1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
(Psalm 34:1-3 ESV)
We are to praise the Lord in all times both the good and the bad. May our only boast be in the Lord let those who are humble hear and be happy. Let us magnify the Lord together and exalt his name in praise.
Heavenly Father, May we give praise to you all the days of our lives, whether we are in abundance or in need. Amen.
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (Psalm 30:10-12 ESV)
When we become aware of our sins and wickedness we cry out to the Lord to be merciful and to help us. As we truly repent, we lose our sadness and become happy, allowing us to sing praise to him and promise that we will always give thanks to the Lord.
Heavenly Father, May we repent of all of our evil and wickedness that we will give you praise for all of eternity both here and in your kingdom. Amen.
46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from the man of violence.
49 For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,
and sing to your name.
50 Great salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his offspring forever.
(Psalm 18:45-50 ESV)
The Lord lives for all of eternity. In his grace, he rescues us from our difficulties. He raises us above those who would bring us down. Thus, we will praise him above all who mock us. He shows his steadfast love to all who seek him and his Son Jesus.
Heavenly Father, We will give you praise and honor your name in the congregation for all of the protection you provide to us pulling us out of the snares of our enemies. Amen.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.
(Psalm 22:22-24 ESV)
It is good to tell of the things God has done for us when we are in the congregation and to praise him for them. When you fear the Lord praise him. All who are seeking the Lord to glorify him stand in awe of him. For the Lord has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted nor has he hidden his face from them but he heard his cry to him.
Heavenly Father, When we come together in worship we give you praise for all the deeds you have done knowing that to listen to those who are afflicted and hear their cries. Amen.
1 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
(Psalm 9:1-2 ESV)
As we meditate on the scriptures it is good to give thanks to the Lord and to recount the things that he did. Also, to be glad and to sing praise to his name for all of the wonderful deeds he has done throughout all generations and in our own lives.
Heavenly Father, As we ponder the deeds you did in the scriptures may our hearts be full of praise for them; singing praise to you for all of them. Amen.
8 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
10 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
(1 Chronicles 16:8-10 ESV)
When a new church building is erected it is right to give thanks to the Lord and make known what he has helped us to do. It is good to sing praise to him and proclaim all he has done. At these times we glory in his holy name and let our hearts rejoice. For, he has allowed us to accomplish an excellent work to his honor and glory.
Heavenly Father, When we complete works for the glory of your name may we give praise to your name for the work that is done in song and prayer. Amen.
1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying,
“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and l will exalt him.
3 The LORD is a man of war;
the LORD is his name.”
(Exodus 15:1-3ESV)
When we have had a victorious day, as Moses and the people of Israel did when they crossed the Red Sea leaving their pursuers behind, we too will sing a song of praise to the Lord exalting his mighty deeds worked on our behalf. It is natural to give praise on such an occasion. In the broader context of life though we ought to give the Lord praises when life is difficult and we are hard-pressed.
Heavenly Father, May we always give praise and honor to your name whatever our present circumstances may be. Amen.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;1
tremble before him, all the earth!
(Psalm 96:7-9 ESV)
It is good for us to praise the Lord assigning to him glory and strength and to bring an offering when we come into his sanctuary. We are to worship him in holiness trembling before him as does all the earth.
Heavenly Father, We come to you giving honor and praise to your name while bringing offerings into the sanctuary. We worship you for your holiness and righteousness trembling before you as does all the earth. Amen.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
(Galatians 5:18-24 ESV)
Those who are led by the Holy Spirit are not required to follow the Jewish law. When we were not of the spirit we lived in the flesh and were immoral, impure, sensual, worshiped idols, sorcerers, jealous, angry, envious, and drunken. Those who live like this will not enter God’s kingdom. When we are of the Spirit we will have his fruit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law prohibiting these things. Those who are in Christ have moved beyond the flesh with its passions and desires.
Heavenly Father, As we come to you seeking to live our lives according to the leading of the Holy Spirit help us to live holy lives full of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and not of one living in the flesh. Amen.
8 And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
(Isaiah 35:8-9 ESV)
The highway called the Way of Holiness is not easily found, for to find it one must be seeking the Lord and his righteousness. It is for those who practice holiness. Those who practice wickedness and are unclean will not find it, but those who are holy will not go astray. There will be no lion or any ravenous beast there as it is for the redeemed to walk there.
Heavenly Father, May those who are seeking to follow your way of holiness find the Way of Holiness and never go astray from it. Amen.
Robert0199's Blog 