Common Grace. Communal Praise.

1 Praise the LORD, all nations!
    Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 117:1-2 ESV

This extremely short psalm is addressed to “the nations.” The author uses the Hebrew word gôyim, which typically referred to non-Israelites. But in this case, he seems to have in mind all nations, including Israel. The second Hebrew word he uses is 'ummâ, which refers to a “people, tribe, or nation.” 

The psalmist calls people of every tribe, nation, or tongue to praise the LORD. Regardless of their ethnicity or religious proclivity, they should extol the greatness of Yahweh because they have enjoyed the benefits of His common grace. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, God “gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 5:45 NLT). He also stated that God “is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked” (Luke 6:35 NLT). This addresses one of three points of God’s common grace as outlined by the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and adopted as the doctrine of common grace at the Synod of Kalamazoo (Michigan) in 1924.

Yahweh shows undeserved favor to all those He has made. David highlighted this amazing reality in one of his psalms. 

The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
The LORD is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:8-9 NLT

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium on one of their missionary journeys, they attempted to persuade the pagan Gentile crowd of God’s love for them by highlighting this feature of His common grace.

“In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” – Acts 14:16-17 NLT

The second point of common grace is God’s sovereign restraint of sin among humanity. Since God has a plan of redemption and that plan has a timeline, He intervenes on behalf of fallen humanity and prohibits the extent of their sin so that His plan can unfold according to His divine schedule. You see this point played out in the promise He made to Abraham. In Genesis 15, God told Abraham, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth” (Genesis 15:13-14 NLT). God was informing Abraham of the 400 years his descendants would spend in captivity in Egypt. But God clarified that the story would have a positive ending.

“After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” – Genesis 15:16 NLT). 

God had everything under control. He was orchestrating all the details concerning the creation of the Hebrew nation, which included their four-century-long captivity in Egypt and the restraint of sin among the Amorites. When the time came for the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan, the guilt of the Amorites and the other inhabitants of the land would have earned their elimination. In fact, prior to Israel beginning their conquest of the land of Canaan, God provided Moses with a lengthy list of prohibitions against sexual sins and abominations. Then He added, “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways. Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out” (Leviticus 18:24-25 NLT). 

Through His common grace, God restrained the behavior of the Canaanites long enough for the Israelites to become a great nation, experience deliverance from Egypt, and arrive at the border of the promised land. 

In Genesis 20, Moses records a less-than-flattering moment from Abraham’s life, when the father of the Hebrew nation sought sanctuary in the land of Gerar. In an ill-advised plan to protect himself from harm, Abraham told his wife Sarah to introduce herself as his sister. His fear was based on the fact that she was beautiful, and one of the inhabitants of Gerar might be tempted to kill him to have Sarah as his wife. Abimelech, the king of Gerar, was taken by Sarah's beauty and decided to make her a part of his harem. But God intervened and protected Sarah from being sexually violated by Abimelech. In a dream, God warned Abimelech of the danger he was in.

“You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” – Genesis 20:3 NLT

Having not consummated the relationship, Abimelech pleaded with God.

“Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.” – Genesis 20:4-5 NLT

In the dream, God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her” (Genesis 20:6 NLT). God graciously intervened and prevented Abimelech from committing adultery. 

The third point of common grace involves the ability of the wicked to do acts of righteousness. God's grace makes this capacity of the unrighteous to do good deeds possible. Even with unregenerate hearts, they can show kindness, extend mercy, express love, and do good deeds to others. 

Speaking to a group of pagan unbelievers, Paul said, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it” (Romans 2:14 NLT). Their actions demonstrate God's common grace, allowing them to do good even when their hearts remain unrepentant and unregenerate. 

So, for the psalmist, his message of praise is directed at all nations and includes every people group on the face of the earth. Every Jew, Gentile, pious Hebrew, and pagan heathen was obligated to praise Yahweh for His steadfast love and faithfulness. All men benefit from God's goodness and grace. They breathe the same air, enjoy the bounty of God’s creation, experience the joy of human relationships, and are allowed to exist on this earth despite their sinfulness and open rebellion to their Creator. 

While the psalmist had no concept of Jesus as Messiah when he wrote this abbreviated psalm, he foreshadowed the very words of Jesus when He gave His farewell address to His disciples.

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20 NLT

God's grace was to be available to all mankind, regardless of their ethnicity. Jesus' death and resurrection opened a way of salvation to anyone who would receive God's gift of grace. Paul described this message of God's grace as “good news” to all who would believe it.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” – Romans 1:16-17 NLT

In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John describes a vision he received of the heavenly throne room. In it, a heavenly host was singing the praises of “a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders” (Revelation 5:6 NLT). The song they sang highlighted the sacrificial death of Jesus and its gracious impact on the nations of the earth. 

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and break its seals and open it.
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation.
And you have caused them to become
    a Kingdom of priests for our God.
    And they will reign on the earth.” – Revelation 5:9-10 NLT

John was given a second vision of the heavenly throne room, in which he saw “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language” (Revelation 7:9 NLT). They were standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And the song they sang echoed their common experience with God's undeserved grace.

“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
    and from the Lamb!” – Revelation 7:9-10 NLT

This is the message of this short but powerful psalm, and the day is coming when all the gôyim and 'ummâ will praise God for who He is and all He has done for them. People from every tongue will proclaim their gratitude for His steadfast love and faithfulness with one voice, and they will do so for eternity.

Father, You are a good and gracious God. Your love never fails and Your mercies are new every morning. There is not a day that goes by in which we fail to experience Your common grace. You bless all mankind with life and breath. You shower us with rain. You give us light in the form of the sun. You provide us with food. You bless us with children. And You provided us with the gift of Your Son, as the sole means by which we can be restored to a right relationship with You. Every human being owes You a debt of thanks. But all who have found salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone own you their never-ending praise and adoration for eternal life. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praise Him for His Presence

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
    praise the name of the LORD!

2 Blessed be the name of the LORD
    from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the LORD is to be praised!

4 The LORD is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
    who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD. – Psalm 113:1-9 ESV

Five times in nine verses, the psalmist uses the Hebrew word hālal to call for the praise and adoration of Yahweh. This is a command, not a suggestion, directed at the people of God. He is ordering them to joyously celebrate the LORD for who He is and all that He has done for them. 

Praise (hālal) the LORD!

Yes, give praise (hālal), O servants of the LORD.
    Praise (hālal) the name of the LORD!
Blessed be the name of the LORD
    now and forever.
Everywhere—from east to west—
    praise (hālal) the name of the LORD. – Psalm 113:1-3 NLT

God’s name was associated with His character, and the name the psalmist repeatedly uses when referring to God is Yᵊhōvâ. This was the name God declared when Moses asked, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 

God had just commissioned Moses to lead His people out of captivity in Egypt, but Moses was reticent to accept this difficult assignment. Yet, God responded to Moses’ reluctance with patience, stating, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh (Yᵊhōvâ), the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:15 NLT). God was declaring He was the always-existent, ever-present One who would be a permanent fixture in the lives of His chosen people. And to drive home the permanency of His presence, God added, “This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations (Exodus 3:15 NLT).

So, when the psalmist ordered his fellow Israelites to praise the name of the LORD, he was calling them to remember that God was with them and had never forsaken them. Despite all their faults and track record of unfaithfulness, Yahweh had remained committed to the covenant promises He had made to them. He had proven His faithfulness for centuries by displaying His power, provision, and protection. From their deliverance from captivity in Egypt to their 40-year journey through the wilderness, God had been with them. When they crossed the Jordan River into Canaan, Yahweh assisted them in their conquest of the land’s inhabitants. 

Yahweh had lived up to His name as “the existing One.” He had been with them in Egypt and had led them through the wilderness to the land of promise. During the period of the judges, Yahweh had remained by their side, delivering them from their oppressors and forgiving them for their apostasy and idolatry. When they demanded to have a king like all the other nations, Yahweh obliged their request, but never relinquished His sovereignty over them.  

As with the previous two psalms, this one highlights God’s greatness by declaring His transcendence. The psalmist describes Yahweh as “high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens” (Psalm 113:4 NLT). This is not a reference to God's location but His sovereignty. He is LORD over all. But this all-powerful, unapproachable deity was not distant and aloof; He was personal and present.

Who can be compared with the Lord our God,
    who is enthroned on high?
He stoops to look down
    on heaven and on earth. – Psalm 113:5-6 NLT

Yahweh had proven Himself to be intimate and immersed in the affairs of His people. Though He was holy and righteous, He made Himself available to sinful men. On Mount Sinai, the Creator of the universe made Himself known to Moses, a convicted murderer who had spent 40 years as a fugitive from justice. Yahweh had chosen this flawed and fear-filled man to be the deliverer of His captive people. The transcendent, invisible God had “stooped down," seen the situation in Egypt, and chosen to intervene. 

“I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…” – Exodus 3:7-8 NLT

Yahweh delivered His captive people, and had been doing so ever since. That is why He deserved their praise. He had proven to be faithful and trustworthy. His power was unequaled, and His constant presence was undeniable. And the examples of His handiwork were everywhere.

He lifts the poor from the dust
    and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
    even the princes of his own people!
He gives the childless woman a family,
    making her a happy mother. – Psalm 113:7-9 NLT

The stories of Moses, Joseph, and David come to mind. He took a murderer, a prisoner, and a lowly shepherd and transformed them into men of integrity and influence. Yahweh intervened in the lives of women like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah, providing these barren women with children. Rebekah gave birth to Jacob, whom Yahweh later renamed Israel. It was through this unexpected son that the nation of Israel came into being. 

Yahweh had a track record of showing up and making His presence known among His people, which is why He deserved their praise. He lived up to His name as the ever-existent, always-present One. He kept His promises, continually and faithfully delivering, protecting, guiding, disciplining, and providing for His people. And He was far from done. Which is why the psalmist ends his song with an emphatic, non-negotiable reminder to “Praise the LORD!”

Father, You have never failed to show up in my life. While there have been moments when I could not see or feel Your presence, You have always been there. What I mistook as your invisibility or unavailability was really just the result of own insensitivity to Your presence. When I look back on my life, I see the proof of Your presence. But I want to grow in my ability to sense You in the present, not just the past. I desire to grow more aware of Your involvement in the moment and not just in retrospect, because I know You never leave me or forsake me. There is never a moment when I am on my own or left to my own devices. You are always there and You always care for me. So, I praise You, O LORD for You are worthy. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power of Praise

1 Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD,
    studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.
    Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever! – Psalm 111:1-10 ESV

This psalm opens with the Hebrew word hālal, which is translated as “praise.” It is where we get our English word, hallelujah. This succinct and straightforward psalm calls for the people of Israel to boast in the glory and majesty of their God. The psalmist himself declares his intent to thank God for all He has done. His praise will be continual because God's acts of goodness and greatness are limitless and show up in new ways every day. 

Yahweh is worthy of our praise because His works are great and demand our attention. If we would simply stop and consider all He has done, we, too, would be motivated to sing His praises nonstop. 

Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works. – Psalm 111:3-4 NLT

But how quickly we forget and easily overlook God's gracious provision and protection. Many of us find it challenging to find things to praise God for. Part of the problem is that we take so much for granted, like food, the air we breathe, and life itself. Sadly, some of us take personal credit for many of His blessings. Food and shelter become the byproduct of our own efforts rather than the gracious provision of the LORD. We take responsibility for our success and credit for our good health. Our homes are the results of hard work and determination. But the psalmist reminds us that God “gives food to those who fear him” (Psalm 111:5 NLT). 

The Book of Nehemiah records another declaration concerning God's praiseworthiness. It was a prayer spoken before the assembled people of Israel. They had just confessed their corporate sins and stood for three solid hours as “the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God” (Nehemiah 9:3 NLT). This was followed by a call for praise and a prayer.

“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!

“You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.” – Nehemiah 9:5-6 NLT

This prayer contained a lengthy list of God's past accomplishments on Israel's behalf, including everything from the spectacular to the seemingly superficial. It recalls God's call of Abraham, their deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and Yahweh's appearance on Mount Sinai. But it also mentions His provision of food and water. 

“You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.” – Nehemiah 9:15 NLT

But rather than praise God for His goodness, they complained and disobeyed. Yet, despite their ungratefulness, God did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. 

“…you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!” – Nehemiah 9:20-21 NLT

The people of Israel were quick to complain and slow to praise. They found it hard to recognize God's blessings but were adept at blaming Him for all their problems. If you're like me, you probably have no trouble coming up with things to complain to God about. There is no shortage of issues we feel compelled to blame God for and demand that He change. But why can't we come up with anything to praise Him for?

The author of this psalm didn't seem to have that problem. He overflowed with praise as he recalled all that God had done in his life and the corporate life of the people of God. He said, "How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them" (Psalms 111:2 NLT). That seems to be the key. We need to ponder and think about what God has done – take the time to dwell on all the great things He has done and is doing in and around our lives. But this is not something that comes naturally for most of us. 

The psalmist dwells on every act of God, from the mundane to the miraculous. God is the one who divided the Red Sea and allowed the people to cross on dry land. But He is also the one who provided them with food each day. A byproduct of praising the LORD is a growing fear and reverence for Him. As we recognize and dwell on the many things He does that are worthy of our praise, we grow in our admiration of and reverence for Him. That produces a more willing desire to obey and serve Him. This idea is picked up in the very next psalm in the psalter.

Praise the Lord!

How joyful are those who fear the Lord
    and delight in obeying his commands. – Psalm 112:1 NLT

Obedience brings blessing. In God's grand economy, it seems that the more we praise Him, the more we are blessed by Him. As we praise God, we discover just how incomparable He is. There is no one and nothing else like Him. Our praise of Him increases our admiration for Him. His worth increases in our eyes as we concentrate on all He is and all that He does. But that takes time. It takes concentrated effort.

It might be wise to regularly sit down and write out all the things you have to praise God for. Make a list. Start with the simple, then move on to the more spectacular. When we begin to realize that EVERYTHING we have that is of any value comes from Him, we might start to understand just how great He is and how blessed we are.

Contemplating God's many blessings will increase our gratitude and awe of Him. It will remind us how good and great He is and produce a reverent fear of His power and amazement that this majestic God has chosen to bless us with His presence and provision. 

 What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. – Psalm 111:9-10 NLT

Father, forgive me for failing to praise You. I seem to have no problem complaining to You or demanding that You fix all my problems, according to my plan and my time frame. But then, even when You do, instead of praising You, I either take it for granted or take credit for it myself. Help me to see all that You do and praise You as You deserve. You are truly a great God and worthy of my praise. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Remember and Rejoice

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
3 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
3 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

7 He is the LORD our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
    as your portion for an inheritance.”

12 When they were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
13 wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
14 he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
15 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”

16 When he summoned a famine on the land
    and broke all supply of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them,
    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters;
    his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass,
    the word of the LORD tested him.
20 The king sent and released him;
    the ruler of the peoples set him free;
21 he made him lord of his house
    and ruler of all his possessions,
22 to bind his princes at his pleasure
    and to teach his elders wisdom.

23 Then Israel came to Egypt;
    Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24 And the LORD made his people very fruitful
    and made them stronger than their foes.
25 He turned their hearts to hate his people,
    to deal craftily with his servants.

26 He sent Moses, his servant,
    and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them
    and miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
    they did not rebel against his words.
29 He turned their waters into blood
    and caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with frogs,
    even in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
    and gnats throughout their country.
32 He gave them hail for rain,
    and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
33 He struck down their vines and fig trees,
    and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came,
    young locusts without number,
35 which devoured all the vegetation in their land
    and ate up the fruit of their ground.
36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
    the firstfruits of all their strength.

37 Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,
    and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
    for dread of them had fallen upon it.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
    and fire to give light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quail,
    and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
    it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise,
    and Abraham, his servant.

43 So he brought his people out with joy,
    his chosen ones with singing.
44 And he gave them the lands of the nations,
    and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,
45 that they might keep his statutes
    and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 105:1-45 ESV

According to this unnamed psalmist, Yahweh was worthy of praise because of His faithful commitment to the people of Israel. This entire psalm is a call for the Israelites to acknowledge the trustworthiness and greatness of their covenant-keeping God. In the opening lines of his song, the psalmist repeatedly charges his fellow Israelites to recall and recount God's wondrous works on their behalf. 

Let the whole world know what he has done. – Psalm 105: 1 NLT

 Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. – Psalm 105:2 NLT

Remember the wonders he has performed,
    his miracles, and the rulings he has given… – Psalm 105:5 NLT

If the Israelites needed a reason to celebrate Yahweh’s goodness and greatness, their rich and storied history was filled with examples. But for the psalmist, the most remarkable illustration of Yahweh's faithfulness was the covenant He made with Abraham, the patriarch and progenitor of the Hebrew people.  Centuries earlier, God had called this pagan idol worshiper to abandon his clan, homeland, and false gods for a new lifelong relationship with Him. 

“Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:1-3 NLT

What made this promise even more remarkable was that Abraham was already an old man, married to an equally old and barren wife. But despite the poor odds for success, Abraham obeyed and followed Yahweh to the land of Canaan. The psalmist adds a line to his song that celebrates God's faithfulness to fulfill His covenant commitment to Abraham.

He always stands by his covenant—
    the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
This is the covenant he made with Abraham
    and the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
    and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
“I will give you the land of Canaan
    as your special possession.” – Psalm 105:8-11 NLT

While no timeline is given to establish the dating of this psalm, it was obviously written long after the Israelites had entered and taken possession of the land of Canaan. Centuries had passed, and the Israelites had enjoyed a long tenure as occupants of the “land of promise.” It had taken hundreds of years for God to fulfill His covenant commitment to Abraham, but every facet of His original promise had occurred just as He said it would. With each passing generation, God reaffirmed His intention to keep His word. After the death of Abraham, God reiterated His covenant promise to Abraham's son, Isaac. 

“Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” – Genesis 26:3-5 NLT

When Isaac eventually died, God passed on His covenant promises to Isaac's son, Jacob, whom God later renamed Israel. 

“I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.” – Genesis 35:11-12 NLT

But despite God's promises, Jacob's small family was anything but a great nation, and they lived as relative nomads in the land that was supposed to be their inheritance.

…they were few in number,
    a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
They wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
    He warned kings on their behalf:
“Do not touch my chosen people,
    and do not hurt my prophets.” – Psalm 105:12-15 NLT

But God was not done, and the psalmist recalls the next phase of God’s promise-keeping plan for His chosen people. Verses 16-22 recount the astonishing story of Joseph, the son of Jacob, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers. Jealous of Joseph’s favored-son status, his brothers plotted to get rid of him by selling him to slave traders and then telling their father that he had been killed by a wild animal. They lived with this lie for years while their brother experienced a roller-coaster existence in the land of Egypt. 

They bruised his feet with fetters
    and placed his neck in an iron collar.
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
    the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
    the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household;
    he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. – Psalm 105:18-21 NLT

This was all part of God’s plan for the descendants of Abraham. He had sent Joseph ahead to prepare for the next phase of His covenant-fulfilling strategy, which was in keeping with another promise He made to Abraham. 

“You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. (As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) After four generations your descendants will return here to this land… – Genesis 15:13-16 NLT

The psalmist knew the story well and recounted how Jacob and his family migrated to Egypt to escape a famine in the land of Canaan. 

Then Israel arrived in Egypt;
    Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
And the LORD multiplied the people of Israel
    until they became too mighty for their enemies.
Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites,
    and they plotted against the LORD’s servants. – Psalm 105:23-25 NLT

The Book of Genesis affirms that Jacob's family was anything but a great nation when they arrived in Egypt.

…there were seventy members of Jacob’s family in the land of Egypt. – Genesis 46:27 NLT

But as the psalmist recounts, the Israelites grew in number, just as God had said they would. In fact, their numbers increased so significantly that they became a threat to the Egyptians. In four centuries, the Israelites had multiplied and prospered under God's sovereign hand, causing the Pharaoh to enact a series of edicts that enslaved and oppressed God's people. But verses 26-36 recount how Yahweh raised up a deliverer to rescue His people from slavery and lead them back to the land of Canaan. 

Through a series of devastating plagues, Yahweh punished Pharaoh and the people of Egypt for their refusal to set His people free. But eventually, God persuaded the pride-filled Pharaoh to release the Israelites and allow them to return to the land of promise. 

Moses served as their official God-appointed tour guide and leader, but it was really Yahweh who directed their path and provided for all their needs along the way. 

The LORD spread a cloud above them as a covering
    and gave them a great fire to light the darkness.
They asked for meat, and he sent them quail;
    he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven.
He split open a rock, and water gushed out
    to form a river through the dry wasteland. – Psalm 105:39-41 NLT

The psalmist leaves little doubt that Yahweh was behind every part of their ancestors’ wilderness experience. Yahweh had led them and fed them. He provided for all their needs and traveled alongside them in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Their 40-year journey from Egypt to Canaan had been filled with God's presence and marked by His power. Despite their grumbling, complaining, disobedience, and disloyalty, the Israelites learned that their God was faithful and trustworthy. He never abandoned them along the way. Instead, He showered them with mercy and grace, repeatedly rescuing and redeeming them from one self-inflicted disaster after another. 

According to the psalmist, Yahweh, “remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham. So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing” (Psalm 105:42-43 NLT). But Yahweh didn't stop there; He led them to and into the land of promise, providing them with victories over their enemies and ownership of their inheritance. 

He gave his people the lands of pagan nations,
    and they harvested crops that others had planted.
All this happened so they would follow his decrees
    and obey his instructions. – Psalm 105:44-45 NLT

With all that as background, the psalmist calls on the descendants of Abraham to “Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 105:45 NLT). This was a call to celebrate God's goodness and greatness and remember His faithfulness and covenant-keeping nature. The danger each generation of believers faces is forgetting God's faithfulness. Even Moses knew that the generation that entered the land of Canaan would be tempted to forget all that Yahweh had done, so he provided them with a sobering warning.

“Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.” – Deuteronomy 8:11-18 NLT

Remember and rejoice. Praise the LORD for who He is and all that He has done. But never forget that “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT).

Father, You are a good and trustworthy God who has proven Yourself faithful and true for generations. We have no cause to doubt You, but we do. We have no reason to question Your goodness and greatness, but we do so anyway. Yet, You respond with mercy and grace. You shower us with undeserved blessings and continue to fulfill all Your covenant promises. You never go back on Your word, and never give up on Your people. We have every reason to praise You but we are quick to forget and prone to complain. Our forgetfulness leads to ungratefulness. Our dissatisfaction results in disobedience. Help us see you more clearly, remember You regularly, and praise You more frequently. For You are worthy of our praise. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Plenty of Cause for Praise

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!
    O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2     covering yourself with light as with a garment,
    stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
    he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
    his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,
    so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
    the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
    to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
    so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
    they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
    they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15     and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
    and bread to strengthen man's heart.

16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
    the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
    the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
    the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
    when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
    seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
    and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
    and to his labor until the evening.

24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!
    In wisdom have you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
    which teems with creatures innumerable,
    living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,
    to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
    may the LORD rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
    and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 104:1-35 ESV

When was the last time you expressed your love and adoration to God? I mean, really let Him know how much you appreciate Him? In this psalm, the anonymous author echoes David's words in Psalm 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul… – Psalm 103:1 ESV

His word-for-word use of David's lyrics is not a case of plagiarism but a recognition of the truth behind their meaning. He understands that true worship begins in the soul, or man's heart. So, he repeats David's words, but makes them his own by adding a personal touch to explain his cause for rejoicing.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
    O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty… – Psalm 104:1 ESV

While David focused on Yahweh's love, grace, mercy, and provision for His people, this unnamed psalmist concentrates His attention on the wonder of Yahweh's handiwork, particularly His creation. 

You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
    you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
    you ride upon the wings of the wind.
The winds are your messengers;
    flames of fire are your servants. – Psalm 104:2-4 NLT

Using his sanctified imagination, the psalmist tries to picture the moment Yahweh created the heavens and the earth. Familiar with the oft-repeated details of the creation account, he describes God as arrayed in light, a symbol of His purity, power, and life-giving nature.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. – Genesis 1:1-4 NLT

God began His act of creation by illuminating the darkness with the light of His presence. It is no coincidence that the Genesis account records the presence of light before the sun, moon, and stars came into existence. Without advanced scientific training or a degree in cosmology, the psalmist inherently understood that God was the original source of light.

In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John records his vision of the New Jerusalem, the divinely designed and constructed city that will be the final home for God and His people at the end of the age. After destroying His first creation, God will begin again.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4 NLT

When God recreates heaven and earth this time, there will be one dramatic difference.

And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. – Revelation 21:23-25 NLT

The psalmist had no way of knowing what John saw in his vision, but he inherently knew that God was the source of light. He understood the power and majesty of God because he could see it in the universe around him. When he witnessed the seas and the mountains, he could only conclude that they were the handiwork of an all-powerful God who was to be treated with awe and admiration.

But the psalmist didn't stop with his admiration for God's creative ability; he went on to describe God's life-sustaining power.

You make springs pour water into the ravines,
    so streams gush down from the mountains.
They provide water for all the animals,
    and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds nest beside the streams
    and sing among the branches of the trees.
You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
    and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
You cause grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth… – Psalm 104:10-14 NLT

The entire creation was designed to support and sustain life, but specifically human life. Man was the apex of God's creation and was intended to be the caretaker of all that He had made. The rest of the creative order was designed as the source of human flourishing and fruitfulness.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,c and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beingsd in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. – Genesis 1:26-30 NLT

The psalmist understood that God had designed the earth for mankind. He could survey the world around him and see that every facet of the creation pointed to God’s sustaining power. The LORD had created an environment in which life would not only survive, but thrive. His power kept the stars and planets in their places, provided light and warmth from the sun, and food for every living creature, including man.

They all depend on you
    to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied.
But if you turn away from them, they panic.
    When you take away their breath,
    they die and turn again to dust.
When you give them your breath, life is created,
    and you renew the face of the earth. – Psalm 104:27-30 NLT

The psalmist was blown away by it all, and he expressed his awe in the form of a prayer.

May the glory of the LORD continue forever!
    The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made! – Psalm 104:31 NLT

He knew that the universe was no accident and that the ongoing existence of humanity could not be left to chance. Yahweh was the only logical explanation for all that existed and the only hope for its continued flourishing. Without God’s ongoing power and provision, life as we know it would be unsustainable. And, as the psalmist thought about this sobering truth, he could only respond in worship and praise.

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
    I will praise my God to my last breath!
May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the LORD. – Psalm 104:33-34 NLT

Let's face it, most of us take God for granted. We rarely think about the fact that each breath we take is a gift from Him. Unless we happen to be standing at the brink of the Grand Canyon looking out over its majestic landscape, we probably don't get blown away by His creative handiwork. We rarely stand in awe of His power and creativity as we drive to work or mow the grass. But if we could train ourselves to think "godly" thoughts and look for Him daily in the world around us, we would probably be more grateful and a lot less grumpy!

So, let us adore Him, sing His praises, and shout about His incredible mercies. Remind one another of His limitless love. We have much for which to be grateful, and there's more to come.

Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! – Psalm 104:35 NLT

Father, give me eyes to see You, lips to praise you, ears to hear you, hands to serve you, feet to follow you, and a lifetime that is filled with adoration for who You are and all that You have done. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.