DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Why Praise the Lord?
By Pr. Dave Mann
We often sense the need to praise the Lord when things go well for us, when things turn out the way we like them. It is a good thing. But there are many other reasons to praise the Lord as well. Psalm 147 reminds us of several reasons we may always have in mind.
v. 2 -- The Lord supports his holy city, Jerusalem, and he brings together his scattered people. Did you know that Jerusalem is the only city that the Lord commands us to hold in prayer? Psalm 122:6 -- Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.
v. 3 – Those deeply wounded in spirit can look to the Lord for healing. Are you included in this category? Or perhaps you know someone who is. Seeing someone be restored from their wounded state is a beautiful thing.
v. 4 -- The Lord knows his creation in great detail, even the number of the stars and their names. If he knows the stars, he also knows the number of hairs on our heads and the specific needs of our lives. Luke 12:7 -- Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
v. 5 – No limits are placed on God’s power and being. The three “Omni-s” belong to God and to him alone: Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient.
v. 6 -- The Lord strengthens the humble, and he judges the wicked.
v. 7 – We give God praise with gratitude for his many good gifts. We praise the Lord through the musical skill that he has given to us and others. Even if we do not have musical gifts, the wave of musical praise sweeps us along in a joyful chorus.
v. 8 – God is the creator of the beauty of nature. Anyone who has gone on a hike and walked over the crest of a hill to be caught up in a moment of the sheer beauty of the valley stretched before our eyes knows who is responsible for such beauty.
v. 9 -- The Creator has provided balance in his creation to feed the innumerable species.
v. 10 – The wise do not glory in military power but in the power of God.
v. 11 – A deep respect for the Lord brings delight to God’s heart.
All of this and more are sufficient reasons that we can give heartfelt praise to our God.
PRAYER
Almighty ever-living God, you are worthy of praise. May my heart acknowledge the numerous reasons you are worthy of praise. Glory be to you alone, O Lord. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVE MANN
I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.
The scripture and your message add on Aaron's sermon of the gifts we get from knowing Jesus and as this list of why the Lord Is worthy of praise. our list could keep going and going. If we look for it, we will find the Reasons to be thankful and in awe of our great God. Even in the midst of any hardship or pain.