The power of Praise

READ Psalm 106–112

Reading the OT along with the NT is deeply helpful for daily life. In the Psalms I see the balance of what God has saved and is saving me from, and the riches of His plan for my life. The NT tells of Jesus, the One who came to accomplish it, yet lest I get thinking I have already reached His goals for me, the OT reminds me of the power of sin and that my confidence must always be in Jesus, not in myself. This applies: “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

While this focus often feels like trying to balance on the middle of a teeter-totter, God is showing me both the reasons for remembering the danger of sin — and the way to always rely on the power of God who saves me from it. Praise has a gigantic effect of keeping that balance.

In the OT, God’s people were slow to learn. The psalmist even asks, “Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?” (Psalm 106:2) This OT saint continued, remembering his history as he reminds me of mine:

Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power . . . . Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel . . . .They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt . . . . Therefore he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them . . . . Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord . . . . Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed . . . . Many times (God) delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. (106:6–45)

Little wonder why the “redeemed of the Lord say so” and we can “thank the Lord for his steadfast love” and “his wondrous works.” Little wonder why “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (108:3–5) As I think of my past, both before Christ and after He came into my life, it seems easy to . . .

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. (111:1–4)

Yet this takes time to learn, to realize how much pride in myself messes up reverence for God. It is in the years of His great blessing that my understanding grows into heartfelt praise.

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. (112:1–9)

I’m praying for those who do not know the wonder of God and have no faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life and for His incredible blessings of this life. God, continually “put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God, (that) many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” (40:3)