May 27, 2012 …. Again, Sing Praises To Our Lord!

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 111-118 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage : Psalm 111: 10 … The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.
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Highlight Passage #2: Psalm 112: 1 … Praise the Lord [Hebrew “Hallelu Yah”]… Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands.
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Highlight Passage #3: Psalm 116: 1-2 [NLT] … 1 I love the Lord because He hears and answers my prayers. 2 Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!
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Highlight Passage #4: Psalm 118: 1 … Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

My Journal for Today: Eight – count em! - … eight psalms in my chronological reading assignment today; and collectively in the book of Psalms my study reveals that they are called The Hallelujah Psalms. “Hallelu-yah” in Hebrew, of course, means “Praise Yahweh, the Lord;” And if you do read and meditate through these eight psalms, as I have this morning, you’ll note that several of them begin with the phrase, “Praise the Lord” or translated, “Hallelujah!” They are uplifting and express in song the need for believers to take time and purposely express what should be the attitude of the believer’s heart … and that is praise and thanks for a loving, caring, forgiving, AND saving God … the God Who saved His people from Egypt (all of Psalms 115-118, which are often sung at Passover); … the God who bends His ear to hear ALL believers (see Psalm 116: 1-2); … and the God Who is always good and Whose love endures forever (the recurring line in Psalm 118).

How often do we believers come to God, many times in crisis or in an emergency, with a plea for help or for His providence; and how often do we just come to Him, praying our love for God, our praise for His holiness and sovereignty, and our thanks for His mercy? I’m afraid all too often we do the former and all to few times the latter. Or maybe that’s just me!

Several personal observations from these Psalms; and the first is that all of these songs are attributed to anonymous authors. God, the Holy Spirit, is the only author to Whom we can trace these songs of praise; and isn’t that perfect, because their subject matter – i.e., PRAISE and THANKS – should be attributed to every man (and woman), not to some specific personality, like David, who authored so many of the Psalms.

Secondly, I’m convicted by the reality that my life of worship does not really seek my God out of pure reverence (i.e., the “fear of the Lord” spoken of in Psalm 111: 10). This was a lesson that apparently Solomon learned and expressed in Proverbs 1: 7-10; but unfortunately he didn’t live out in his life all what well under this admonition. We believers must always approach life with an awe of reverence for the ONE AND ONLY, totally sovereign, and HOLY God. And when we think of how He set aside His glory and was incarnate in Jesus to save us, how can we not revere His loving and forgiving nature? Oh, how my daily prayers fall short – so often – of the praise and thanksgiving my God deserves. [Oh, forgive me, Lord!]

And finally, in one of my favorite passages in the Psalms, Psalm 116: 1-2, we read of how our God so desires to hear us – i.e., to relate to us – that He BENDS DOWN to hear our expressions. But what are my expressions? All too often, I’m afraid, they are “Help me, Lord;” … “Heal me, Lord;” … “Provide for me, Lord!” And yet, my God still bends down to hear me … to pursue me … to love me. Go figure!!! … Do I deserve His attention? ABSOLUTELY NOT! But nonetheless, He still gives it to me, … especially when I come to Him with an attitude, like that expressed in these psalms today, to praise Him, to thank Him, and to obey His precepts.

It is the latter attitude of humility and seeking which show we truly love our Lord; and I’m convicted today to sing – or at least, say – a loud … HALLELUJAH!!!

My Prayer Today: … Oh, yes, Lord … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen