The book of Psalms consists of 150 independent compositions written by
a number of authors over a spread of many centuries. It is impossible
to sufficiently summarize the richness contained in this lyrical collection
of vivid writings. Every reader will find they contain hymns that praise
God for personal and national salvation. These reflective arrangements
also contain the laments of God's people in difficult situations as the
psalmists looked to God in moments of private despair and times of national
suffering. Amidst their difficulties they found release by lifting their
heartfelt laments and praises to God. The book of Psalms preserves a poetic
record of the ups and downs of personal and national religious experience.
Some of the most beautiful poems are written during times of despair…
And like all poetry, the psalms communicate their meaning by speaking
to the reader's feelings as well as his mind. Despite the fact that the
psalms are personal, the image of the human writer does not dominate our
view. In the psalms, God alone fills our vision. Each event or struggle
celebrated by a psalm is intermingled with triumph and peace that can
only be found by bringing praise to God. Truly, Psalm 150 is a fitting
conclusion to all of Psalms…
Psalm 150:1-6
Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament
of his power. [2] Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according
to his excellent greatness. [3] Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:
praise him with the psaltery and harp. [4] Praise him with the timbrel
and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [5] Praise
him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
[6] Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
The psalmist has certainly encouraged us to take specific steps to adding
some creativity and enthusiasm to our daily worship! Are you motivated
to praise God in such a practical, yet passionate manner? It's almost
as if the writer is fanatically naming off articles around him and exhorting
us to also look about and grab that which is at our fingertips to glorify
God! Ladies, do you view everything around you as an instrument by which
you can honor the Lord?
Though the psalmist mentioned a sanctuary, I realize that most of us do
not dwell in church on a daily basis. Nevertheless, our homes are sanctuaries,
are they not? They are safe havens in this wicked world… Where the Spirit
of God dwells each home is sanctified. So then, what objects surround
you that you could pick up and use to praise the Lord with zealous dedication?
How about the vacuum cleaner? The telephone? The pen that lies by your
keyboard… Perhaps the garden tools, the blender or mixer in the kitchen
cupboard, the frying pan, and the cookie cutters - what instruments would
God have you see anew as a means to offer praise to Him? It's not so much
the instrument that matters as the fact that all occasion is taken to
bring honor to God as long as there is breath in our bodies!
Ladies, the Lord has done some mighty acts in all our lives, beginning
with the saving of our souls! His power extends through all worlds… But
do we faithfully pronounce His praise in our homes? Is it linked to our
everyday life? Do we bring enough worshipful attention to God's excellent
greatness? Do we strive to promote the interests of HIS glory, using even
the least likely object to do so? To give praise to God is to proclaim
His merit or worth. How precious is the Lord to you? Are you suitably
expressing His significance? In this portion of scripture, the full sounds
of a human orchestra are recommended to sound God's praises. Likewise,
we should summon every member of our family to echo the same mark of respect
in full chorus! The psalmist's intent is to rouse every individual to
the realization that praise must be offered to God continually. Praise
is a distinct sound, the sweetest of all sounds, unlike any other style
of communication. To think such a matchless sound could be created with
human lips… All of heaven is waiting for our breath to be put to good
and holy use! When is the last time you lifted your perspective of God
from the earthly to the heavenly? Charles Wesley wished for a thousand
tongues to sing His great Redeemer's praise… After hearing how he craved
a generous quantity of opportunities to praise the Lord, one can't help
but consider the stewardship of our solitary tongue! Does the measure
of your praise to God equal the measure of breaths you have taken in your
lifetime? If we were designed only to receive breath when we uttered praise,
would you be dead by now? I say it's time we brought ourselves in tune
with Psalm 150: Praise YE the Lord!
Psalm 111:1
Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the
assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2003 Pamela A. Iannello
