Praise to My God and King

Ps. 145:1

I will extol You, my God and King and bless Your name forever and forever.

 

What a great psalm of praise and how perfect to memorize and pray! When I set out to memorize this psalm, I wanted to learn more about praising God, and I certainly did! Every night after the day is finished regardless of the stress, the pain, the busyness, the tension, the joys, the pleasures, and the time spent with God, I pray this psalm before I fall asleep. In the quiet and stillness as I lay in bed  with all the lights out, I can calm my heart and my mind and focus completely on Him. I can praise Him as He should be praised with His very own words!

 

The specifics of this prayer-praise times vary. On some days one verse in the psalm will touch my heart more than others. So it is exciting to watch and see what God teaches and will teach me.  Already, I have learned that my praise should be continual and consistent. No situation or circumstance should be reason enough to suspend my praise. In fact, suffering should be cause for more praise as I watch to see how God will work in the situations of my life. It should be an encouragement to me because it demonstrates how God is growing me in holiness and maturity in Christ.  Everyday I will bless you and praise Your name forever and forever.

 

Also I have pondered the generational relationship the psalm develops. One generation shall commend Your works to another and declare Your mighty acts. How can I make this a reality? What can God do through me to impact the next generation? Clearly, from this verse I should declare His works and mighty acts. His presence in my life is something that I should share with others including my children and grandchildren. It certainly gives me a higher meaning and purpose since God blesses my life not just for me but for me to share with others. That changes my focus completely taking me out of myself and into the lives of others. I so want to be that window inviting others to look and see that the Lord is good.

 

Finally some of the verses are just precious because they reinforce what I know to be true about God , and since they are constantly in my mind, they help me see the hand of God at work in my life. They give me a sharper and clearer awareness of God. The Lord is good to all and His mercy is over all He has made...Your works shall give thanks to You and all Your saints shall bless You. What does that say about me that even His works thank Him, and still I don't always bless Him and thank Him as I should?

 

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, who call on Him in truth. He is only a call away. How awesome is that! But why then do I sometimes neglect to call and try and handle life in my own strength? How foolish on my part! He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him...He has been impacting my thinking to see that the desires He fulfills are those desires of my heart to be close to Him, to be obedient, and to grow in Him. His desire for me and my desire for Him should grow to become one! My life is in Him.

 

The Lord preserves all who love Him...He has promised me and given me the seal of the Spirit that I am His eternally. Nothing can pluck me out of His hand! Praise Him! My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever! Such resolve! The psalmist will have it no other way. Praise will be his language of choice! Is it my language of choice? Do I resolve to praise Him regardless of circumstances? Finally, I am encouraged to know that the praise I offer here in my weakness will be continued in eternity in my glorified body. What a glorious time I will have with all the saints praising the Father and the Son!

 

Father,

Continue teaching me about praise. Thank You for Your words that take me into Your presence.

In Jesus name,

Amen