Praise!

Psalm 113 says: “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time on and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!”

On Palm Sunday, I was privileged to travel to Jackson, Alabama, to preach for a clergy friend who is receiving medical treatments. As I drove across the Garcon Point Bridge to Interstate 10, the sun was rising from the east and the moon was setting in the west. What an amazing moment as I witnessed the dawning of a new day and the setting of the previous night. I was reminded of a camp song we sang at Blue Lake as I was growing up. It went like this. “From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised. Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord. From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised.”

I get caught up sometimes in all that is going on around me, responsibilities, commitments, and more. I find that I forget to praise God for all that I have. This song and Psalm remind me that from the time the sun comes up until it goes down, and more that I need to be praising God. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, a simple thank you for this day is good and or whatever you are thankful for. Praising God needs to be number one for us. So remember, “from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised. So praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised”.