Merry Christmas Sowers! I will be taking a few days off from the Daily Text. Welcome Dr. Timothy Tennent (my boss) for the next few days with reflections from several celebratory Psalms fitting for the season. I’ll be back January 1 with a reprise of our most popular series ever: First Word. Last Word. God’s Word.—to take us through January. Speaking of which, I have a New Year’s Sowing Challenge with a REWARD for you to consider.
Psalm 148 (NIV)
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
. . .
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
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Sing this psalm with the Seedbed Psalter today! Visit the resource here.
CONSIDER THIS
This psalm is a beautiful poetic song of the entire created order bringing praise to God. In line after line the psalmist brings creation forward rank by rank. The heavens declare his praise. The heavenly host declares his glory. The sun and moon offer worship. The shining stars adore him. The clouds proclaim his majesty. The great creatures of the sea offer him adoration. The ocean joins in, as does the lightning, hail, and snow. The wind sings to him. The mountains and hills bow down. The fruit trees and cedars give him homage. All animals and cattle, along with small creatures and flying birds, give him praise. The kings of the earth, all rulers, all princes, young men and maidens, old men and children join in the mighty chorus! Everything in all creation praises the Lord!
What a wonderful joy it is to be part of this great act of worship. The whole psalm begins and ends with that great single word of praise, “Hallelujah!” How can we not enter into this worship? All of our worship is anticipating that even greater chorus that the apostle John sees in Revelation 7:9–10: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. . . . And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” Hallelujah!
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One Response
The psalmist had an understanding to the why we were created. We were made to worship for the heavens declare his glory. All things were created by him and for his glory. Can we grasp the truth that we were created to give him praise? If this was our reality, would not our cares vanish within the breeze?