. – Psalm 135:4 NLT

He uses the two names of their ancestral progenitor, reminding his audience that they were the beneficiaries of the promise Yahweh had made to Jacob.

“I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.” – Genesis 28:13-14 NLT

Years later, Yahweh reaffirmed His covenant promise to Jacob and provided him with a new name in the process.

“Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.

Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.” – Genesis 35:10-12 NLT

The psalmist reminds his fellow Israelites that they were the fulfillment of that promise. Yahweh had kept His word and produced from Jacob a great nation that occupied the land He had promised as their inheritance. Because of Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness, the psalmist declares, “I know that the LORD is great, and that our LORD is above all gods” (Psalm 135:5 ESV).

Everything in Israel’s history pointed to the reliability and supremacy of Yahweh. He wasn’t just another god among many; He was the one true God, and was worthy of their praise, honor, and worship. And as if to jog their memories and renew their understanding of Yahweh’s greatness, he recites the tales of His past acts of intercession and deliverance.

He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,
    both people and animals.
He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt
    against Pharaoh and all his people.
He struck down great nations
    and slaughtered mighty kings—
Sihon king of the Amorites,
    Og king of Bashan,
    and all the kings of Canaan.
He gave their land as an inheritance,
    a special possession to his people Israel. – Psalm 135:8-12 NLT

From their days of captivity in Egypt to their conquest of the land of Canaan, Yahweh had been with them, proving His presence through indisputable displays of power and provision. The ten plagues, the Red Sea crossing, the defeats of the armies of Egypt, and the victories over the nations of Canaan had all been Yahweh’s doing.

These stories were well-known to the people of Israel, but were intended to be more than tales from the past. They were to serve as evidence of Yahweh’s unchanging character and unwavering commitment to His people. Times may have changed, but their God had not. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Your name, O LORD, endures forever;
    your fame, O LORD, is known to every generation. – Psalm 135:13 NLT

What Yahweh did for Moses and the ragtag remnant of Israelites who escaped Egypt and conquered the promised land, He could do again for His chosen people. The victories over superior enemies that Joshua and the people of Israel experienced were still possible because Yahweh remained just as powerful and capable as ever.

For the LORD will give justice to his people
    and have compassion on his servants. – Psalm 135:14 NLT

Yahweh is worthy of praise because He is the just, righteous, compassionate, faithful, and covenant-keeping God. He never reneges on a promise or fails to keep His word. He is reliable, trustworthy, personal, mighty, consistent, patient, and loving.

The very next psalm echoes this idea of Yahweh’s goodness and enduring, never-failing love.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136: 1-3 NLT

He is “the God of gods,” a distinction that Psalm 135 amplifies by comparing Yahweh with the worthless, unreliable gods of the nations.

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear,
    and mouths but cannot breathe.
And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them. – Psalm 135:15-18 NLT

These mute, blind, and powerless figments of men’s imagination aren’t gods at all. They are helpless, hopeless substitutes for the one true God. In his letter to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul disclosed the genesis behind mankind’s love affair with false gods by exposing their rejection of the real God.

They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:19-23 NLT

The psalmist points out the idiocy of idolatry, not to ridicule their pagan neighbors, but to remind the Israelites of their own sordid track record of pursuing the same powerless substitutes for Yahweh. From the very beginning, Yahweh had warned them about making replacement gods.

“You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” – Exodus 20:3-5 NLT

But they had disobeyed. Yet, Yahweh still considered them as His treasured possession. He had punished them for their sin and rebellion, but had not abandoned them. He remained their God, and they remained His people. And this amazing fact led the psalmist to issue a corporate call to praise Yahweh for His faithfulness, patience, and love.

O Israel, praise the LORD!
    O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the LORD!
O Levites, praise the LORD!
    All you who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! – Psalm 135:19-20 NLT

This psalm reflects an understanding that Yahweh alone is the source of all hope and deliverance. It is a reminder of God’s goodness and faithfulness. He has been and always will be worthy of praise. His promises never fail because His nature never changes. The psalmist was convinced of Yahweh’s unchanging character and prepared to praise Him for not only His past providence but for the fulfillment of His promises that lie in the distant future.

According to Yahweh’s word, He will once again establish the city of Jerusalem as His permanent dwelling place. The day is coming when He will restore His people to their land and dwell among them. Despite their unfaithfulness, He will remain faithful. He will once again prove to be their refuge and strength. Because that is the kind of God we worship and serve. He is reliable and trustworthy. He is faithful and true. He is a covenant-keeping God who never abandons those He loves. No matter how bleak the circumstances may look, God is there. He is working behind the scenes in ways we can’t see. He is faithfully and perfectly working out His divine plan. He is our refuge and strength.

Father, You can be trusted. You are always faithful. Your love for us never fails. Your plans for us never get derailed. You are and always will be our refuge and strength in times of trouble. So there is no reason for us to fear. 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.

Worthy of Praise.

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Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! – Psalm 66:20 ESV

Have you ever stopped to consider the unbelievable reality that God hears your prayers? Not only does He hear them, He answers them. Maybe not in the way you would like or were expecting, and perhaps not on the schedule you were hoping for, but He always answers. But the even more amazing fact is that God hears our prayers to begin with. Think about that. Why should He? What have we done to deserve the attention of the holy, righteous, sinless God who created the entire universe. He is the one who made us and yet we have returned the gift of His creation with sin, rejection of His authority, indifference to His Word, and a constant love for creation instead of the Creator. So why does He listen? Because for those of us who are in Christ, He sees us as righteous because of the sacrificial blood of His Son. God no longer sees us as rebellious sinners, but as saints, sons and daughters. We are His children and, as a good Father, He listens to our calls for help, our pleas for direction, and our cries for mercy. The psalmist praised God because his prayers had not been rejected. He praised the fact that God was still in love with him in spite of him. He was able to say, “But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:19 ESV). 

The sad fact is that we take that reality for granted. God listens to our prayers and the unbelievable nature of that thought doesn’t even seem to register with us. God chooses to hear me when I call out to Him. Not because I deserve it, but because His Son has paid the price for my sins so that I can come into the very presence of God the Father with no fear of condemnation or rejection. He hears me and He listens to me as His child. He loves me and answers me like a loving Father would one of His children. And I take it for granted. So do you. We have given God plenty of good reasons to reject our prayers and ample cause for Him to fall out of love with us. But He continues to hear and listen to us. He continues to love us unconditionally and unwaveringly. So why don’t we praise Him more? David did. He got it. He appreciated God’s love and the fact that He heard his prayers. Read the following words of David and ask yourself when was the last time you felt the same way.

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. – Psalm 103:1-5 NLT

God hears you. He answers you. He loves you. So why doesn’t that amaze you? Why doesn’t that produce an attitude of gratitude and praise in you? If you’re anything like me, it is probably because we don’t pray and truly believe He hears us or answers us. Or it could be that we pray and then fail to recognize His answers when they come. David said, “He fills my life with good things.” We have lost the sense of God’s goodness in our lives. We no longer see all the good things that He is doing in our lives every day. Instead, we have boiled down the proof of His activity in our lives to the list of things we ask of Him and expect Him to deliver. We are like a child who wants a new bike, but fails to appreciate the bed in which he sleeps, the food he eats, the clothes he wears, and the room full of toys he already enjoys. We want and demand more from God, while failing to appreciate and show gratitude for all He has already done. God is worthy of our praise – all the time. The very fact that He hears us when we pray and loves us even when we sin, should amaze and astound us. It should produce in us an overwhelming sense of thankfulness. Our attitude should be that of David. “Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!’” (Psalm 66:1-3 NLT). Praise Him. Not because of what you are waiting for Him to do for you, but for the very fact that He loves you enough to hear you when you call. Praise Him for all He has already done. Praise Him because He provided His own son as a sacrifice for your sins and has made it possible for you to enjoy a relationship with Him, free from fear and condemnation. He is worthy of our praise. So let us praise Him. Shout for joy to the Lord. Sing His praises. Let Him know just how grateful you are that He hears you and loves you.

Greatly To Be Praised.

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I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. – Psalm 145:1-3 ESV

Psalm 145

David loved God. In fact, he talked about Him and to Him constantly. God seemed to be on David’s mind a lot. Maybe it was because he knew just how much he needed God. He seemed to have a firm grasp on the reality of his dependence upon God – for everything. God had chosen him while he was just a shepherd boy and transformed him into the king of Israel. God had given David victory over Goliath, the Philistines, Saul and a host of other enemies. God had spared David from the full ramifications of his own sin with Bathsheba and allowed him to continue his reign as king. David had much to be grateful for and he constantly praised God for who He was and for all He had done. David extolled God. He lifted Him up, exalted Him and gave Him the glory and honor due Him. He didn’t treat God flippantly or casually. David refused to see God as common place or 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. In other words, you could never plumb the depths of His greatness. Just when you think you know how great God is, He surprises you. God’s greatness isn’t limited or exhaustible. 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 would not have used the term “king” lightly. He was a king himself and he knew well the implications of that title. God was sovereign. He was the ruler over everyone and everything, including David himself. God was not just a deity to be worshiped, but a King to be honored and obeyed. God’s word was final. His majesty was incomparable. There was no other king who could compare to Him, including David. God was great and He deserved David’s praise, and David was more than happy to give it – each and every day of his life.

But what about us? Do we find God great and greatly to be praised? Is He worthy of our adoration, honor and daily praise? Do we think enough of Him or about Him that it results in us telling Him how much we love Him? Sometimes our problem is that we don’t give God enough thought. We allow our minds to be occupied with thoughts of anything and everything but God, including ourselves. We can end up praising all kinds of things but God. But David would remind us that God alone is worthy of our praise. He would encourage us to recognize and appropriately respond to the greatness of God. And he would have us see God as not only as a great God, but as our King. Recognition of God’s sovereignty and rule over our lives includes submission to His will for our lives. It entails giving up our rights for His righteous rule over every area of our lives. David was king, but he knew that his reign was subject to God’s. Any authority he enjoyed was God-ordained and could be removed by God at His discretion. David’s greatness was solely due to God’s goodness and graciousness. God had made him king. God had blessed his kingship. God had given him victory over his enemies. God had made him powerful. So God was worthy of honor and praise. Our failure to recognize God’s greatness can result in a tendency toward self-exaltation. We can begin to believe that we are responsible for our own achievements. We can end up taking credit for who we are and all that we have done. But an awareness of God’s greatness keeps us from becoming enamored with our own significance. All that we have and all that we are we owe to Him. He alone gives life and breath. He alone sustains and blesses. He alone does mighty deeds. He alone is worthy to be praised. But the truth is, we only praise that for which we are grateful and that holds our affections. So we praise our health, our homes, our jobs, our material possessions, our family and our own accomplishments – forgetting that we owe it all to God. He is great and greatly to be praised. He is our God and King. Every day we wake up, we should offer Him the praise, honor and gratitude He so richly deserves. And no matter how often we praise Him, we will never run out praiseworthy  things for which to honor Him. Because His greatness is unsearchable.