Read
The Lord Is Good
1Shout praises to the Lord!
Praise God in his temple.
Praise him in heaven,
his mighty fortress.
2Praise our God!
His deeds are wonderful,
too marvelous to describe.
3Praise God with trumpets
and all kinds of harps.
4Praise him with tambourines
and dancing,
with stringed instruments
and woodwinds.
5Praise God with cymbals,
with clashing cymbals.
6Let every living creature
praise the Lord.
Shout praises to the Lord!
Reflect
The final contribution recorded in Israel’s book of worship is a joyful, all-encompassing call to praise. We are commanded to bring voice, instruments and dance to join in the holy melody of heaven and earth.
The psalmist declares that we are to praise God in all places, at all times, in all ways. As a summary the New International Version translates the last verse as ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.’ Just as Genesis 2 describes God creating Adam and breathing into him the breath of life so we are to return that life and breath in praise to him.
But we can all think of times when life circumstances dampened our desire and ability to praise God. In those moments songs of praise seemed like discordant noise.
The disciples felt a deep desolation after the death of Jesus. They were afraid and disheartened, with very little faith to believe reports that several women had seen the risen Lord. But John 20 records how Jesus appeared to them, saw into their hearts and challenged them with the word, ‘Peace…!’ He then breathed upon them, indicating with this breath the experience of a new spiritual life filled with the Holy Spirit.
When you have no breath to praise, when trumpets and flutes are lifeless instruments, ask the Holy Spirit to sing ‘Hallelujah’ for you. Offer yourself as an instrument to be filled with the rushing wind of the Spirit. This can only result in deep and profound praise.
May every part of your life, in all ways, be a daily symphony of praise.
Respond
Praise you, Lord God, for joy in life. Praise you, Lord, for peace in troubled times. May every breath we are given be offered back to you in worship. We ask this in the name of your Son, our life and hope, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Miriam Wickett
Miriam Wickett works as an occupational therapist in the Greater Vancouver area but has thoroughly enjoyed being the author of daily online prayer compilations on her Blue Stone City site, and collaborating with Scripture Union Canada as a result. She shares a vision for the city with her community at Tenth Church, serving as the refugee support ministry co-ordinator, and spends summers as a volunteer camp director on beautiful Thetis Island, B.C.