Scripture: Psalm
148
One of the traditions of Lent is to avoid using the word,
“Hallelujah!” Our Easter services, then, are full of the word, or its Greek
equivalent, “Alleluia!” The last five psalms of the Psalter begin and end with
the word, which sometimes escapes us because it is translated for us as,
“Praise the Lord!” But it is there in the Hebrew “Hallelujah!” In this psalm
all aspects of creation are urged to praise the Lord because he is the creator
and he reigns over all things. Not only that, however, he also saves his
people. In this Easter season, in which we are already inclined to praise the
Lord for our salvation, we are here urged to praise him for all that he has done
for us.
Teaching
To praise God is to proclaim his goodness. It is to speak of
his blessings, benefits, salvation, mercy, justice, provision, protection, and
more. It is to remember and declare all of his benefits. It is to respond to
all the good that God has done in, through, and for his creation and to shine
the spot-light back on him. It is the recognition and glorification of his
every act.
There is so much to praise God for. There are the great and
cosmic things like creation, forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus,
and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There are also smaller, more personal,
items our talents, our family, little blessings and joy, and, of course, the
greater blessing of faith and everlasting life. As Luther says, “Rightfully,
all of creation should be nothing but a tongue, always praise this great
goodness of God.”[1]
Life
Luther suggests an interesting exercise to consider what is
good in the world that we might praise God for it. He says, “If you want to
know how good a thing is, then take whatever you will and say: ‘if there were
no fire…’ or ‘If there were not sun…’; ‘If there were no [law enforcement]…’;
‘If there were no woman…’; and so on. Then you will see why one should thank
God.”[2]
Spend some time thinking about all that you have for which
you could praise God. Think through earthly blessings, certainly, and then
remember the spiritual blessings. Of course, we should always praise God for
giving his Son to die and to rise for us, for without that we could not properly
say, “Hallelujah!”; “Praise the Lord!”
Prayer
Use Psalm 148 to guide your prayer today. Pray that the Holy
Spirit would teach you to praise the Lord rightly and for all of God’s
goodness.
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