Shout Praises to The Lord
March 30, 2024
Commentary
Praise plays a great role in Psalms 145-150. Each begins and ends with “Praise the Lord.” The word “praise” occurs 46 times in these six psalms. Praise for the greatness and grace of God is the subject of this psalm. The psalmist vowed to praise God all of his life because the one who made the heavens and the earth is faithful and just to the oppressed of the earth. He shows us where, why, and how to praise God. What does praise do?
1. Praise takes our minds off our problems and shortcomings and focuses them on God.
2. Praise leads us from individual meditation to corporate worship.
3. Praise causes us to consider and appreciate God’s character.
4. Praise lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly.
The Lord is to be praised, not only for His greatness in creation (vv. 1-6), but also in his provision. He shows his loving favor in many ways. He helps the oppressed (v. 7), feeds the hungry (v. 7), sets prisoners free (v. 7), makes the blind to see (v. 8), lifts the fallen (v. 8), loves the righteous (v. 8), watches over aliens (v. 9), sustains the homeless (v. 9), and frustrates the wicked (v. 9).
Application
I want to praise the Lord as long as I live. I want to be more sensitive to His beauty in creation and move from an awareness of His power and might to a warm personal relationship with him.
Psalms 146:1– 10 (NET)
Verses not found.
Illustration: Christopher Wren Lays Foundation Stone For St Paul’s Cathedral
In 1675, some nine years after the terrible fire in London, Sir Christopher Wren himself laid the first foundation stone in what was to be his greatest architectural enterprise, the building of St. Paul’s Cathedral. It took him thirty-five long years to complete this task, and when it was done he waited breathlessly for the reaction of Queen Anne. After being carefully shown through the structure, she summed up her feelings for the architecture in three words: “It is awful; it is amusing; it is artificial.” Upon hearing these words, Wren heaved a sigh of relief and bowed gratefully before his sovereign. How could this be? The explanation is simple In 1710, the word awful meant “awe-inspiring,” the word amusing meant “amazing,” and the word artificial meant “artistic.” What to our ears might sound like a devastating criticism were, in that time, words of measured praise. (Encyclopedia of Illustrations #9531).