Sunday, July 30, 2006

Devotions 30-07-06

Ps 150:3-5

Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

I have already looked at verses 1 & 2 but I want to review. Verse one was about where we Praise the Lord and verse 2 is about why we Praise the Lord. Now I want to examine how I Praise the Lord.

Since the Psalms is poetry and songs it is fitting to use musical instruments to express how to praise God. I have been thinking on how each of these instruments symbolizes how we praise God. The instruments listed are: the trumpet, harp and lyre, timbrel with dancing, stringed instruments and pipe, loud cymbals, and resounding cymbals.

I have concerns in how I give praise to God. I am convinced that I do very little genuine praise to God. It is not easy to Praise the Lord. Praise is telling God how wonderful and great He is, and focusing on His attributes. Thanksgiving is next to Praise but it is not praise except when I am thanking God for who He is and not for what He has done. Thanksgiving is primarily thanking God for what He has done.
Ps 100:4 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him; bless His name." In both instances thanksgiving precedes praise.

It is very natural for me to begin thanking God for who He is and then move into Praise. But I seem to move away quicker than I should from true praise to asking things for myself. My problem is that I shift from my focus on God and His majesty and His power to focusing on myself and my needs.

I am not trying to make prayer a rigid set of rules but trying to help me to realize that I need to examine my prayer and see if I am really praising God. I believe that I Praise God far less than I think I am. I will pick up on the symbolism of the instruments tomorrow.

Lord help me to truly learn to Praise you more and exercise the privilege of giving you Praise. You are so worthy of Praise!

Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest, sun moon and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to Your great faithfulness, mercy and love.

GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS! GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS! MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I SEE; ALL I HAVE NEEDED YOUR HAND HAS PROVIDED--GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS, LORD TO ME.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home