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)

 

Pride goes before a fall

Lately I’ve been reading several books that come together with one message; the old nature, that self-life that is to be abandoned by Christians, still rules. We may not realize it. We can be as devoted as Peter who said he would never abandon Jesus, who followed His every bidding, even walked on water with Him. Yet Jesus had to say to him, “Get thee behind me Satan” because this seemingly loyal man had no concept of suffering’s part in the plan of God. He also wound up denying Jesus three times.

I think that I am loyal to God, but then my faith is tested. It usually isn’t about blatant sin, but has been. Sometimes the tests are over His blessings that I’d rather not lose if He asked me to suffer. Most of the time it is my pride. I think I please God or am special because He has blessed me.

The disciples had that problem. They argued over who was the greatest and Peter was right in the middle of it. The gentile believers in Rome must have had the same problem when they put themselves in a higher position that the Hebrew people who had been “children of God” for centuries. Paul had to remind them…

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (Romans 11:17–21)

“So do not become proud, but fear.” I don’t think Paul was warning them they could lose their salvation. Other Scripture does not support that. What he seems to be saying is the same thing Jesus was telling Peter; that his firm faith and position in the kingdom depended completely upon Jesus’ firm hand.

Despite my strong resolve to surrender all and totally obey Jesus, that sinful nature rises up. Just like the disciples, I find out the hard way how self-confidence gets the best of me. I go into the test thinking I am bold and wanting so much to glorify God, even saying what Peter said, “Even if all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29). But I do.

Peter was a good man who resolved honestly, but he did not know he was a feather in the wind of temptation if God left him to his own fears. He had no idea that his faith, salvation, sanctification, and ability to stand was of Jesus. He thought he could do it himself. Jesus warned him, and then tested him.

Today’s devotional reading hits this theme too. It says, “Every merit without the prop of divine preservation is but a weight that tends to a fall. What becomes of the stream if the fountain supplies it not? The best people will show themselves but human if God leaves them. He who has set them up must also keep them.”

It goes on to say I am far safer to be a humble worm than a proud angel. Adam had a more favorable opportunity to maintain his place with God than I ever will. He was created upright, without corruption, and left to the freedom of his choices with only one command to obey. Yet he fell.

“Do not become proud, but fear.” Consider the strong saints of old. Noah, Lot, David, and Solomon were renowned in their generations and all fell. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples scattered like silly sheep when Jesus needed them most. Apart from the grace of God, where would they or Peter be?

“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12) “O do not be arrogant, but be afraid.”