READING: Psalm 150
I’m not a musician. I wish I were, though, for then I could praise God through additional means. As the psalmist closes his book with a dramatic doxology, he calls on “everything that breathes” to praise the Lord (Psa 150:6)—with particular emphasis on praising Him through musical instruments. The list of instruments includes percussion instruments, wind instruments, and stringed instruments, as if to emphasize the point, “Praise God with all of your being with every instrument possible.” Even then, however, the praise would be insufficient for a God known for His “powerful acts” and “abundant greatness” (Psa 150:2). Indeed, our praise is to reverberate from the sanctuary to God’s “mighty expanse” (Psa 150:1).
I read these words today, and I wonder why we struggle so much with praising God. On one hand, I think we can be so self-centered that we neglect praising Him; on the other hand, we tend to praise Him more for what He does for us than for who He is as the eternal Creator. Too often, our “praise” is more perfunctory than natural. We simply don’t know what it’s like to just erupt in praise like clanging cymbals whose sounds echo off of God’s creation.
I pray that would be different beginning today. I encourage you to read Psalm 150 aloud several times today, and let God’s praises ring out!
PRAYER: “I praise You God for Your powerful acts and abundant greatness.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Review and catch-up day*
*The 2020 five-day-per-week reading plan begins on Monday, January 6th.