Scripture: Psalm 148
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun, and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created, 6 and he established them forever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away. 7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, 9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and women, old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. 14 And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.
Today's Meditation:
In 1980, the song “Celebration” by the American Rhythm and Blues band Kool and the Gang hit number one on the music charts. Here is the first stanza of this song:
There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you, come on now!
The psalmist in Psalm 148 is enthusiastically expressing these exact same sentiments. There is a praise party going on, and everyone and everything is invited to participate in this celebration. The drumbeat and rhythm of this psalm are the words “Praise.” That word, by my count, appears 14 times!
All of creation is encouraged to praise the Lord. The heavens, the angels, the heavenly hosts, and all the celestial stars are to praise him. All the atmospheric patterns, all creatures of the sea, all of the geological features of the earth, all land animals and birds of the sky are to praise him. And finally, all of humanity, both low and high birth, men, women, and children, are to praise the living and triune God. Despite the problems, conflicts, issues, and challenges that are present in our world today, this praise party is still going on in the background and, indeed, is the song for all of humanity.
Prayer:
Loving and Gracious God, may this song of praise cause me to celebrate you always. Amen.
Jesse G. Mabanglo