Blessed Be God

Ps. 66:20

Blessed be God because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!

How exactly do I bless God?

1. Shout for joy to God, sing the glory of His name, give Him praise. (v. 1) When have I ever shouted for joy to God? I have been joyous, but as far as shouting, I don't think so. Singing His glory is wonderful praise.
2. Say to God, How awesome are Your deeds! (v. 2) How cool that this psalm tells me exactly what to say. His deeds are truly awesome.
3. Come and see what God has done. (v. 5) I need to take time to reflect on how God has worked in my life, to see His glorious deeds. They need to be the topic of my conversations.
4. Bless our God...who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. (v. 9) I need to bless Him for each breath that I take and the fact that He holds me securely in His hand.
5. For You have tested us; You have tried us as silver is tried. You have brought us into the net; You laid a crushing burden on our heads; we went through the fire and water, yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. (v. 11-12) How hard is it to praise Him for the trials and the painful times! Yet at the end of the worst times, His grace is still there with us strengthening us! His grace is our place of abundance! Praising Him for the pain makes the grace that much more a reality!
6. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul. (v. 16) I need to share with other believers what God has done in my life. This sharing praises His name as well.
7. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. (v. 18-19) Living without sin enables my prayer connection to be viable and relevant. If I want to bless God, I can not be indulging in sin. My confession will bring praise to God since it means that I love God more than any sin that plagues me. Prayer is also a way that I praise God!

Blessed be God because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!

Father,
Teach me more each day how to bless You in the practical areas of my life. Help me see Your sovereign hand behind everything that happens in my life.
In Jesus name,
Amen