praise

Overwhelmed? Cry Out!

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I love the story in 2 Chronicles 14. King Asa had an army of 580,000. The enemy had an army of one million plus 300 chariots.  Verse 11 says, “And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude…”

In verse 12 the Lord struck the enemy. Verse 13 says, “…So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army…”

A great multitude had come against God’s people. He instructed them to praise. 2 Chronicles 20:22 says, “Now as they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people…and they were defeated.”

What is overwhelming you? Cry out to the Lord! Let Him hear the voice of your heart.

Power Of Intention~Part One

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David often used two words in his psalms that stated his intention. “I will” primes the pump. It signals our brain that we intend to do something, then our brain instructs our body for action. 

I was thinking about this as I started to memorize David’s Psalm 111. Verse 1 says, “Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart…” Our flesh can be the enemy of our intentions. “I will” states intention, but David’s use of ‘whole heart’ involved his reliance on the Lord.

Case in point is Psalm 86:11. David was looking to the Lord. It says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” David’s intention remained focused on the Lord. Verse 12 says, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.”

Created To Praise ~ Part One

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I memorized Psalm 96. Next I started memorizing Psalm 98. It starts out like Psalm 96 did. Verse 1 says, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things…” He is the subject of our new songs. I love to wake up singing little songs that bubble up when I focus on Him.

Here is something that I noted in both psalms. Creation gets involved. Psalm 96:11-12 incorporates the heavens, earth, sea, field, and all the trees of the woods. In Psalm 98 it is the sea, the world and all who dwell in it. I love verse 8. Just picture it as you read the words. “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together.”

What is creation’s focus? Psalm 96:13 says, “For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and  the peoples with His truth.”

Sing A New Song! Part One

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I started to memorize Psalm 96. Verse 1 says, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord all the earth.” Then I looked at a note in my Bible. This psalm comes from David’s psalm in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36.

Let me set the stage for you. 1 Chronicles 15:28 says that King David and all Israel, “…brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.” 

Verse 29 says that King David was whirling and playing music. As I am repeating verse 1 over and over, I am picturing this great assembly of praise. Psalm 96 is so jubilant with heartfelt worship. 

It says, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.