August 22 — Psalm 113

“Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD!”

Ps 113:2-3 tell us that we have some responsibilities. “Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised.”

So, what do we determine is our responsibility? First, we are to praise G-d. Every day we should awake with words of praise on our lips and in our hearts. Praise G-d when you have to get up in the morning. Praise G-d when you’re tired at the end of the day — during the day for the good things that happen — and for the difficult things.

Someone once said they feel sorry for atheists and agnostics because when they want to be thankful, they have no one to talk to. How can a person really enjoy a beautiful sunrise or a sunset, a beautiful spring day or even a beautiful winter day, if he can’t thank the One who creates these things? G-d deserves our praise.

We also should praise G-d all over the world. What are we doing about those who do not know the Lord, the many who have never heard about Jesus Christ? Let’s begin by witnessing right where we are. Let’s pray and give — of our time, our love and our abundance. You never run out of reasons to praise the Lord.

As the childhood song goes:

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, Praise ye the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord!

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, surrendering the brightness of your glory, you were born of an earthly mother so that we might be raised from the dust to share your very being. May the children of God always bless your name from the rising of the sun to its going down, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.