August 18, 2023 — 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!” 

 Psalm 113 tells 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, 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. 

  

Pastor Dave

August 17, 2023 — Psalm 112 

“Praise the LORD! Happy are those who fear the LORD, who greatly delight in his commandments. Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. 

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor. The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.” 

“Happy are those who fear the LORD” 

These two psalms (Psalm 111 and 112) are a pair and should be considered together. And this is not the first time we have had Psalms that are paired. These are similar in form: each begins with “Praise the Lord” (“Hallelujah” in Hebrew); each consists of twenty-two lines, divided into ten verses; both are alphabetical acrostics, meaning each line begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, running from alef to tav, that is, from A to Z.  

Psalm 111 ends with the statement, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord,” and Psalm 112 begins with a responding, “Happy are those who fear the Lord.” 

Indeed, far from already blessed, the person of psalm 112 suffers — he suffers false reports and the “desire of the wicked”. The psalm explains that the wise must persevere through present troubles and hold on to righteousness and hold on to the faith that G-d will, in his life or in the lives of his descendants, recognize and reward his steadfast devotion and faith. 

The psalm does not so much teach as it preaches. It does not so much celebrate the present life of goodness but encourages future faithfulness. It is not a description of a well-ordered world where righteousness is equal to blessedness — instead it is an exhortation to faithfulness in a tumultuous and chaotic world. Our world is one where we have seen the good and the bad — we have lived through the good and the bad — but our Lord is still worthy of our praise. 

Let us pray: 

Eternal God, in the order of your creation you have given righteousness, justice, peace, and love for the enlightenment of all people. Keep us always in that light, so that throughout our lives we may show forth the glory of the light of the world, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

Pastor Dave