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1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

 

When we translate the word Psalms from Hebrew it means praises and that is what we find in this passage of Psalms. That and more. Psalms has the most chapters of any book in the Bible. 150 to be exact and these are divided into prayers: Psalms for help, Psalms of trust, Psalms of thanksgiving, liturgies, historical Psalms, Psalms of praise to name a few. As a matter of fact, Martin Luther wrote that Psalms “might well be called a little Bible as in it is comprehended most beautifully and briefly everything that is in the entire Bible”. Luther points out that Psalms explores the highs and lows of faith. From joy to trust, from mountaintop moments and the cry with pain “out of the depths”, Ps 130:1. Our reading today falls in the category of a Psalm of Praise.

It tells us that praise is to be joyful and filled with gladness because it is a response to what God has done for us. We are also reminded that we are his people and that he has made us and we are his. It serves as a reminder to approach God with a positive and thankful heart throughout our daily life. The final verse serves as a cornerstone of it’s meaning: God is good.

This passage is especially meaningful to me as I am writing this as I have just returned from the Via de Cristo retreat and what an inspirational experience that was. It was filled with joy, thanksgiving and praising God at every turn. Psalms of praise action! From the sessions with those who were witnessing their faith to the very special worship services. We were surrounded by those who were lifting their voices in praise to the enduring faithfulness of our Lord. God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

Lord, we lift your name on high. Help us to live Psalms daily in thanksgiving and praise.

Sharon Rhodes

sharonrhodes76@hotmail.com

 

Prayer Concern: For those who are in the depths of pain or sorrow. Hold them close.

Additional scriptures: Acts 7:35-43, Exodus 4: 27-31