Psalm 66:4 - Praising The Lord.
Psalm 66:4 (NLT) Everything on earth will
worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting
your name in glorious songs. Interlude
Psalm 66:4 (AMP) All the earth shall bow
down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall
praise Your name in song. Selah [pause, and calmly
think of that]!
COMMENTARY PEARL
I've been training our new puppy, Ody.
He's a chocolate lab with beautiful hazel-green
eyes. He's our third Labrador. We trained the
other two while raising three rowdy boys. Suffice
it to say, our dogs didn't get much training.
They were loved, but they were rowdy too. They
pulled when we walked, and they ran away, ate
trash, and especially went nuts for squirrels.
With our sons out of the house, I decided
to hire a dog trainer to help me. I wanted to
avoid those same bad habits. One of the strategies
the trainer has taught me is to have Ody sit and
look at me and then praise him before releasing
him.
I've been practicing this rhythm with
him. Pause, focus, praise.
Then, the other morning I was reading
Psalm 66. As I read, I noticed the word Selah at
the end of verses about singing praises to God.
What does "Selah" mean? I wondered. I searched on
Google and found it appears seventy-one times in
the Psalms, and some Bible scholars believe it
means "pause and praise."
Hmmm. Reading that made me realize that I
needed training too. I began to take moments in my
day to pause and stop whatever I was doing,
especially in chaotic moments when I feel the pull of
life. Focus my thoughts on Jesus. And praise God
for a specific blessing in that moment.
Practicing this has helped me find peace, clarity, and
direction. Just as Ody is growing up as a calm puppy
who consistently looks to me for direction, I'm
continually looking to Jesus throughout my day and
giving Him praise. Jeannie Blackmer
Faith Step: Set your alarm for three
times today. Stop whatever you're doing to pause,
focus on Jesus, and praise Him for something
specific. [Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Why We Should Worship
Worship can turn the most miserable
circumstances into a wonderful time. In the book of Acts
we read of Paul and Silas, who were beaten and
thrown into a cold, dark, stinking dungeon for
preaching the gospel. But at midnight Paul and Silas
began singing praises to God. They worshiped the
Lord. As they sang, an earthquake came, and the
entire prison fell apart. (Talk about bringing the
house down.)
Its wonderful when you can be lifted
up through worship. Im not talking about
mind over matter; Im talking about faith over
circumstances. Im not talking about positive thinking;
Im talking about honoring God, who is still on
the throne no matter what youre going
through.
God may deliver you immediately from your
situation as He did with Paul and Silas. Or He may
not. Sometimes when you worship the Lord, your
problems dont go away, but they dont seem as
significant. Its not because your problems have
disappeared. Its because you have reevaluated things.
As you worship the Lord and think about His
glory, His power, His splendor, and His love, then
you see Him in perspective.
The word worship comes from an old
English word that means worthship. We should
worship God because He is worthy. No matter what
were going through, no matter what our
circumstances may be, God merits our worship. The Bible
says, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 118:1).
We worship God in spite of our circumstances,
in spite of what were going through, because
God merits and deserves our worship. And He is
always worthy of our worship.
God made us to worship Him. God made us
to bring Him pleasure. And God is pleased when
we worship Him with a proper heart. [Greg
Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com re Psalm 118:1]
CLOSING THOUGHT
While jogging early this morning, I found
myself humming the tune Bob Hope immortalized
during several wars. I can still remember his
tailor-made lyrics, fitted to each occasion. He sang
them to lonely soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
marines from steamy jungles to frozen reservoirs
from the decks of aircraft carriers to makeshift
platforms on windswept sand dunes. As guys and gals in
uniform laughed and cried, screamed and sipped Coke,
they always anticipated Hope's finale as he took
the mike and crooned, "And thanks for the
memories "
I remember it well: Christmas of '58 on
Okinawa. I was homesick, missing my wife, and
counting the days. So when the veteran entertainer
sang his closing song, I sang along with him in a
flood of memories. I recall how grateful I was for
that tour of duty: the lessons I had learned, the
disciplines I had begun to employ (thanks to the
Navigators), the books I had read, the missionaries I had
met, the places I had visited, the journal I had
kept, the letters I had written, the verses I had
memorized, even the things I had witnessed inside a
Marine Corps barracks! And, most importantly, the
call I had received from God to enter ministry.
Looking back now, all I can do is smile
and sing, "Thanks for the memories." I'm
doing that a lot these days as I recall the
various things God has done in me and through me and
for me - and sometimes in spite of me! And I
can't help but give Him praise in my heart.
Pastoring a church has to be the highest
of all callings. In this position, one has the
privilege of touching life at its tenderest points
of walking with pain through its darkest
valleys of proclaiming truth in its purest form
of confronting sin in its ugliest scenes
of modeling integrity through its hardest
extremes - while everyone is watching as well as when
no one is looking. It is no wonder to me why it
requires a God-given calling before one enters it or
why such a struggle accompanies resignation from
it.
And after all these years I say a
resounding, "Thanks for the memories!" For the
conversions that have occurred, the addictions that have
been conquered, the marriages that have been
restored, the fractured lives that have been mended.
These memories stay with me and revisit me often
as I thank Him for His faithfulness.
Who knows what other surprises God has
over the horizon? I do not know what lies ahead,
but for today I pause and praise Him and
thank Him for the memories.
We know who holds the future as we
thank Him for the past. [Chuck Swindoll
www.insight.org.]
RELATED MUSICAL LINK WORTH CHECKING OUT (Be
Sure And Note The Lyrics):
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) - Matt
Redman (Best Worship Song Ever):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Psalm 103:1, 2 - Praise The Lord, O My Soul;
And All That Is Within Me, Praise His Holy
Name.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2017/20170106-1712.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
