Scripture
Vs 1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
VS 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
VS 3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!
Vs 4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Vs 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
VS 6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Vs 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps,
VS 8 fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Vs 9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
VS 10 Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!
VS 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes, and all rulers of the earth!
VS 12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
VS 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
Vs 14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!
Observation
I can’t isolate a verse or two today.
Today it’s about the whole thing!
This is as “all inclusive” as it gets from a psalmist.
Sometimes the psalmist wants to focus on a specific element of God’s character.
Sometimes the psalmist wants to focus on a specific circumstance the author is enduring.
Here the psalmist goes BIG!
God created ALL!
And God is worthy of praise from ALL CREATION!
But the most fascinating statement to me comes at the end …
God is NOT “out there” somewhere in His creation …
God is “near”!
Application
This is what Christmas time is all about … “God came near”!
Yet, the psalmist recognizes this about God even before the “Incarnation”.
Indeed, God is near.
But God is not ONLY near.
God fills ALL His creation!
God is NOT creation, itself, like a pantheist says.
But God FILLS His creation, like the psalmist says.
Like water fills a sponge, and like the prophet Habakkuk decrees …
All creation is saturated with the glory of God!
So, everything in the heavens should praise Him!
Everything on earth should praise Him!
And every person should praise Him!
But I should praise God like He is “near”.
I should NOT praise God like I’m here in some sort of “waiting room” to get to God one day when I die.
And earth is not something I’m just “passing through”.
God has made His “dwelling place” not only the heavens, and not only the earth,
But also now in me through the Holy Spirit!
Praise the Lord!
Prayer
Thank you again, God, for your “decree”
It lasts forever and it will be fulfilled!
Help me Holy Spirit to fulfill it as You will
Help me to see it all around me in all creation
Help me to know you are near
In Jesus name,
Amen