“Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation” (Psalm 111:1).
TEXT — Psalm 111:1-10
Message
An evangelist once said, “When a true child of God prays without answers, he or she should switch over to singing praises to the King of glory. Genuine praises often move God to action”. Rather than lament behind the bars, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison, threw its doors open and loosed their bands (Acts 16:25,26).
The author of the psalm under consideration specifically praises God Almighty for His glory, grace, mercy, provision and works. He begins with “Praise ye the LORD”. Subsequently, he reiterates his commitment to giving thanks to the Lord. He cites the great works of the Lord as the rationale for praising Him with his whole heart. He mentions God’s grace and compassion towards him in times of trials and troubles.
He remembers how God provides meat “unto them that fear Him” and how He redeems His people from the hands of their enemies. He proclaims God’s goodness and uprightness, especially His unshaken commitment to fulfilling all His covenants. The psalmist’s heart of praises reveals how believers can meaningfully lift up our Creator.
He praises the Lord with the totality of his heart without distraction and interruption on account of how He was gracious to him during troublous times as a fugitive. He also appreciates the Lord for keeping His covenant with Israel. Like him, we must develop the healthy habit of praising God both in private and in public. Rendering songs of hallelujah from holy hearts elicits His intervention when we experience grave challenges.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
3 comments
May God bless the ministry and enlarge her coast the more
May God bless the ministry and enlarge her coast the more
Amen and amen to everyone.
I will always praise God for His goodness and Mercy in my life and family in Jesus mighty name Amen.