Good morning, and praise God for this day of worship. Indeed, praise to our God is at the center of our acts of worship. Please consider with me Psalm 150, a Psalm of pure praise:
150 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
The God who calls me to repent and lament also calls me to praise, to remember the glory of the One whose breath sustains my lungs. In the unlikeliest of places and circumstances, God calls me to remember to praise. Praise is an act of worship, but the power of praise flows both directions. There is power in our worship praise as it is lifted up to his glory. There is power in our voice of praise as we feel blessed, inspired, invigorated, closer to our Father God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
As I gaze into the night sky, I see God’s power and greatness in the arms of galaxies. As I look down to the earth, I see a small bug. It is inconsequential in the greater scheme of things. Or is it? When I look closely, I see that it, too, is wonderfully made, intricate in form, beautiful in its own way. The creator is worthy of praise!
I see God’s love revealed as Christian communities come together, setting aside any difference, to intentionally choose love over hate. The savior is worthy of praise!
I see innocence reflected in the face of every child. They are perfect examples of God’s love revealed in flesh and bone. Each of them must be respected, loved, and celebrated, and their creator must be praised!
This Psalm reflects the worthiness of our God for our praise. With every kind of musical instrument, with every human voice, with all of creation we lift-up our praise!
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer
Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim
Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory
Strength and honor give to His holy name…
Worship well today. Praise Him who is worthy of every word and song of praise!
Vern