Today's Scripture
“Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”
Psalm 146:2
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Psalm 134; Psalms 146-150
Psalm 134 Praise in the Night
– A Song of Ascents
1 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place,
and bless the Lord.
3 May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.
Psalm 146-150
Psalm 146
Praise for God’s Help
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 all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their 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 strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 147
Praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem
1 Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, 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 downtrodden;
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,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;[a]
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 grants peace[b] within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of 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 hail 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 ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 148
Praise for God’s Universal Glory
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 host!
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 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.[c]
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 149
Praise for God’s Goodness to Israel
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Israel be glad in its 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 victory.
5 Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
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 punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters
and their nobles with chains of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment decreed.
This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150
Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament![d]
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing 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 clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
What does this passage mean to me/us
Psalm 134 is a short song of praise where worshipers are gathered in the evening. They lift their hands out of respect to God, who lives in the inner court of the Temple. When the praise is complete, the priest offers the final benediction.
Psalms 146-150 are Hallelujah poems which finalize the Psalter. Hallelujah means “praise ye the Lord” and comes from the Hebrew word hallel (praise) and Yah, which is the first syllable for Yahweh (God). Each Psalm examines praise from a slightly different perspective, but has the same overriding theme. In Psalm 146, one is reminded not to trust in earthly kings as true help comes from the God of Jacob. Psalm 147 focuses on God’s special relationship with Israel. We see that God is pleased not with strong horses or the physicality of people but their obedience and trust in his faithful love. Psalm 148 denotes praise in both heaven and earth. The reference to the horn in verse 14 signifies Israel’s role in God’s plan as his anointed people. Psalm 149 is probably a postexilic song of praise over the victory of some conflict. It’s clearly Old Testament theology in that the Hebrew people feel sent by God to fight holy wars with those in opposition to God’s laws. Their vengeance is wrought with a sword rather than the New Testament concept of spiritual warfare. In conclusion, Psalm 150 is a lyrical expression of praise and provides a fitting summation for the whole Psalter. It moves through the verses to explain where God should be praised (vs.1); why God should be praised (vs.2); how God should be praised (vs. 3-5) and finally who should praise God (vs. 6).
How can these Psalms be meaningful to us today? Certainly we see the importance that the Hebrew people put in praising God. It was a significant part of their relationship, which can be instructive for us today. As Psalm 146:2 indicates above, we are urged to praise God all of our lives. It is all too easy to get caught up in the day’s chores and forget to live with the underlying foundation of praise. These Psalms can be a starting point in our prayer lives when using the ACTS format and can be read as a form of Adoration.
contributed by Luci Wright
Prayer
Lord, we offer you our sacrifice of praise. Help us to praise you with our whole being daily as we seek to do your will. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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