Continual Praise

Ps. 34: 1-3, 8

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁸Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. 

David wrote this Psalm when he pretended that he was a mad man before King Achish, the King of Gath, who drove him away.  He was fleeing from Saul and went to Gath.  Gath was a Philistine city and they would have welcomed an Israelite defector who was a military leader. However, when they recognized him and declared what the people were saying about him (that he was the king of the land), he became afraid of the king and acted as if he was crazy.  He scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.  The king thought he was mad and David was able to depart. It was customary not to harm mentally unstable people.

Even in the midst of being chased by Saul, in danger of the Philistine King, David somehow managed to write this Psalm.  He realized that no matter what the situation or circumstance, he needed to bless or praise the Lord.  He was freed from both situations and he escaped to a cave in Adullam and people gathered to him there.  God heard his cry and offered him a way of escape from his trouble and help in his time of need.  Verse 19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  God delivered him out of his troubles as he admitted his need for God. 

We often want to avoid trouble and circumstances.  We complain and want out of those things or circumstances that are not comfortable or pleasant.  We wish to escape trouble, sorrow, grief, loss, daily frustrations, and failures. We cry, complain, and sometimes try to avoid the situation or pray for God to remove it.  However, even in those times, if we admit our need for God, He is willing and able to deliver us.  God hears us and He will answer.  We may not like His answer at times.  His answer might be “Wait”, “I am working it out for you”, or even “No or Not now”.

In spite of His answer, we must bless Him and praise Him.  He is worthy of the praise and He is in control.  God loves us immensely and only has our best interest at heart.  He created us to fulfill His will, not ours.  As we understand that we are but stewards of this life and everything in it, we will surrender to His will and His ways.  God is a loving, faithful, understanding father.  And a loving, faithful, and caring father only wants the best for His children.  It is the struggle, conflict, loss, sorrow, or circumstance that He is using to make us stronger, more enduring, patient, kind, and gentle, etc.  He is working it out for us. 

We are called for His work and to His eternal will.  Surrender bring us to a new level of obedience, trust, and revelation.  He deserves our continual praise.  “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Give God the continual praise that He deserves.  In good times, praise Him.  In difficult times, praise Him.  When you feel loved, praise Him.  When you don’t feel loved, praise Him!  Knowing that He loves, sees, hears, protects, guides, and cares for you.  Continual praise even through tears moves God. So give Him all the praise, all the time.  

 

Be blessed. 

 Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord, All Ye Lands!

Psalms 100 

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, ^[a]all you lands!

² Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and ^[b]not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

It is finally September.  I guess you are wondering why I say, it is finally September.  September is one of my favorite times of the year because it begins to cool down and it is the fall season.  The official day for the starting of fall is September 22 this year.  It is the time of autumnal equinox, and on this day, the sun passes the equator, moving from the northern to the southern hemisphere.  What is autumnal equinox? During the autumnal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of rays. It was a time to honor the harvest and it happens instantaneously. 

This month is the month of praise and adoration. Just as the autumnal equinox happens instantaneously, so our praise and adoration to and for God should be instantaneous.  Instantaneous means occurring or done in an instant; done without any delay; immediate, direct; present, current; urgent.  Our praise and adoration for God should be without delay, immediate, present, current.  When we wake up in the morning, before we get out of our beds.  We need to praise God that we are able to see or be alive another day.  That day was not promised to you.  Tell God thank you for another day that you can participate with Him to see His Kingdom come and His will be done in the earth.  

You were created to help bring His Kingdom to earth. God wants to use you today, to bring His will into the earth.  As you in joyful obedience partner with Him, He will use you, your gifts, your talents to cause His will to be done on that day.  He doesn't need you to do it, but He wants to use you to do it.  He wants to use you to speak kindly to your neighbor, help a stranger, bring a smile to the face of a child, or bring a meal to a senior citizen.  Whatever it is that He speaks to your heart to do, do it to bring His love and will to someone's life.

The Psalms tell us that each day that we wake up, we need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  Not a complaining noise, but a joyful noise.  I know that sometimes I wake up with some aches and may feel inclined to complain but I thank God for another day.  He reminds me to enter into His presence with thanksgiving.  I am grateful that I get to see another day and ask Him what His plans are for the day. 

The Life Application Bible says, "David tells us to acknowledge the Lord each day with praises, appreciate His status as creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love."  We must remember that God created us, we did not create ourselves.  "Many people live as though they are the creator and center of their own little world. This mind-set leads to pride, greed, idolatry, and if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself.  But when we realize that God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us. (2 Cor. 9:8)  Then, even if all is lost, we still have God and all He gives us." (Life Application Bible)

We need to enter His presence singing and praising Him.  He is so worthy of praise, deep love, and respect.  I wake up almost every morning with a song on my heart. Sometimes I know the song and sometimes God will just drop a portion of the song on my heart.  I find it and sing it all day.  There are times when I find the lyrics of the song and God is sending me such a clear message.  I wake up hearing the melodies.  God will send you songs to bring peace, love, joy, and as you worship Him in song, it will change the atmosphere and the trajectory of your entire day.  

I admonish you to wake up each morning and even though you may be faced with situations, problems, or even catastrophes, just give God praise.  I have praised through tears and heartbreak.  I must admit I have sung with tears rolling down my face and a heavy heart but even in the storm, praise will break forth and your heart will be lifted.  God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth indeed endures to all generations.  He is dependable, faithful, and worthy of all of our praise.

So as you get ready for another day, another week, don't forget to make a joyful (joy filled) noise unto the Lord.  Not man, but to the Lord.  Express your pleasure and happiness for all He has done, and is doing, in your life.  

Be blessed.