Continue in Praise

July 14 – Continual Praise, Psalm 71: 12-21

When we survey the vastness of His greatness, our only response is praise, continual praise. The angels of Revelations 4:8 and Isiah 6:3 cried, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. The writer of Psalm 71 here, responds to the majesty, the dominion, the grace and power of with continued hope (v 14). In his understanding and acceptance of life as it is, he turns the one true source of hope, the eternal God. He calls on the strength of God, and his blessed righteousness. He knowledges of being taught from his youth and how it has influenced his life in his later years (17-18).

God’s righteousness is described as being “high”. The word high is meant elevated and lifted up as if it applies to royalty. The Prophet Isiah wrote, “ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple” (6:1). The psalmist rested and depended on the majesty of this great God who lives in the heavens but transcend that greatness down to those who fear him. In our continual praise we too will find comfort and will increase in his greatness (v 21)

July 21, Selah, Meditate in Praise, Psalms 119:73-80

Making a joyful noise in our hearts unto the Lord is our meditation. Reflecting, and pausing to capture all the attributes and wonders of God brings us to a place of worship and humility. Psalms 119 is woven throughout with the precious person of our God. In verse 73, the writer gives credence to His majesty by his creative wisdom. He asks this great and wonderful God to extend to him his understanding that he may learn more. The wisdom of the Proverbs (1:5, 9:9, 16:21 and 24:5) reminds us, that “ A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength”. But fools live in ignorance and folly.

The writer seeks from the Lord fear (or healthy respect, v 74), and hope from his word. He knows and acknowledges his righteous judgements and eternal faithfulness that has impacted his life. He desires comfort from his merciful kindness (v 76) and his tender mercies to live in obedience to his law (v77).

For every believer, the strength and foundation of our faith is in the Lord our God. It is the substance of things hoped for as well as the evidence of things not yet seen (Heb. 11:1). It is in these truths that the elders obtained a good report and is where we will be found faithful before the Lord. When we meditate on the Lord, our faith is established, rooted, built upon and sustains as we navigate and venture truth life (Rom. 10:17).

July 28 – Expectations in Praise, Psalm 130

Praise is good (Ps. 33:1) and especially good when there is an expectation attached to it. Our lesson this week focuses on expecting God to provide. But should be we be looking for things from God? Why can we not just praise God for who he is and not always have our hand out? Well, all of who God is, is what all he gives. He is love, so he loves (I John 4:8). He is our peace, so he dispenses a peace that surpasses all human comprehension (Eph. 2:14, Phil 4:7). Because God is “faithful and true” we can expect to walk as he is. Verse 2, the writer is asking the Lord to hear him, listen and attend to his voice. His sin is before him and he wants to stand, but he can’t. He wants forgiveness to be administered to him. Our Lord taught his disciples to pray, to ask for and expect (Luke 11:1-4), Expecting the Lord is an act of praise. It demonstrates our trust, faith and belief in the Lord who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything we can ask or think (Eph. 3:20) Expecting of the Lord is praise because it shows we are firmly fixed on the God of our salvation and are not double-minded or unstable (James 1:5-8). Let your expectations be praise to the God of the Bible who is faithful.

Next month – Paul’s Letters –

---